General
Friendly foes
01-Nov-2013
In tennis, the rivalry between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal has been uncompromising on the court and generous and friendly off it. In cricket, Sachin Tendulkar and Shane Warne have been much the same. They wouldn't give an inch on the field, but couldn't say enough good things about each other off it.
"I'll be going to bed having nightmares of Sachin just running down the wicket and belting me back over the head for six," Warne joked after their encounter in Sharjah in 1998.
Here, the two catch up at the Taj Mahal hotel in Mumbai during the historic 2000-01 Test series.
Full postTendulkar's best Test tons
Vote for Tendulkar's best Test century
31-Oct-2013
Sachin Tendulkar has possessed a rare gift: an unprecedented ability to reel off centuries. Not for him the huge double-hundreds and the monumental triple-hundred: in 198 Tests, he never reached 250, but if one were to rate batsmen purely on their appetite for triple-figures, Tendulkar would stand alone. Like Don Bradman's immortal average of 99.94, Tendulkar's 100 international tons is a mark that could well last forever.
Each of Tendulkar's 51 Test centuries is a chapter in the art of batsmanship. His first Test ton, scored in 1990 as a 19 year old, was a lesson in the construction of fourth-innings rearguards. His most recent Test century, against a red-hot Dale Steyn, on a crackling Newlands deck, was a celebration of technique and determination. In between times, he constructed 49 more hundreds, all around the world, in different circumstances, against the best of attacks.
Vote for your favourite Tendulkar Test century. We have provided ten of his best hundreds as poll options. In case your pick doesn't feature in the list, let us know about it in the comments.
Full postA flower shower
As the first Test against West Indies approaches, elaborate plans are afoot at the CAB to give Sachin Tendulkar a flowery farewell
30-Oct-2013
Petals from the sky
There's not much in terms of accolades that Sachin Tendulkar has not seen during his 198-Test career but the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) is planning quite an elaborate celebration for his 199th at Eden Gardens. According to NDTV, there are plans to shower 199kg of rose petal on Tendulkar when he bats in the second innings of the Test. Hopefully not all at once.
There's not much in terms of accolades that Sachin Tendulkar has not seen during his 198-Test career but the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) is planning quite an elaborate celebration for his 199th at Eden Gardens. According to NDTV, there are plans to shower 199kg of rose petal on Tendulkar when he bats in the second innings of the Test. Hopefully not all at once.
Guest list
Viv Richards and Shane Warne have been invited by the CAB to attend Tendulkar's penultimate Test, according to CNN-IBN. They are also reporting that, on day three, there are plans afoot to send 199 lanterns into the sky.
Viv Richards and Shane Warne have been invited by the CAB to attend Tendulkar's penultimate Test, according to CNN-IBN. They are also reporting that, on day three, there are plans afoot to send 199 lanterns into the sky.
Which pitch?
A venue for an international game is usually not supposed to host a domestic match for two weeks prior to the fixture. However, the CAB asked the BCCI for permission to host the Bengal-Baroda Ranji Trophy game at Eden Gardens in order to try out the pitch ahead of Tendulkar's 199th match. But the Eden Gardens curator, Prabir Mukherjee has said in the Telegraph that he cannot risk wear and tear on the surface by playing a first-class game on it so close to the Test.
Full postA venue for an international game is usually not supposed to host a domestic match for two weeks prior to the fixture. However, the CAB asked the BCCI for permission to host the Bengal-Baroda Ranji Trophy game at Eden Gardens in order to try out the pitch ahead of Tendulkar's 199th match. But the Eden Gardens curator, Prabir Mukherjee has said in the Telegraph that he cannot risk wear and tear on the surface by playing a first-class game on it so close to the Test.
Meditative on match eve
30-Oct-2013
Matthew Hayden was known to meditate on the pitch as part of his preparations for a match, and it was a favourite shot for photographers. Here, in Nagpur in 2004, a day before the third Test of the series, he is accompanied by Sachin Tendulkar, who had returned to the side after spending two months out due to a tennis elbow.
India were down 0-1* and were staring at an ignominious series loss. Their 35-year defence of what the Australians called "the final frontier" was under threat. The pitch was the centre of controversy before the Test for its green cover - umpire David Shepherd, on seeing it, remarked, "Looks like home, don't it?" - despite India's captain, Sourav Ganguly, reportedly asking for the grass to be removed.
Tendulkar made 8 and 2, Hayden 23 and 9. Australia won by 342 runs, their biggest victory against India in terms of runs. In the final Test, on a pitch that turned square right from the start, Tendulkar scored a crucial 55 to give India victory in a low-scoring thriller.
Full postStanding on the shoulders of giants
It is not generally known how much direct influence Gavaskar has had in Tendulkar's life, but the inspirational value cannot be denied
Avi Lall
29-Oct-2013
With Sachin Tendulkar's announcement that he intends to retire after two more Tests, there is a certain sense of sadness. Being present at the ground and witnessing a historic innings unfold has an almost tactile quality. It gets under one's skin. Unfortunately, some of us living in the US never had the privilege of watching him live in the throes of battle and had to be content with satellite feeds or ESPNcricinfo. While television coverage with its close-ups and replays from every conceivable angle is a far superior watching experience than would be possible if one were sitting in the stands about 100 yards away from the action, it also robs one of the energy, excitement and anticipation that can only be experienced by being at the ground. The sense of immediacy and presence is absent. With just two more Tests to go, the chance of watching him live will be gone forever. Tendulkar, however, will continue to inhabit our consciousness and collective memories for a long time and none us is in a hurry to retire him from there.
It is very likely that no cricketer will threaten Tendulkar's record of 100 centuries, 34,000-odd international runs, 463 ODIs and potentially 200 Tests. These are awesome accomplishments. Difficult to comprehend, even though the numbers are understood. Something like saying our nearest neighbouring galaxy, Andromeda, is about 6 million light years away. The numbers are understood but we can scarcely comprehend the distance.
In every field of endeavour, the one who reaches the pinnacle will be found to have built upon the knowledge and experience of someone who preceded him. We always stand on someone else's shoulders. For all his natural abilities as a cricketer, Tendulkar might not have amounted to much if those abilities had not been channelled, chiseled and honed. For that, we have to be grateful to all those who were involved in nurturing him, including his brother, and, of course, his coach. Let us not forget his wife either. Then there is the inspirational value of a hero. That is where Sunil Gavaskar comes into the discussion. While it is not generally known how much direct influence Gavaskar has had in Tendulkar's life, the inspirational value cannot be denied.
Full postThat young Tyke
29-Oct-2013
In 1992, Yorkshire signed the 19-year-old Sachin Tendulkar as their first-ever overseas player. He scored 1070 runs from 16 first-class games, but the county ended the season in 16th place. However, Tendulkar's presence in the dressing room had a positive impact. "They are all better players for his presence," said coach Steve Oldham soon after he joined. "His confidence is infectious, they all want to bat with him."
In this photo, Tendulkar celebrates a wicket against Kent in a Benson & Hedges Cup match at Headingley. On the right, half-hidden by his team-mates, you can see a 21-year-old Darren Gough, who never played Tests against India, but dismissed Tendulkar once in the 12 ODIs they competed in.
Full postA rock amid ruins
28-Oct-2013
Sachin Tendulkar walking across the vast outfield at the MCG, with only seagulls for company. The picture captures the general sentiment of the 1990s, when with Tendulkar's arrival and departure rose and ebbed India's hopes of a competitive performance away from home. In Melbourne in December 1999, when the weather was damp and batting a struggle, Australia rallied to 405 and India crumbled around Tendulkar. He battled through a bouncer barrage from Glenn McGrath and spells of serious speed from the debutant Brett Lee, and lofted Shane Warne straight over his head and into the stands for his innings' only six. When he departed - caught hooking at deep backward square because he was running out of partners - Tendulkar had scored 116 out of India's 212. It was his last Test century as captain, and his 52 in the second innings was India's top score as well.
Full postAs the curtains come down
There was something heroic about Sachin Tendulkar's stubborn refusal to give in and disappear into the sunset
Ajay Jacob
27-Oct-2013
One day between the 14th and 18th of November, depending on the match situation, Sachin Tendulkar will walk off the field for one final time. I am not certain yet whether I will wear only black on the day or perform some other mourning ritual, but given that I have no recollection of watching Indian cricket without this man in the team, the significance of the moment will not be lost on me.
Much has been said about the timing of his retirement, by both pundits and general fans alike. Opinion has ranged from "he left it too late" to 'he had one last great series left in him' and everything in between. I myself have gone from hoping he would retire while he was still at the top of his game, to silently goading him onto rage, if you like, against the fading of the light. There was something heroic about his stubborn refusal to give in and disappear into the sunset.
Even now, as Mumbai prepares to lay on a farewell party for its favourite cricketing son, the debate rages on. Inevitably, it is along the lines of "no one is bigger than the game", "the opposition has been picked for his benefit", "what is all the fuss about?" or all of the above. Of course, this only proves that you can't please everybody all the time. Over the course of a 25-year long career, Sachin Tendulkar probably knows this better than most.
Full postThe conundrum over 50 VIP passes
Who should be given the chance to watch Sachin Tendulkar's final domestic game? The race hots up
27-Oct-2013
Landowners and pass distributors
Sachin Tendulkar's final domestic game is a big occasion for Ram Saran Malhotra, the owner of 28 acres of land around the cricket stadium in Lahli.
Sachin Tendulkar's final domestic game is a big occasion for Ram Saran Malhotra, the owner of 28 acres of land around the cricket stadium in Lahli.
The Indian Express reports:
"By virtue of being the one-time owner of the land that will host the Mumbai-Haryana Ranji Trophy game - more importantly the patch of land where Sachin Tendulkar will start his long walk to the exit - the old man in spotless white kurta-pyjama has got 50 VIP passes for the Sunday-to Wednesday game.
Full postThe farewell frenzy hits little Lahli
The small Haryana town comes alive for Tendulkar's Ranji match
Abhishek Purohit
26-Oct-2013
"Seeti waalon, picche aa jaao (those with whistles, fall back)". Tens of Haryana policemen and women reluctantly dragged their feet back at this order from a senior official. They had been keenly watching Sachin Tendulkar practice in the outdoor nets at the Bansi Lal Stadium in Lahli, but had ventured too close. Some of them had been clicking pictures of Tendulkar on their mobile phones. Before inching their way up towards the nets, they had been lining the bamboo perimeter of the practice area, their backs to the pathway running around the stadium. They easily outnumbered the media personnel, ground staff, administration officials, workers and others fortunate enough to be allowed inside the premises.
Outside stood almost as many policemen, not letting anyone venture close to the main entrance and directing the fortunate ones to a side gate accessed by mud tracks passing through a paddy field. All of those present, whether inside or outside, wanted was a look at the man who will play his first match, for Mumbai against hosts Haryana, after announcing the impending end to his 24-year international career.
Lahli is a village about 15km from the Haryana city of Rohtak, on the road to Bhiwani. Rohtak itself is a two- to three-hour drive from Delhi. Tendulkar's apparent final domestic first-class game has to be the biggest occasion for this venue, surrounded by fields and more fields. The first priority for the Haryana Cricket Association was to find a place where Tendulkar could be put up. There are no five-stars in Rohtak, of course. Will this one be good enough? Or that one? The chief minister's residence maybe? Finally a sprawling state guest house was chosen.
Full post