Long Live Tendulkar

Long Live Tendulkar

Last 10 innings- average is even less than R.Ashwin! His world has been changed! 23 years of cricket behind him, 100 international TON & his own country baying for his blood! This is Cricket for you. No matter who you are or what your achievement is! You may be the best batsman of this planet, you may be the greatest achiever this game has ever seen, but as long as you are playing, you are as good as your last inning’s score! This game spares nobody, even if your name spells Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar! 

First things first- yes, Sachin Tendulkar is going through a poor run as per his standard. Media is buzzing with his last 10 innings score but I feel 10 innings is too less to form an opinion for a Legend like Tendulkar. So, better to take the average of last 20 innings and needless to say that the Great Man is going through a lean patch indeed. 20 innings, 711 runs with an average of 35.55 is not at all an average with Sachin Tendulkar or his fans can be proud of. But, his colleagues are doing no better than him! Have a glance at the following figures:

	Total runs in last 20 innings	Average
Gautam Gambhir	561	28.05
Virendra Sehwag	793	39.65
Sachin Tendulkar	711	35.55
MSD	584	34.35
Virat Kohli	686 (17 innings)	45.73

Virat Kohli is a standout winner no-doubt. But above facts state that recent failures of Indian Team as a Test side is mainly because of the failure of the batting unit collectively. You can not just single out a particular person as because he is 39 years old and others are around 30. Sachin Tendulkar is not the only reason of India’s defeat against England in Mumbai. One batsman can win you a cricket match but one batsman can’t make you loose. You switch on any news channel, anytime during the day- only one topic- “When will Sachin retire”?? This is ridiculous, utter non-sense. If Tendulkar hasn’t performed, so did others. Why asking for his head only? When a person plays for 23 years, he cannot go on with an average of 55-60 in every season. Sometimes, his average will remain more than 100 (if he is an out and out performer) and sometimes, in some season it will go below 30...ultimately it averages out in the end. This is the rule; this is what happened to everybody who has stepped into the cricket field. Media talking so much about last 10 innings, average 15.33 – right? Just stretch a little further- 4 more innings in Australia (11^th-14^th). Total runs- 226, average - 56.50- in Australia, against Australia.. 

And, most surprising stat is if we stretch back further by 6 more innings i.e. 11^th-20^th innings total runs he scored is 535!! Average is 53.50!!! What are you talking about man? We call him GOD, ok, fine, but he is actually a human being. You can not expect superhuman like performance from him everytime, in every season when he stepped into the ground! Last 10 innings only the yardstick for Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar? You kidding me…

Ricky Ponting has retired..fine..he was a legendary cricketer we all know ! Wish him a very happy life out of the cricket ground..But you are comparing him with Tendulkar? You serious? Ricky Ponting is not the man who has changed the landscape of cricket in his country! He is not the man who has carried the expectation of billions for 23 years!! Opposition never felt, during his entire career that if you manage to get Ricky, you have got Australia! Never! But Sachin Tendulkar has carried the burden and expectation of billions single handedly for a substantial period in his career. Sourav and Rahul blossomed during and after late 1998, SRT had played almost 9 years before that when it was said and believed that “India is Sachin & Sachin is India” !! 

Am feeling really humiliated that I have to remind all these to everybody ! I agree he is going through a lean patch in his last 10 innings, I agree his reflexes has slowed down with age (which is quite natural) but what is this fuss about get runs in next two tests or take retirement ?? Virat Kohli played outstanding cricket in Australia series, still he is just 13 runs ahead of Tendulkar after the 4 tests (Virat Kohli total runs- 300, sachin tendulkar total runs- 287). Yes, You can say Tendulkar is not in his bloody best, scoring below par, he should get back into the groove as soon as possible which is most urgently required for Team India ! But for God's sake, stop this hue and cry about his retirement! He knows when to go! Kirti Ajad & Vinod Kambli’s suggestion not required! Absolutely not required! 

Lastly I would like to end with a Chetan Bhagat Tweet about Tendulkar – “Sachin flak shows how brutal media and fame is. Keep laying golden eggs, you are fine. Or they will want to cook you for that one final Roast “

Sad but True!!

An Open Letter to Gautam Gambhir

 Hi Gauti

Hope this letter will find you in good health..Thanks for the entertainment you provided on Sunday against the aussies and we are very happy that India ultimately defeated Australia in Australia without any contribution of Sachin Tendulkar ! We hope you guys will continue to make us pride. 

Gauti, upto the time we won on Sunday, everything was perfect..We were happy- enthusiastically we were watching the post match presentation, then press conference in the news channels- all was well until U said that .."Honestly this was the best playing XI . You don't want names. You want people who can deliver...." !!!!

We, the die-hard Sachin fans were spell- bound.. ! Just cant believe U said that.. Let me put your words in some other way " This is the best playing XI currently. Yes, Sachin Tendulkar shouldn't feature in the best playing XI because you shouldn't go by name, You want people like Raina who can deliver " This is what You mean to say na Mr. Gambhir ?? Then why dint you come out and say clearly that "Yes, I did mean that"..

We, the SRT fans were in tears Mr. Gautam Gambhir ! Not because You have said that, it is because People like You have also started saying all these, rather, is daring to say all these.. No, We will not counter anything.. We will not ask how an opener who has played 14 tests and 25 innings Since February 2010 till date with an average of 29.33 (without a single ton  in all those 25 innings) is retaining his place in  the team in this era of competition where legends like Sachin is rested for the sake of rotation ! We will not say that in this 2 years period only two opening batsmen in world cricket, who had played at least 15 innings had a worse average  than that opening batsman  namely Phillip Hughes  of Australia and Imrul Kayes of Bangladesh and both are already kicked out from the "best playing xi" of their country.. We will not say all these, we should only smile and ignore all your words but we couldnt..coz we loved you too..We had not expected this from You..You are insulting Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar damn it ! You are insulting his millions of fans worldwide, openly, in press conference! That Sachin Tendulkar who has sacrificed playing International T20 since 2007 so that juniors like you can come into limelight. Remember this guy is the orange cap holder of 2010 IPL and 2nd highest run gettter in IPL2011 which is supposed to be a junior's tournament ! SRT has played only 16 ODIS out of 64 played since 2010, 9 of that 16 is at World Cup 11 only... Indian Team has mastered the art of winning ODI s without him, we are very happy for that, he also wants that, but that doesn’t allow you to insult the great man .. You shldn't do that gauti, You have no right to hurt millions in this way....

What are you thinking of yourself Mr. Gautam Gambhir? Do you think by scoring one match winning 91 against Australia You will be able to wipe out the memory of great Sachin Tendulkar from millions of Indian fans world wide ? If it was not you, we would not give any importance because we know dog used to bark when Elephant walks away, Elephant only ignores...But we couldn’t forget that 97 you played against the Lankans in the World Cup final and thus, it was painful for us to start hating that  Gautam Gambhir ! But you are compelling us to do so ! How old are you Gauti When Sachin hit that century in Perth in 1992 ? You are backing your captain about the rotation policy, fine , do that but you should know that just few days back your captain has announced publicly that he would quit any one form of cricket by 2013 (Given his technique and form most probably he would quit Test Cricket, never deserved to play that though) and he is also not sure to feature in the 2015 World Cup ! If he is not sure about himself, then why not giving rest to himself also?? Hope you and your skipper remembers somebody like Parthiv patel is warming the bench too along with Manoj Teewary & Irfan Pathan ! If rotation is to be followed all should be rotated, why only the openers? If we say this is only a trick by your captain to accommodate Suresh Raina in the team, then?? Suresh Raina doesn’t deserve a place in the playing XI in the overseas condition till date, no matter what your captain feels..Yes, he is an utility cricketer and devastating batsman in sub-continental condition but not in Australia.. N nothing much to say about your captain ! He was playing a “gem” of an innings yesterday till that sixer.. He is lucky that he got a full length overpitched delivery just at the right time and capitalised on that, otherwise stage was set for your skipper to be the villain..and if he continues to play in this way, very soon he would also not be a part of the so called “best playing xi”..Based on the current form, Do you feel your Delhi-mate opener deserve a place in the “best playing xi”??..”Honest” view please...We know he is an impact batsman, we know he is more destructive that Vivian Richards on his day, we know all these, please don’t repeat...Just ask your heart Whether Virendra Sehwag deserve a place in the best playing XI or not right now?

I may be wrong..It is also possible that You have not given that statement keeping Sachin Tendulkar into consideration..Then come out and clear everything..You cant just float a comment in the air and let the news channels speculate on that... When News channels are quoting you and saying "Is Sachin unwanted in the ODI team", it hurts Gauti, it hurts badly...

You know, its not your fault..Sachin himself is responsible for all this..How dare he remains century less for consecutive 11 tests?? Once he is born as Sachin Tendulkar, he has to score century in every 3^rd test he played..there cant be any exception..We treat him as GOD, so how come GOD remain century less for almost 10 months? Why did he skip the 5 ODI s against Windies in home turf ? Who told him to go to Australia early to prepare for Test matches leaving the safe option of playing against windies at batting beauties of the country?? Why did he choose to play the two most toughest ODI series only in last one and half year- one world cup and one triangular odi series in Australia?? Yes, he shouldn’t do all these..When he has teammates like you, he shouldn’t do that...

Anyways, please pardon me everybody (As this is an open letter, many people can read this) if I sounded emotional ...or sounded irrational..Many people have already advised me to listen to the brain, not to the heart...But, cant do that, as the name Sachin Tendulkar itself is well enough to initiate the process of  Heart taking over Brain !

Good Luck Gauti...Wish you grand success in your career..Hope you continue to make us proud and happy (?)..All the best..

Thanks & Regards

A die-hard SRT fan.

100th Ton n Country waiting with bated breath....

Quest for the 100th ton continues and a country obsessed with a person called Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is getting impatient day by day....This can only be a justified explanation of Ravi Rampaul being trended in Twitter for more than 3 days after he dismissed SRT in Wankhede...The reaction was just unbeleivable..suddenly for two three days majority of Indian crowd had forgotten that it is an official international test match and two professional teams are playing !!!! If our SRT is eager to score his 100th century, Bowlers of Windies are also eager to take his wickets..Cummon Man ! Ravi Rampaul is a professional sportsperson and he was doing his duty only but who will listen?....Just nobody....am not saying it was good or bad or lack of sportsman spirit, nothing - Am just referring the incident to point out how obsessed now we are for that ton... 

That will happen ! I know Cricket is the most uncertain game of this planet but am saying it as the person concerned is none other than Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar !! Perhaps GOD has scripted some fairy-tale for his historical 100...But please dont make this hue n cry everytime he goes out to bat..Everytime he starts his innings people start counting 99 more, 98 more, 97 more....Come on !! Its a century man ! 100 runs have to be made..It cannot happen in this way  that one fine morning You woke up and say " Chalo, Aj hi bana lete hain "...It will happen at its own time...We can depend on that person who is battling it out in the middle..he has scored 99 centuries, he knows how to make another One !! GOD cannot deprive his greatest disciple !! 

Chalo man liya that one century will not happen anymore..SRT will stuck at 99...does that really matters? Do anybody think anyone anyday will go close to that in recent future??..99 century itself is a monumental achievement !!!

SRT is always edgy infront of a milesstone- He has taken long long time to cross that 34th century hurdle in tests to reach 35th..50th test century took more than 6 months...There are periods when batsman cant get century no matter how hard he tries..its called destiny..remember 2007 ? how many centuries SRT missed ? always getting dismissed at 90 s and his son Arjun was suggesting him "Go for a six  when you are in 90s" !!... These things happen in Cricket..Its not that he is not in form..He is in form..connecting the ball nicely..2nd day batting at Wankhede (from 67 to 94) was a treat to watch..Master at his very Best..got a tough decission in England last innings wen he got out at 91.. He is trying hard, doing everything but just couldnt cross the final line...Bad luck !Test of charatcter...

He will overcome it... Our prayers are with him...Yes, pray for him but please dont overburden him with unjustified expectation..He is trying hard..GOD will answer our prayers !!

1 billion Indians- 1 Dream- World Cup-

I dont know what would happen on 2nd April, dont know whether our country would make it to the final or not, but one thing I know that it is the best ever chance of India to make our dream true- am not saying it emotionally- its purely logical- if there is any constraints that is the format of the tournament- one bad day in office in a crucial day & u r out, otherwise India have that firepower this time to lift the Cup.

When am talking about Format I have to explain a little. This year 14 teams are participating in the World Cup and they are divided into two groups with 7 teams each. First four teams would qualify for Quarter Finals- If we see minutely, out of the 7 teams in each Group 4 teams are really strong and other 3 are minnows- thus, loosing 2-3 matches in the group league stage  doesnt matter much for the good teams- but once they qualify for the Q/f its knock out which is ridiculous- same thing happened in 1996 (Remember the famous Ind-pak Q/f in Bangalore& infamous Ind- Srilanka Semifinal at Eden gardens ??). The problem with this format is somebody might have a bad day in office in Q/f after winning all six matches in the Group League stage & they are out- Straight out, no 2nd chance- I think it would be better if 3 teams from each group qualify from Group league stage to Super Six with point carry over- It would make the whole tournament much more competitive and engaging- Chance factor would be eliminated in this format- Good Teams can have 1/2 bad day in such a long tournament but there is every chance to come back - Counter argument of thius format is every big tournaments is played like this- Many are citing example of World Cup Football- that is also knock out from Pre-quarter final stage- 4 straight win and you are world champion !!! We cant ignore this logic also !!! Team who would be crowned World Champion should have the firepower & capability to win three consecutive big matches without fail, otherwsie they dont deserve to be called World Champion for next Four Years !!! Hmmmm...am leaving this debate to you- To me super six would be a fair call for all the teams-

Now I am comin gto the main point- why this much of expectation from Team India this time? Expectation was always there in all the world cups, but this time it really have some logical base. Think about the batting- Sachin, Viru, Gambhir, Kohli, Yuvi, Dhoni & Boom boom pathan- what more do you want? everybody is matchwinner on his day- Suresh Raina, Man of the tournament of IPL, Test century in his debut warming up the reserve bench- even if we compare the batting with the 2003 WC side we would se that time India have 3 real match winners with bat- sachin, Viru n Sourav- rahul dravid was struggling with form where he was forced to keep wickets to keep his place in the team, yuvraj inexperienced-cant rely on him singlehandedly and the name of 7th batsman was Dinesh Mongia !!! that time also bowling was dependent on Zak & Vajji n same this time- As a skipper MSD is equal to sourav, rather many beleive he is better.. Only concern is fieding and in 2003 also concern was that only- & the biggest advantage is Home condition.. Raina / Yuvraj/ Sehwag / Yusuf may find the going tough in South African or Australian condition but in Indian pitches all of them are absolutely unstoppable & it is a proven fact- Somebody out of the seven batsman will play, no doubt until n unless there is a real bad day in office when everybody fails !!! 

We can only pray that this type of bad day will not come in quarter final / semifinal / final-  This is really Now or never situation- Last world cup of Tendulkar (probably !!!), Indian condition- flat wicket having some spin in every track- If you are a really good team with real character you have to stand tall tthis time !!! Go India Go...

Betting sucks II.....

So Pakistani Media has eventually came up with the Indian conspiracy theory...most palatable dish in Pakistan- Majhar Majeed is a Raw agent and Sharad Power & Indian Board wants to ban Pakistan for 3-4 years !!!!! Mind Blowing !!!! This is Pakistan and this is why their cricket is going thru such incidents.

Every Indian should remember the year 1999 when Indian cricket was also rocked by Betting controversy..we have to admit that BCCI had really taken a great initiative at that time by expelling the convicted cricketers at one go n gave charge to Sourav Ganguly. C these allegations are very tough to be proved in  the court. U have to go by the circumstancial evidences and Indian Board did exactly that at that point of time becasue they had realised ritely that Cricket is a golden goose in India and it should be made clean immediately so that ppl dn loose faith on the game. Fortunately Indian cricket was blessed with some exceptional human beings that time namely Sachin, Sourav, Rahul, Kumble, laxman & a young lot led by dynamic Sourav Ganguly. That is why India never heard the name of match fixing in future. At that time India dint say ke its a Pakistani conspiracy to defame some of our cricketers.. But our neighbours are doing that !!!

Blunder they are committing !!! But they have to answer millions of cricket fans all over. Playing with fire is not advisable, it will burn your own hand first....

Betting sucks...

Its Back !!!!  - After a pro longed hibernation it is back again - yes, am talking bout Match fixing , ohhh..sorry, SPOT FIXING...Shame to those ppl who are trying to  protect the famous Trio by calling it spot fixing ,  not a match fixing, n so we should not consider banning them for life time n all.. is it so? match fixing or spot fixing, betting is betting n its shameful to c cricketers wearing national uniform is going by the word of some Bookies n using their national Cricketer status to earn money in a wrong way, at the cost of sentiments n emotions of millions and millions of fans.

But I am simply amazed to see how a youngstar like Mohammed Amer can involve himself in such an act !!!!.. This guy is an amazing bowler, may be best in the business for Pakistan in recent times- his career is just strated  n what a disgraceful act he committed !! If anybody has to beleive that a 18 year old new guy is fixing the moments of the match independently without the consent of Team Management then everybody should also beleive that Sun may rise in the West occassionally or there might be more than 7 days in some week !!!! N Salman Butt !!!! U r d skipper man !!! I dont think these fellows understand the passion of the people of this subcontinent for the Game of Cricket. Cricket is religion to us, we worship our cricketers as GOD and this is what they are giving in return. It is not the matter of India , Pakistan or Srilanka !! Its the matter of entire cricketing fraternity. ICC should remember that once people loose faith on the game, Cricket is finished.  These guys have toyed with the spirit of this great game and thus, they should be banned from playing cricket. We do not want these type of cricketers.

Most pathetic part of the full story is we know it is just a matter of time before the whole issue would  again be burried under carpet. PCB would wash their hands by suspending the trio initially n then would lift the suspension after one year saying " that was their first offense, they are deeply repented and thus, for a "mere" spot fixing we should not spoil the life of three young cricketers", blub blub.. again evrything would go on as usual.. we would again sleep cricket, eat cricket, drink cricket n people like Majeed would continue to utilise our cricket mania to make money in a wrong way-

This should not happen. We should not let it happen. ICC  should not let it happen.

Because, We really love this game. And, we want to respect the cricketers.

May GOD save Cricket.