The Surfer
Tendulkar at 40: ever evolving batting
Greg Chappell celebrated Tendulkar's 40th birthday in his column, looking back at their relationship when he was the Indian coach, and the little nuances and observations that made Tendulkar stand out from his peers. BBC Sport picks out six of Tendulkar's
ESPNcricinfo staff
24-Apr-2013
On the day of his 40th birthday, Greg Chappell toasted the 'Little Master' in his column for the Hindu. Chappell, who was India's coach for a turbulent two-year stint, looks back at his relationship with Tendulkar, and what attributes made him such a legend. He also provides observations on how Sachin's game, and stance, have evolved over the many years.
What did surprise me was the meticulous attention that he gave to his bats. I had seen others who were quite protective and caring of their bat, but I had never seen anyone who showered their bat with such loving attention. He constantly altered the batting grip and spent hours with a scalpel scraping and cleaning the blade so that it was pleasing to his eye
BBC Sport has put together a list of the six greatest innings Sachin Tendulkar has played over his long, storied career. Some expected centuries do feature, however there are a couple that may surprise the casual reader.
It might not have been the biggest score of Tendulkar's career, but his 44 against West Indies in a one-day international in Trinidad was another courageous and skilful display of batting. Opening the innings, he top-scored as India were bowled out for 179 on a difficult pitch - Curtly Ambrose taking 4-36. India's pacemen were not as effective and the Windies raced to victory.
The makings of Gayle the destroyer
Wavell Hinds, in an interview with Indian Express, turns back the clock and uncovers what led to the transformation of Chris Gayle into a six-hitting machine
24-Apr-2013
In an interview with Indian Express' Bharat Sundaresan, former West Indies batsman Wavell Hinds looks back at the career of Chris Gayle, and what decisive moments led to the transformation of Gayle into a virtual six-hitting machine.
I understand the kind of shock and awe that Chris generates through his batting exploits among the cricketing fraternity, but I'm not too surprised to see him come close to scoring a 200 in a T20 match. I have had the benefit of playing with Chris for many years now, from U-19 level and having had the privilege of opening the innings with him from grade cricket right up to international cricket. But one match I'll never forget is a T20 trial for the Jamaica team back in 2006, where he smashed 196 off 68 deliveries and got out in the 15th over. It was on a first-class ground, Chedwin Park in St Catherine, Spanish Town and against an attack that consisted of Jerome Taylor, Marlon Samuels and Nikita Miller, all of whom had already played for West Indies. I was thankfully in Chris's team. And man, did he smash the leather off the cricket ball that day.
Still the same person as I always was - Tendulkar
23-Apr-2013
On the eve of his 40th birthday, Sachin Tendulkar sat down with The Hindu for a rare interview, reflecting back on his 24 years in the game and being on the cusp of generational change in the dressing room. He speaks at length about his life, family and cricket.
Tell me, can you force someone to like something? It has to come from within. Somebody who wants to play Test cricket will not get satisfaction playing the shorter forms of the game. To me, Test cricket will always remain the ultimate format. Without doubt, it is the most challenging format of the game.
Fair play call needs right targets
22-Apr-2013
In the Yorkshire Post, Chris Waters suggests that it is the professionals who need to be reminded about the virtues of fair play rather than the children who were the focus of a recent survey into cheating in sport.
It is all very well telling them they should win and lose graciously. But unless that ethos starts at the top - with the professional sportsmen themselves - it is surely an enterprise doomed to failure. For the simple fact is that children copy what they see on television; they imitate the way their heroes behave.
The death of a tournament that cricket deserved
In the National, Osman Samiuddin writes on how changing priorities in cricket's administration have led to the death of the Champions Trophy
22-Apr-2013
The Champions Trophy began as a money-making venture for the ICC, but for a brief period, it was a platform to take the game to cricket's newer entrants. Its format made it leaner and better than the World Cup. Yet, as Osman Samiuddin writes in the National, the tournament has suffered as administrative priorities have changed in the advent of Twenty20 cricket.
Here was a tournament conceived purely to make money, yet inadvertently turned into a truer world cup than the World Cup itself. Administrators then made it out to be the villain in the postponement of the World Test championships to at least 2017 (the ICC wanted that event held this summer, but the broadcasting contract it had signed included at least one more Champions Trophy).
Here was the tournament all of cricket wanted: shorter, sharper, quicker, decisive. If that does not capture the muddled sense with which cricket is dealing with its various formats and the pressures on its calendar, then what does?
Full postHazlewood remembers Albert Cotter
22-Apr-2013
At the Glebe War memorial service, NSW fast bowler Josh Hazlewood reminisced about fellow NSW bowler Albert Cotter, arguably the fastest bowler of his generation, and the dedication he showed his country during the time of World War I and conscription. His first-class career was cut short as a direct result, and he became the only Australian cricketer fatality throughout the duration of the war. Sydney Morning Herald's Daniel Lane explores the lore that surrounds the legend of Cotter.
During his career, which included 21 Tests from 1904-12 and 89 wickets at an average of 28.64, Cotter was considered the nation's most popular cricketer behind Victor Trumper. He had a reputation for splitting stumps, his slinging action allied with his penchant for bowling short created controversy in England, where the press christened him ''Terror'' Cotter.
From RCB to CSA: Prasanna Agoram's rise as a performance analyst
Prasanna Agoram's rise from an RCB performance analyst, to one that travels internationally with the South African national team is examined by Indian Express' Bharat Sunderesan.
22-Apr-2013
After a limited stint as an umpire, Prasanna Agoram found his true calling as a performance analyst. Bharat Sunderesan from Indian Express examines his rise from being recruited by RCB, to being handed an offer to work with Cricket South Africa full-time on an international scale.
He prides himself on being a thorough professional even when South Africa are facing India. Talking about the World Cup match of 2011 in Nagpur, he says: "I suggested that we take the batting powerplay immediately after Zaheer Khan's second spell to ensure that he bowls two more overs, and we don't have to face more than one from him in the death. And that won us the match."
Explaining Dinesh Karthik's turnaround
Dinesh Karthik's rise in the IPL has come through hours upon hours of tireless work with the South African national team's current performance analyst Prasanna Agoram. Bharat Sunderesan from the Indian Express looks a lit closer at what the processes were
22-Apr-2013
Dinesh Karthik's recent exploits in the shortest form has put him into the limelight this IPL. His assurance at the crease, coupled with his rapid scoring, has seemingly added another dimension to his batting, one not really accustomed to the type of player he is. His work with Prasanna Agoram, South Africa's national team performance analyst, is credited as a major reason in his turnaround. Bharat Sunderesan from the Indian Express examines what processes were put into place between the two in order to provide Karthik with such success.
Late night calls no longer startle Prasanna Agoram. Regardless of which corner of the world he is in. If anything, he's used to it. The caller, in any case, is always the same. And so, when his phone started buzzing past midnight some ten days ago, Prasanna was half expecting it. He had just switched off his TV in Bangalore after watching Mumbai Indians pummel Delhi Daredevils at the Wankhede Stadium. Mumbai had posted the first 200-plus total of the season, and Dinesh Karthik had stroked a 48-ball 86 against an attack that included Morne Morkel, Ashish Nehra and Umesh Yadav.
Mumbai's cricketing treasure trove in need of revival
The Kanga Memorial Library at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai is fighting a battle for its survival
ESPNcricinfo staff
20-Apr-2013
The Kanga Memorial Library at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai, a beloved haunt for cricket history buffs and probably one of the only sporting libraries in the country, is fighting for survival with administrative apathy. In the Mid day, Clayton Murzello explores the library to find some its rarest classics moth-eaten and dust-laden.
First-timers to the Wankhede Stadium won't find the library without having to ask around simply because there are no sign boards leading to the premises which comes in between the plush Cricket Centre and the Wankhede Stadium. The dark alley leading to the library is indicative of the times.
Dickie Bird, 80 not out
Dickie Bird was one of the most loveable and respected figures in the game. On the occasion of his 80th birthday, The Telegraph's Simon Briggs sat down with the legend to discuss his time in the game and how it has evolved in the modern era.
18-Apr-2013
In an umpiring career that spanned almost three decades, Dickie Bird became one of the game's most loveable and respected characters, a genuine friend to all cricketers. Bird turns 80 on April 19 and despite not being as robust as before, he still remains passionate about cricket, writes Simon Briggs in the Telegraph.
The carers have left and Bird is independent again, still living in the house that he bought as Yorkshire's opening batsman in the 1960s. Today, it has become a shrine to the persona he inhabited for another three decades after that. "Dickie Bird here, Test match umpire," he still likes to say, when he rings up to discuss the latest local prospect - or, more likely, the evils of the TV review. The walls are covered with photographs of Bird himself, standing in his white cap behind the stumps as Richard Hadlee, or Kapil Dev, or Imran Khan roars in to bowl. The desk carries a miniature version of the statue erected to him in the centre of Barnsley. "It stands on the exact spot where I was born, 100 yards from the town hall - trips come from all over to see my statue and go around the market."
