General

The boy from Neverland

26-Oct-2013

What has your relationship with Sachin Tendulkar been like? Did you start playing cricket just as he broke into the national team? Did his failures hurt you like your own would? How did you feel when watching him play? Many great players touch the lives of fans in special ways, but Tendulkar surpasses them in the number of fans he was able to convert. ESPNcricinfo reader Rajan Thambehalli writes about the instant connection he felt with a young Tendulkar and how the bond grew stronger. He writes in the Inbox:

Outside of my family, Tendulkar has been a constant throughout my life and now that connection is on its way to breaking. He gave me immense joy, and occasionally the source of my tears. He made me go mad. He frustrated and inspired me. He made me a thinker, made me a believer and even gave me the confidence to go after my dreams.

Who is Tendulkar? God? No. Demi-god? No. Superhuman with magical powers? No. An ordinary human beingwith extreme talent. Not quite. To me he is a kid who managed to extend his childhood beyond its definition....

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Imperio

26-Oct-2013

The 2002 Headingley Test is best remembered for Rahul Dravid's battling 148 and India's famous innings win, their first overseas since soundly beating a Packer-weakened Australia in 1977-78. While Dravid was the star, his innings set the stage for a breathtaking performance by Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly, who added 249 for the fourth wicket. In the final session on day two, seemingly untroubled by the dark skies, the two raced to 96 in the first 11 overs with the new ball. The pace was Twenty20-like - they added 47 from three overs - but the strokes weren't. Tendulkar drove straight and pulled imperiously. In this photo, he whips Alex Tudor to midwicket, looking not unlike Viv Richards.

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The Sachin Tendulkar suite

A round-up of the news as Tendulkar's Ranji game makes headlines

26-Oct-2013

Where will Tendulkar stay?
The Ranji Trophy season starts on Sunday, and the biggest match, it would seem, is the one between hosts Haryana, who won one game out of eight last season, and title holders Mumbai in Lahli. Mail Today reports that the Rivoli Hotel, where the Mumbai team will stay, has changed the name of its best suite (tariff Rs 3600) to the Sachin Tendulkar suite, now decorated with new furniture, curtains and wallpaper.

But it's not yet clear whether Tendulkar will stay at the hotel with the rest of his team-mates or at the state government guest house in Rohtak. "We are told that the local administration is trying to decide which is the best place to stay for Sachin ji as he's a member of Parliament, besides being a great player," Ashok Bhambri, the managing director of the hotel, told the paper.

However, the hotel is going ahead with its preparations nonetheless, and has hired four specialist chefs to cater to the team. "We know Tendulkar loves seafood, so we have made arrangements to get fish and prawns from New Delhi," Gurkamal Sodhi, Rivoli's general manager told Daily News & Analysis. "We really hope he dines here. I heard the players will have their breakfast and lunch at the stadium itself."

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Tendulkar in Wisden's all-time world XI

A round-up of the news as the Wankhede gears up for Tendulkar's final Test

25-Oct-2013

Wisden's world XI
In any an all-time XI, the No. 3 and 4 positions write themselves in. Celebrating its 150th anniversary, Wisden Cricketers' Almanack named an all-time world XI captained by Don Bradman, batting at No. 3, followed by Sachin Tendulkar, Viv Richards and Garry Sobers. WG Grace and Jack Hobbs open the batting for this formidable line-up, and Wasim Akram, Malcolm Marshall, Shane Warne and Sydney Barnes form the killer bowling attack. Allan Knott was picked to keep to them.

Tickets to Wankhede
If you manage to get a ticket to attend Tendulkar's final Test, at the Wankhede, congratulations may be in order for accomplishing an impossible feat. Mid-Day reports that, apart from the tickets reserved for the local clubs and VIPs, the Mumbai Cricket Association is also giving Tendulkar 500 tickets to distribute to his friends and family. "He [Tendulkar] has not asked for a single ticket," Sharad Pawar, the MCA president said. "The MCA will give him 500 tickets." The tickets will be a collector's item as the association plans to emboss Tendulkar's photo on both sides. "We will try to get Sachin Tendulkar souvenirs, which will be available here for sale," Pawar said.

Hockey to rescue cricket?
There might be a second-best option for those of you who can't be at the Wankhede: the Mumbai Cricket Association is planning to ask the neighbouring Mumbai Hockey Association to accommodate a few thousand fans at the MHA-Mahindra Stadium to watch the match on a giant screen, reports Daily News & Analysis. "Mr Pawar [the MCA president] visited our stadium yesterday [Tuesday]. Even though he did not bring up the matter, I hope we get a proposal from the MCA. We will be happy to help," MHA secretary Ram Singh Rathore told the newspaper. But Rathore said the hockey association will not tolerate any damage to its astroturf. "We will not allow them to place chairs on the playing surface. They may seat the fans in our stands which can hold about 6000 spectators. The giant screen may be placed near the electronic scoreboard."

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Lahli gears up for Tendulkar

A round-up of the news as Mumbai prepare to bid goodbye to their biggest star

25-Oct-2013

Sachin Tendulkar is set to play what many believe may be his last domestic match when Mumbai take on Haryana in their Ranji Trophy opener at Lahli.

A 15-year-old Tendulkar made his first-class debut in the 1988-89 season in a Ranji Trophy match against Gujarat at the Wankhede Stadium. He walked into the middle when Lalchand Rajput was run out for 99, and faced his first delivery from offspinner Nisarg Patel before going on to score 100 not out. Read Patel's memories in Mid-Day here.

Twenty-five years later the village of Lahli gears up for the Haryana-Mumbai season opener. The Times of India reports that there is such a rush for Tendulkar posters that "the only shop that sells them, in neighbouring Kalanaur village, about 12km from the stadium, has run out of stock in no time."

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