Evergreen Tendulkar feted by Wisden

Sachin Tendulkar added one more to his already bulging cap of feathers when he was named Wisden's leading cricketer in the world for 2010. Tendulkar enjoyed what was even by his standards an outstanding year in 2010, hitting over 1500 Test runs with 7 hundreds. He also went past the previously unthinkable mark of 50 Test match hundreds in 2010. In ODIs, he became the first batsman to hit the 200-run mark, doing it against the might of the South African attack. 

The master batsman, who began this month with what he described as his proudest moment when he helped India win the World Cup on his home ground in Mumbai, is the seventh recipient of the Wisden award. 

Unlike the winners of Wisden's coveted five cricketers of the year, it is possible to be named the world's best in the almanack more than once - and Tendulkar made it an Indian hat-trick, after Test opener Virender Sehwag took the honour in each of the last two years. 

Tendulkar's citation concludes: "Wisden acknowledges his greatness by naming him as the leading cricketer in the world for 2010." 

Alongwith naming its leading cricketer, Wisden also named its World Test Eleven for 2010. He has been pencilled in at his usual Number Four spot, with Sehwag picked as one of the openers. The other opener was Tamim Iqbal. The Bangladesh left-hander is also named one of the cricketers of the year, this year commuted to four rather than five as Wisden announced last week. 

Tamim is the first from his country to receive the accolade, and shares it with England batsman Eoin Morgan - breaking new ground for his native Ireland - the prolific Jonathan Trott and Chris Read - County Champions Nottinghamshire's captain and wicketkeeper-batsman. 

The World Test XI was dominated by Indians with VVS Laxman, MS Dhoni and Zaheer Khan also part of it alongwith Sehwag and Tendulkar. Laxman played what was possibly the knock of the year when he took India to a one-wicket win over Australia in Mohali and rarely put a foot wrong through the year. Zaheer Khan was outstanding for India and the single biggest bowling factor in their maintenance of the top spot. 

The world team also contains two of England's 2010/11 Ashes heroes, off-spinner Graeme Swann and fast bowler James Anderson. Also, for the first time in the short history of the Wisden Test XI, there is no room for an Australian. 

The Wisden Test XI: Virender Sehwag (India), Tamim Iqbal (Bangladesh), Kumar Sangakkara (Sri Lanka), Sachin Tendulkar (India), Jacques Kallis (South Africa), VVS Laxman (India), MS Dhoni (India, capt & wk), Graeme Swann (England), Dale Steyn (South Africa), Zaheer Khan (India), James Anderson (England). 

'We knew we were going to win' - Kirsten who leaves india

Gary Kirsten has called the tough quarter-final against Australia a tipping point in self-belief in the Indian camp, and that it led to a "sense of destiny" about winning the World Cup. Though no host country had won the World Cup before, Kirsten said he thought there was "never any doubt" about India becoming champions as the knockout stage progressed.

"I felt we were going to do this thing. And to the point the day before the final we knew were going to win," he told ESPNcricinfo on Monday "We actually even spoke about it. That we were going to win this thing. It [the issue] is how we prepare to deal with the success because we are going to win. There was never any doubt at that stage."

Kirsten said he was thrilled with the resilience of the Indian team, which managed to win though their opponents were generally viewed to have the edge at the halfway stage of each of the knockout matches. "The one thing what really worked for us in the tournament was that we got ourselves into tough situations in virtually every game," he said. "Even the games against Ireland and the Netherlands were tough. But I believe that really helped us. We were battle-hardened. We had no easy build-up.

"For me the key moment was the Australian game where we chased down 260, which was a tough ask. And from that moment I just got a real sense that within our unit that now we can actually believe that we can win this (World Cup) because we can confront any situation.

"We just believe that we can do anything. It stems from Harbhajan Singh scoring hundreds. It stems from Ishant Sharma batting with [VVS] Laxman to save a game. It stems from Gautam Gambhir batting out a day against South Africa in really tough conditions at Newlands. And then all the one-day efforts from difficult situations."

One man who rescued the team from tight situations in several matches was Yuvraj Singh, who had lost his place in the one-day side last year after struggling with form and fitness, but transformed into a match-winning allrounder in the World Cup.

"Yuvi had a turnaround I would say about six months ago when he got left out of the side in Sri Lanka. From that moment he did a lot of work with Paddy [Upton, the mental conditioning coach]. He made some personal decisions about what he was going to do in preparation for the World Cup: one of them was his fielding, one of them was his fitness.

"He had been through a tough six months, and to end up being the player of the World Cup that is as good a turnaround I have seen in world sport. He just personified the desire and the pride that these individuals have in playing for the country."

Among the people who inspired Yuvraj and the rest of the Indian team in the build-up to the tournament wasMike Horn, a high-altitude climber and Arctic explorer, who returned to help the team in the knockout phase as well. Among Horn's extreme adventure feats are climbing a 8000-metre peak without oxygen, navigating 7000km of the Amazon river besides traversing the Arctic circle without the help of motorised transport.

"The guys were really impressed with Horn's first session, which was during the Kolkata Test against South Africa last year," Kirsten said. "So we got him again during the pre-tournament stage. And again he went down remarkably well with the players, really connected with them, players love him, gave a couple of chat sessions, got involved in the practices.

	Yuvraj had been through a tough six months, and to end up being the player of the World Cup that is as good a turnaround I have seen in world sport

"We wanted him (again) from the quarters but he said he couldn't make it but he came for the semis. The players were unaware when he entered the room in Mohali. He gave three very really inspirational talks leading into the final. He really just shares his personal experiences about his life and his adventures. He was the X-factor. He was that little bit of extra kick we needed."

Horn may have provided the extra kick, but it was Kirsten's low-profile coaching technique that constructed the base for the team to succeed. Everyone from Sachin Tendulkar to Virender Sehwag have repeatedly spoken of how Kirsten has helped them with their game, and the respect with which the players hold Kirsten was demonstrated when they chaired him around the ground during the victory celebrations at the Wankhede Stadium.

Despite the high esteem in which he is held within the Indian establishment, and the many successes during his three years in charge, Kirsten ruled out continuing to coach the national team and said he hadn't been approached by the BCCI to change his mind. The time away from his young family in South Africa was one of the factors in his decision, and he was yet to decide on what his next job would be.

"There is a lot on the table, you know. South Africa have approached me, and a couple of IPL teams have approached me," he said. One of them is the Mumbai Indians, and the other is a team that he has "forgotten" but for now it seems the only way in which he may remain connected to Indian cricket will be through the IPL.

Tendulkar won't stop - Kirsten

After winning the World Cup, Sachin Tendulkar said he had achieved the one thing he had dreamt about when he started playing cricket. But he may not hang up his boots just yet. When asked about retirement, Tendulkar deflected the question initially, before saying he saw no reason to change things as he was still enjoying the game.

"This is a moment to celebrate, not one to think about my future," Tendulkar told the ICC. "This is the reason I started playing cricket; to do something for the country. The process has been a long one, and I am still enjoying my game, so I don't see the reason to change anything."

Gary Kirsten, for whom the World Cup final was his last game as coach of India, also said he didn't think Tendulkar would stop here. "Sachin is the greatest sporting role model I've met in my life," Kirsten said. "He's had an incredible last three or four years, and he's enjoying his cricket even more. I don't think he is going to stop."

Tendulkar had to wait till his sixth World Cup campaign to win the trophy, and when asked whether this was the final accolade he needed to complete his closet-full of achievements, he said it was in fact the first thing he wanted to achieve.

"As a young boy I dreamt of winning this trophy; that's where it all started. This is by far the best moment and it's the one I've been waiting for for 24 years. There have been heart-breaking losses; in past campaigns we lost in the semi-finals and finals. I never gave up because this was my dream and now the team has managed to win this cup for the nation."

After their victory on Saturday, the Indian team spent the night celebrating with their families and friends before going to Raj Bhavan on Sunday to meet the Indian president. But what Tendulkar is looking forward to is sharing the experience with the Indian public.

"The victory hasn't sunk in yet because I haven't faced the general crowd outside. I've just mingled around with my friends and family. We've been in a close unit behind a wall of security. We haven't had a chance to experience or share our joy with everyone else. That's a reaction I'm really looking forward to because I can imagine what it would be like. All I've seen is their reactions on the news channels and it's absolutely fascinating."

India have now achieved the two things Kirsten had planned on during his tenure as coach: winning the World Cup and attaining the No. 1 ranking in Tests, but he gave all the credit to his team.

"The players are the ones who have had to deal with the pressure and expectations," he said. "They've prepared hard and when they've had to make the plays and make the contributions under pressure they've done that."

The final at the Wankhede Stadium started with an odd incident where the toss had to be redone because the match referee had not heard Kumar Sangakkara's call. Dhoni thought he had won the toss initially, but Kirsten said they weren't too worried anyway.

"I didn't hear too much about what happened at the toss, but we just got on with it because we had already spoken about how we would face obstacles in the final. We would have batted first, but we felt confident after the Australia chase that it didn't matter whether we won or lost the toss. We would have liked to bat first and put up a big total, but cometh the hour cometh the man, and MS Dhoni left his big knock of the World Cup for the final."

While Dhoni, Tendulkar and Man-of-the-Tournament Yuvraj Singh have been the centre of attention after the win, India's campaign has had several heroes. Zaheer Khan finished as the joint-leading wicket-taker in the tournament, with 21 scalps, and though his figures on Saturday were marred by an expensive last two overs, Kirsten acknowledged his opening spell of 5-3-6-1 played a key role in restricting Sri Lanka to a chaseable target.

"Zak's early spell was what kept them down to 270 despite a strong finish by them. We kept them anchored in their innings; they couldn't really get going. [Mahela] Jayawardene's incredible knock gave them some momentum and they did well to get to where they did. But we felt 270 was very gettable."

There has been much speculation about what Kirsten will do next, but, though he acknowledged he had been approached about the position of coach of the South African side, he said he would take a month or two off before making any decisions.

"I'm going to take some time off and spend some time with my family who haven't seen me in a while, and I'll decide on my future after one or two months. South Africa have approached me, but I've told them I'm not going to make any decisions just yet. I'm going to clear my mind for a while after this magnificent journey.

'I couldn't control my tears of joy'- Sachin

"I couldn't have asked for anything more than this. Winning the World Cup is the proudest moment of my life. Thanks to my team-mates. Without them, nothing would have happened. I couldn't control my tears of joy."

Sachin Tendulkar, who's played six World Cups, on his best moment

"I took a quite few decisions tonight, if we hadn't won I would have been asked quite a few questions: Why no Ashwin, why Sreesanth, why no Yuvraj, why did I bat ahead?! That pushed me and motivated to do well"

MS Dhoni puts a light spin on his selection decisions ahead of India's title win

"This is unbelievable. The Under-19 World Cup, then the World Twenty20 but this is the most special. For Sachin, for everyone else."

Yuvraj Singh, the Player of the Tournament, sums it up

"Very proud of everyone, especially Mahela who rose up to the occasion and put up a great hundred. When you look at this Indian team anything less than 350 looks less! They deserved this title, the way they played in front of a great crowd."

Kumar Sangakkara, the Sri Lanka captain, is gracious in defeat

"All credit goes to Sachin Tendulkar. We played for him. Beating Australia and Pakistan and now this, its a dream come true." 

Gautam Gambhir, who gave India the upper hand in the final with his 97

"It means the world to me. I have been part of the three World Cups. This is for the nation. Thank you very much, we love you. This cup is for the people. Love you India!"

Harbhajan Singh was among several Indian players who shed a tear following India's victory

"This goes out to all the people of India. This is my first World Cup; I can't ask for more. Tendulkar has carried the burden of nation for 21 years; It was time we carried him. Chak de India!"

Virat Kohli leads the Tendulkar tributes

Nehra may miss final with injured finger

A Left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra is likely to miss the 2011 World Cup final between India and Sri Lanka due to a finger injury he sustained during the semi-final game against Pakistan. 

Nehra is likely to get his finger operated and miss the first few weeks of the Indian Premier league. 

India are set to take on Sri Lanka at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai on April 2. 

Since the injury was on his non-bowling hand, Nehra was able to get through three more overs in the match. However, there are worries he will not be able to field.

It was a bit of a surprise to see Nehra in the first XI during the semi-final, given that the man he replaced, R Ashwin, had been impressive in the two matches he had played in the tournament. Despite Nehra's performance of 2 for 33, and Munaf Patel's 2 for 40, India captain MS Dhoni said after the game that India had misjudged the pitch and should have played another spinner.

Ashwin may well have returned in place of either Nehra or Munaf for the final in any case, and will almost definitely be in the side if Nehra does not recover. The only other pace option India have is Sreesanth, who has been left on the sidelines since the first game of the tournament.

Nehra had missed the first two matches of the tournament with a sore back and was brought in for the group-stage game against Netherlands. Against South Africa in Nagpur, he went for 65 runs in 8.4 overs, 16 off which were scored in the last over of the game, consigning India to defeat. He was then left out for India's next two games, before returning for the semi-final.

Praveen kumar out of world cup Sreesanth replaces...

Praveen Kumar, the India fast bowler, has been ruled out of the World Cup due to an injured elbow and will be replaced by Sreesanth. The decision comes a day after Praveen underwent a fitness test at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore to gauge whether he had recovered from the injury sustained before the start of the one-day series in South Africa last month.

Praveen, 24 had been sent back immediately from South Africa as a precautionary measure to recuperate at the NCA. The recovery did not go as planned, however, and he consulted Dr Andrew Wallace, a London-based surgeon who has treated many Indian players including Sachin Tendulkar. Praveen has been a regular with the Indian one-day side for the past couple of years and was set to be a certain starter in the World Cup, but his injury healed too slowly to allow him to participate in the global tournament.

Sreesanth has established himself in the Test side but has been on the fringes of the one-day outfit. He has played only 51 one-dayers in more than five years since his debut in 2005, and has a bloated career economy rate of 6.01. But he proved effective in the two ODIs he's played over the past 12 months, bagging seven wickets for 77 runs.

We have a very bright chance, probably it is our best opportunity to win the Cup -KUMBLE

Bangalore: Former Test captain Anil Kumble reckons it is India's best chance to lift the ODI World Cup after 1983 but fitness of players would be a major concern and ending the 28-year-old jinx would depend on whether the squad remains injury-free during the event. 

"My only concern is the fitness of the guys. If they can last the entire tournament without injuries, we could certainly regain the Cup," Kumble said ahead of the February 19 to March 2 mega-event to be held in the sub-continent. 

Kumble said along with India, defending champions Australia, South Africa, and Sri Lanka are the other favourites for the coveted trophy. "We have a very bright chance, probably it is our best opportunity to win the Cup," said Kumble. 

Kumble weighed the advantages that India had to win back the title, last won by Kapil's Devils in 1983. 

"We have lot of advantages going into the tournament. The form of the players is encourgaing. The quality of players is good. There are some all-rounders as well who can chip in with both bat and ball," emphasised Kumble, who was part of the Indian World Cup campaigns in 1996 (at home), 1999 (England), 2003 (South Africa) and 2007 (West Indies). 

India's most successful bowler feels the sub-continental dustbowls would be of great advantage to India. "Besides the form and quality of players, the pitches would suit our game. We know our conditions too well. We know what we can expect," said Kumble, who as president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association, has dedicated his time for the conduct of the World Cup matches in the City. 

Talking about the disappointment of losing the 1996 semifinals and the 2003 finals, Kumble said: "We came very close to winning. It was disappointing that we could not get to do what we were capable as a team. Each time we got close and lost, we knew we had to wait for a long time as the World Cup is played only once in four years." 

Asked if Sachin Tendulkar, who will be playing his sixth successive World Cup, will be under pressure to deliver in front of the home crowd, Kumble said: "He has been around for 21 years. So there is no question of him being under pressure." 

"He is playing at his best that I have seen. He has looked relaxed in all the matches that I have watched. If he plays the World Cup like any other ODI, he should be scoring lots of runs," said Kumble. 

When India came close to winning the title but lost in the finals of 2003, Kumble said Tendulkar, like the rest of the team, was terribly disappointed. 

"Considering that we came very close to winning in 2003, I am sure Sachin will be looking forward to winning the one trophy that has eluded him. The entire team will also be striving hard to win back the Cup after five attempts (since 1983). 

Kumble said the expectations will be high as the entire nation will be looking upto the players to win the title. "The expectations will be there as everyone would want the team to triumph. But the players have the experience to cope with it," he said. 

Aside from the top teams, Kumble felt Pakistan would be the surprise package. "Australia, South Africa and Sri Lanka will be front runners for the title along with India. But we cannot underestimate Pakistan, as you never know what they could do. They are an unpredictable side," said Kumble. 

Kumble's newly-elected committee has ensured that the players are given facilities that they richly deserve. The dressing rooms have been refurbished. The open-air media box has been air-conditioned. The entire Chinnaswamy stadium, which will host five World Cup matches, besides two warm-up games, has been given a fresh coat of paint. 

"The players deserve the best. Without them there would be no stadia, no crowd," said Kumble.

Dhoni confident India would handle pressure well in WC

   MS Dhoni, the India captain, has said performing under pressure has become India's strength and that will hold them in good stead for the World Cup where he admitted expectations will be high.

"What we have done in the last three years is that we have changed the meaning of pressure to responsibility and we take it as an added responsibility," Dhoni said. "Cricket is the biggest sport in India and it is widely followed. Everybody wants us to do well and we take that in a positive way. We just stick to the basics, prepare well for the game and at the end of the day we know we have got the potential to do well on the field."

One of the questions facing the India team, who play their first match on February 19 against Bangladesh, is how they will deal with the pressure of being tournament hosts along with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. India have failed to get past the semi-final stage in previous World Cups played on home soil. But Dhoni said he was concentrating just on the preparation. "I am ready to prepare well for the World Cup and that is what is in my hands right now."

Dhoni dodged the question of whether India were favourites for the tournament by saying: "For a change we won't be considered underdogs." He stuck to what has become almost a mantra for him in his time as captain in saying "processes" would take precedence over results. "I never predict much when it comes to cricket. We believe in each of us, and the support staff members are also there to help us. We believe in doing the process, so I have no prediction about the World Cup and we will just give it our best shot."

Harbhajan -> World Cup is fresh start

Harbhajan Singh has said that India's performance during the recent South Africa series will have little bearing on their World Cup campaign. India drew a Test series in South Africa for the first time, won the only Twenty20, and an under-strength one-day side led the five-match series 2-1 before losing the final two games.

"From my personal experience, I can tell you that our good show in South Africa may give us a bit of confidence but that's about it," Harbhajan . "Doing well in bouncy pitches in South Africa and playing in the World Cup is a different ball game altogether."

He gave the example of the 2003 World Cup, when India reached the final on the back of a forgettable tour of New Zealand. "If you remember, we had a disastrous tour of New Zealand where we lost in both Test and ODI series," he said. "But when we played in the World Cup, it was a different story. We dominated New Zealand and went on to play the final. That's why I feel that a bilateral series can never be an indicator to a team's performance in a big event."

India go into the World Cup starting next month as one of the favourites, and Harbhajan said the form of the youngsters in the team would be a big factor in how far India progress. "I have loads of expectations from guys like Virat [Kohli], Yusuf [Pathan] and [Suresh] Raina. They have had enough exposure in international cricket and I am really hopeful that they would come up trumps.

Tendulkar awarded Test Cricketer of the year at Castrol Awards

Mumbai: Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar was declared the Castrol Indian 
Cricketer of the Year as well as the Castrol Test Batsman of the Year 2009 
at the Castrol Awards for Cricketing Excellence held in Mumbai.

Sachin was also felicitated with a Special Award for his double record feat of 
becoming the first batsman to score a double century in ODIs and to score 
50 Test centuries.
Commenting on the Award, Sachin said, "The Castrol Awards for Cricketing 
Excellence are really special. The Castrol Awards are the premier awards 
for Indian cricketers for over ten years now and what makes them special 
are that they are based on recognition by my peers - fellow cricketers who 
understand the game and the pressures that go into every performance".


   Mohinder Amarnath, one of the key architects of India's 1983 World Cup 
win, was befittingly bestowed the Castrol Lifetime Achievement Award. 
Speaking on the occasion, Mohinder Amarnath said, "It is indeed an honor to 
receive the Castrol Lifetime Achievement Award which has been won by 
cricketing legends like the Late Vijay Hazare and Polly kaka and also my 
compatriots like Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev. The 1983 World Cup win 
was a great experience and I do hope that the current India team wins the 
World Cup in our own backyard this time!"


   Amarnath represented India in 69 Tests and 85 ODIs in a career that 
spanned two decades. His performances in 1982-83 are part of the sport's 
folklore; recalled to the Indian team after a three-year break, he scored 
1182 runs from eleven consecutive Tests against Pakistan and the West 
Indies, and was acknowledged as the world's best batsman against pace. He 
went on to win the Man of the Match award in the semi-final and final of 
the 1983 World Cup.
           Other winners included Virender Sehwag, who won the Castrol Batsman 
of the Year 2009 (for Test and ODIs combined). Harbhajan Singh won the 
Castrol Bowler of the Year 2009 and Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni 
won the Castrol ODI Player of the Year 2009.
                Veteran Rahul Dravid was bestowed with The Castrol Award for 
Special Achievement for becoming the first cricketer to take 200 catches in 
Test matches.
                Yusuf Pathan was given the Castrol Impact Cricketer of the Year 
for his centuries against New Zealand and more recently against South Africa 
where he almost won the final match for India.
             Jaydev Unadkat, who won the India Test cap this year, was declared 
the Castrol Junior Cricketer of the Year.


The Castrol Awards for Cricketing Excellence:

• Castrol Indian Cricketer of the Year: Sachin Tendulkar
• Castrol Test Cricketer of the Year: Sachin Tendulkar
• Castrol ODI Cricketer of the Year: MS Dhoni
• Castrol Batsman of the Year: Virender Sehwag
• Castrol Bowler of the Year: Harbhajan Singh
• Castrol Special Achievement Award for highest number of catches in Test : Rahul Dravid
• Castrol Special Achievement Award for 50 Test centuries: Sachin Tendulkar
• Castrol Impact Cricketer: Yusuf Pathan
• Castrol Lifetime Achievement in Cricket: Mohinder Amarnath
• Castrol Junior Cricketer of the Year: Jaydev Unadkat

Dhoni form major problem for India

Dhoni's Career average 48.80 and in south 

africa his average was 15.00. That was 

major problem as he is favorite batsman for 

all the supporter and as a captain he should 

come in form. Dhoni changed his attitude 

from hitter to defensive batsman, for world 

cup everyone wants dhoni should play as 

old one.

Indian palyers are in form for world cup

India have the combination to lift their first ODI World Cup trophy in 28 years but the form of temperamental batsman Yuvraj Singh and explosive all-rounder Yusuf Pathan will prove decisive, says 1983 World Cup winning team's member Dilip Vengsarkar.

Vengsarkar feels the team under Mahendra Singh Dhoni has the credentials to go 
all the way in the event commencing 19 February in the sub-continent.

"India is numero uno at present. It's one of the best teams in world cricket at 
present. India will be playing at home and that's a huge advantage. Unlike the 
team of 1983, India has been the number one team for the last four years or so 
and are the strong favourites to win the World Cup. We had a similar sort of 
combination in 1987 but failed in the semis," Vengsarkar said.

Asked about the x-factor in the team, he said it could be either Yuvraj or Pathan, 
both powerful hitters of the ball.

"It will be either Yuvraj or Yusuf Pathan," he said. Vengsarkar, a former chairman 
of the selection panel, said the Indian batting line-up has a settled look with a 
combination of youth and experience.

"We have a very strong batting line up with (Virender) Sehwag, (Sachin)Tendulkar
, (Gautam) Gambhir, Yuvraj (Singh), Yusuf (Pathan) all in great form," he said.