Kapil Dev: I wish Sachin to complete 30 years

Kapil Dev a legendary Indian all-rounder and former teammate of Sachin Tendulkar, on Sunday said that the Little Maestro is in good form and wished to see him complete 30 years in international cricket.

Tendulkar, 39, made his Test debut aged 16 years and 205 days to become the youngest Indian player to appear in a Test match, breaking Laxman Sivaramakrishnan’s record, who had made his Test debut at the age of 17 years and 118 days.

The legendary Maharashtra batsman completed 23 successful years in international cricket last Thursday, November 15, 2012. The greatness of Tendulkar can be ascertained by the number of international players from around the world (874) who have gone on to make their Test debuts since the Indian batting icon played his first match against arch-rivals Pakistan in Karachi, on November 15, 1989.

The players who joined and then left the international arena over the last 23 years included greats from Brian Lara to Paul Collingwood, and from Sourav Ganguly to Rahul Dravid.

"It is great that he (Sachin) has completed 23 years in international cricket. I wish him to complete 30 years. He is playing good," said the 1983 World Cup-winning captain of India in reply to a query on Tendulkar's role in the Indian team.

Asked if conferring the Bharat Ratna and other such prestigious awards to cricketers and other sportspersons was justified, the Haryana Hurricane, who was in Guwahati for an interaction with students, parents and faculty members of Royal Global School said, "Policy makers should be asked this question."

"However, if any sportsperson is granted such honours we will all definitely feel proud. All of us felt proud when Sachin was nominated to Rajya Sabha," he added further.

Sachin Tendulkar has to date played 190 Tests and 463 ODIs and is the leading run getter in both the formats of the game.

The former Indian all-rounder had earlier objected International Cricket Council’s day and night Test cricket formula. However, he refused to give a direct answer when asked the same question yesterday.

"When the time comes for the Board (BCCI) to decide on the matter, then we can say something," said Kapil, who played 131 Tests and 225 One Day Internationals for India between 1978 and 1994.

MS Dhoni credits his spinners after winning the first Test

 Having beaten England in the first Test of the four-match series at Ahmedabad, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Indian captain, believes that the pitch became easier to bat in the latter stages of the match but credited his spinners for an extra-ordinary showing on a flat track.

The Men in Blue defeated the Poms by nine wickets on day 5 of the fixture and look on course to avenge their last year’s whitewash at the hands of England, which cost them the number one ranking in Test cricket.

Having posted a mammoth total of 521 runs for the loss of eight wickets in their first innings, the home side crushed England for just 191 runs, enforcing follow-on. The visitors however, displayed a much better fight in the second innings as they scored 406 runs before being bowled out on the match’s last day, thanks to a stunning ton by Alastair Cook, who led his team by example.

Needing 77 runs to take lead in the series, Dhoni’s men chased down the total in their second innings for the loss of just one wicket.

While expressing his views in the post-match presentation ceremony, the India skipper said that the bowlers did not enjoy assistance from the pitch in the last two days of the match, which made it tough for the spinners.

He mentioned, “There was something in wicket to start with but as the game progressed there was low bounce but not much turn. It was hard-work for the spinners and it was a fantastic effort from them. Even if you misjudged the flight you had time to adjust and not much carried to the slips. It was important not to give many runs.”

Cook, the England captain, on the other hand, is disappointed to have lost the match but the left-handed opener takes heart from his team’s performance in the second innings.

“We can look at a number of reasons why we didn't win, but our first innings was good enough. It was a great fight-back, there was always a glimmer of hope, it was had to be something special,” said the England skipper.

Sri Lanka surprised by Kiwi pacers says Ford

Sri Lanka’s Head Coach, Graham Ford, said that his side was surprised by the amount of movement the New Zealand bowlers generated in the opening session of the second day at Galle.

After restricting the tourists on 221 and posting 9 for 1 at the end of day 1, the Lankans found themselves in all sorts of trouble the next morning and were reduced to 50 for 5. All four wickets fell to seamers; Tim Southee accounted for Tharanga Paranavitana on the fourth ball of the day, before taking out night watchman, Suraj Randiv, and Thilan Samaraweera. Trent Boult, on the hand, dismissed the dangerous Kumar Sangakkara for 5.

"This morning they swung it considerably and more than we expected," Ford said. "It was a lovely clear morning and we didn't think it would move as much as it did, when they bowled. It perhaps did catch us a little bit by surprise."

Parity was finally restored by Mahela Jayawardene and Angelo Mathews, both of whom added a crucial 156 runs for the sixth wicket. The skipper went onto score 91, while his deputy ended on 79. Despite their impressive recovery effort, the Lankans managed a slender 26-run lead as the lower order failed to make that advantage count.

Prasanna Jayawardene scored just 4, while Nuwan Kulasekara added 8 to the team’s first innings total of 247. Both fell to the spin of Jeetan Patel before the final touches were put by Boult, who dismissed last man Shaminda Eranga.

Tim Southee ended with impressive figures of 4 for 46, while his new ball partner claimed 2 by conceding as many runs. Ford was disappointed by his side’s performance and attributed their poor outing to a lack of aggression. Day 2 ended with Kiwis posting 35 for the loss of Brendon McCullum.

"It's always easy to say that they could have played tighter, sitting on the sidelines, but everybody who watched closely realised they did bowl very well. It's a fine balance. If you can get a few balls away, it changes their length and once they change their length they don't swing it much.

India vs England – 1st Test – Live Cricket Score and Match Update - India need 77 to win

India remain on course to strike first blood in the four-match Test series after they took the remaining five English wickets to go into lunch, requiring 77 runs to win the first Test, currently being played at Ahmedabad, November 19, 2012.

Despite their evident improvement against spin, which saw them overhaul the home side’s 330-run lead, England still had a monumental task to overcome on an increasingly deteriorating Motera track. 

They had given their fans hope of a spirited comeback, but all was put to rest by Pragyan Ojha, who accounted for the overnight duo of Alastair Cook (176) and Matt Prior (91) to leave his side in pole position.

Prior added seven more to his individual score before giving a return catch, while Cook’s marathon knock ended with a ball that finally breached his defences. At both occasions, the ball had kept considerably low, making it tough for the batters to force the play. All in all, their stand of 157 had provided some consolation for the following their embarrassing capitulation in the first innings.

Like the previous day, the wickets fell in cluster. Stuart Broad was the next to depart as Umesh Yadav kept his good form intact by accepting a easy return catch to leave the batting side at 378 for 8.

Graeme Swann and Tim Bresnan offered brief resistance with a 28-wun stand. Swann opened his account with a well timed six off Ojha before hitting a couple of confident boundaries. However, his desire to take on the Indian spinners eventually proved fatal after he failed to execute a switch hit to hand Ashwin his first wicket of the second innings.

The premier spinner went the entire fourth day wicketless and seemed grateful after getting off the mark on the final day. The last wicket fell to Zaheer Khan, who accounted for Bresnan after the batter gave a straight forward catch to short cover.

The tourists ended on 406, just 77 runs ahead, and as expected spin came to their demise. Ojha was at the centre of it as the left-arm spinner finished with impressive match figures of 9 for 165.

Shane Watson loves being an all-rounder

Australia’s vice-captain, Shane Watson, will not be available for bowling in the Adelaide Test against South Africa but expressed that he is committed to the role of an all-rounder in the team.

The cricketer from Queensland was ruled out of the first Test against the Proteas at Brisbane because of a calf-strain, which allowed Rob Quiney, the Victorian left-handed batsman, to make his Test debut for the Kangaroos.

Watson is now fit again and has been included in the Baggy Greens’ squad for the second Test of the series, which commences from November 22, at the Adelaide Oval. However, the doctors have not advised the 31-year-old cricketer to bowl as yet.

Some of the game’s pundits want the all-rounder to quit bowling, in order to prolong his career as a batsman, but the Aussie selectors and the team management have clearly indicated that they want Watson to deliver the goods with the ball as well, if he wants to have a guaranteed place in the playing-11.

The hard-hitting batsman understands the requirements of the team and plans to start bowling as soon as he feels 100 percent once again. Watson himself wishes to be categorised as an all-rounder, who can contribute in all facets of the game.

“If that's what Michael and the selectors think is the best balance for the team I'm not going to [oppose that],” Watson said. “I'd love to be out there. The thing I love doing more than anything is being an all-rounder, being able to contribute with bat and ball whenever I'm fit, and I know that's my value to a team more than just batting.”

Adelaide pitch is considered to be one of the flattest tracks in Australia, which is heavily in favour of the batsmen. Watson believes that the Aussie bowlers will have to work hard to take 20 wickets in helpful batting conditions and Michael Clarke will need a fifth bowler.

“There's no doubt the way Adelaide Oval is as well, it's fairly conducive to run scoring, so the bowling options will certainly help Michael out if things don't go exactly to plan,”  added.