The Most Searched Person Celebrity in India - Sachin Tendulkar

Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar emerged as the most searched male celebrity in mobile videos in India, according to a reports.

The findings of a latest global video insights report for September, released by Vuclip, an independent mobile video service, Tendulkar was the most favourite male celebrity for the web surfers while Bollywood actress Katrina Kaif emerged the most searched celebrity in mobile videos.

Tendulkar, who plays for franchise Mumbai Indians was earlier the most searched player in the 3^rd season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2010 according to the 2nd IPL Zeitgeist for 2010, a survey conducted by Google India. Tendulkar was then followed by former India captain Sourav Ganguly.

Tendulkar is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. He is the leading run-scorer and century maker in Test and one-day international cricket. He is the only male player to score a double century in the history of ODI cricket.

In 2002, just 12 years into his career, Wisden ranked him the second greatest Test batsman of all time, behind Donald Bradman, and the second greatest one-day-international (ODI) batsman of all time, behind Viv Richards.

Tendulkar was an integral part of the 2011 Cricket World Cup winning Indian team at the later parts of his career, his first such win in six World Cup appearances for India.

Mumbai Indians Won CLT20

Sachin Tendulkar heaped praises on skipper Harbhajan Singh, who, he felt played a key role in Mumbai Indians victory in the Champions League final against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday.

“I think it was fantastic. He led from the front. Today was an important day because he got crucial wickets at the crucial moment. So, his role was really, really big,” Sachin said of Harbhajan’s performance, “said Tendulkar.

 The batting legend also heaped praises on his team, Mumbai Indians for winning the Champions League T20 finals against Royal Challengers Bangalore on Sunday despite starting the tournament as underdogs.

He said, “We started the tournament as underdogs. In a way, it was wonderful because there was no pressure on the players to deliver and live up to expectations. When everyone is already running you down, it becomes a challenge to prove everyone wrong.”

Tendulkar felt the secret behind team’s success was a display of team effort by the younger players who were picked in the team due to injuries to many seniors.

“[Yuzvendra] Chahal really bowled well today. He got us an important wicket. Abu Nechim has bowled really well. He has had a really good tournament. Generally, I would say, it was a team effort. Suryakumar [Yadav], [Rajagopal] Sathish… all the guys have chipped in. It was not that one individual blasted and the match got over. It was about the team and everyone chipped in,” said Tendulkar.

Finally, there can be no discounting how Tendulkar’s presence shaped MI’s destiny in this tournament. Even if it were only from the sidelines, the batting maestro’s words of wisdom surely spurred the side on. “I am part of Mumbai Indians whether I am fit or unfit, whether I’m playing or not. I’ve always enjoyed being around to share what I feel about the wicket, the ground and how one should approach the game.”

Sachin Tendulkar Moves into His 'Dream House'

Sachin Tendulkar is all set to shift into his new house located on Bandra's West Perry Cross Road. The ‘dream house’ has been designed keeping in mind the master blasters love for cars.

It is said that the second basement of the house can hold 45-50 cars at a time. The first basement includes the kitchen, master surveillance room and servant quarters.

The house has three other floors where the Tendulkar will live along with his wife and two kids.

The ground floor comprises of large drawing room with a separate dining space for the entire family and a temple of Lord Ganesha on the ground floor premises.

The floor will also house a special display area where Sachin's innumerable medals and trophies will be kept.

Earlier, UFO Moviez’s Club X presented their membership to Tendulkar after India’s World Cup win and are setting up a mini-theatre for the legendary batsman.

UFO Moviez Club X brings the first day first show of any movie from cinema halls to homes through their digital servers. Ameya Hete, who is also a close friend of Tendulkar and an integral part of UFO is currently setting up a mini-theatre at the cricket legend's home.

The members of this exclusive club are from the corporate world, socio-political sector and the Indian film fraternity such as Mukesh Ambani, Shah Rukh Khan, and Ajay Devgn.

"Sachin's theatre will be the best even amongst the Club X members because it will be able to house the entire cricket team (should the legend decide to extend an invitation) and even the management. It will have a minimum of 23-25 seats and is being equipped with the best sound system. One hears that work came to a slight standstill because Sachin was away in England for the Test season,” a source was quoted by Times of India.

“However now that he is back, Anjali Tendulkar, Ameya and India's cricketing pride are back to choosing upholstery, the projection system and other technical equipment,” the source added.

Child-like enthusiasm secret of Sachin's Endurance - Dravid

A child-like enthusiasm for the game is the reason why Sachin Tendulkar has completed over two decades in international cricket despite the pounding that his body has taken, feels his long-time teammate Rahul Dravid.

"Sachin's longevity comes down to the joy that he still gets from playing. After 20 years of international cricket he still has a child-like enthusiasm. That's not an easy thing to do when you have been travelling and playing so much and your body has taken a pounding," Dravid said in the latest edition of 'Wisden Cricketer' magazine. "He is great at preparing for games. Not only in terms of his skills but also getting his mind right. What he has achieved is mind-boggling. He is constantly setting the boundaries for the future generations. His batting has changed with time -- with his body and age. Dravid was not the only one paying tribute to the 38-year-old batting icon, who is just one short of his 100th international ton. Nasser Hussain, who captained England in the 2001-02 series against India, said Tendulkar has made some adjustments to his strategy over the years. "Technically and mentally Sachin has changed little over the years but he has changed his game plan. He began as flamboyant, extravagant stroke-maker who had all the shots and simply loved the game. Once the records and the hundreds started to be racked up, he turned into a run-machine," Hussain said. "There are two types of cricketers; there are guys like myself and Mike Atherton who played the game because that's what we did; there are players like Graham Gooch and Alec Stewart who have the game in their blood, who would be lost without the game. "Sachin  is in the second group and i suspect the dip in form he had a few years ago was because he became fearful of life after cricket. He is not driven by money, he is driven by batting," he added. Hussain recollected the incident when Tendulkar called him up to get advice on his tennis elbow problem. "It was bizarre; what was arguably the greatest batsman of all time ringing me about?" Another former England captain Michael Vaughan said Tendulkar has become more aggressive in his approach. "Sachin is a different player now from 2007. The best players in the world change little things about themselves to keep themselves in the game. In the last two years, he has become more aggressive, he's gone back to his old way of trying to score when for a period he tried to survive. "(Chris) Tremlett bowled well against him in 2007 and he is a miles better bowler now. But Sachin doesn't have any weaknesses although every batsman is vulnerable on and around the off stump early on. England might go aggressive at him, test him with a few short balls -- I have seen people do that over the last few years and it hasn't affected him," he said. Andrew Flintoff, the talismanic all-rounder who was instrumental in guiding England to the Ashes title in 2005, said he craved for Tendulkar's respect whenever he bowled at him. "...with Tendulkar, when I bowled to him, I actually wanted him to respect me. I hold him in such high esteem and he is such a good player, I want to make it hard for him. I want him to walk off that field thinking that Flintoff is a good player, he can bowl. I want to impress him," he said. Graham Gooch, who captained England in the series against India in 1990 and 1992-93, said even at the start of his career, Tendulkar came across as a seasoned player. "No one had ever seen him in 1990. As a 17-year-old it was evident that the lad had great skill, great balance, great timing, an eye for the ball. You could see he had all the attributes to make a top player," he said. Another former England captain Mike Atherton said Tendulkar's impeccable technique has remained the same over the years. "One of the most remarkable things is that he has hardly changed at all -- exactly the same set-up. He has trusted in his technique and power all this time. He has stayed true to his game." Sachin - "I have never believed in comparisons, whether they are about different eras, players or coaches."

Sachin A Step Closer To Bharat Ratna

Sachin Tendulkar could be one step closer to receiving India's highest civilian honour Bharat Ratna, as the Home Ministry has sent a recommendation to the Prime Minister's Office that sports too be made a category for conferring the Bharat Ratna.

Sources close to  the PMO say that the Office may accept the ministry’s recommendations. This move is being done to facilitate awarding the nation’s highest honour to Sachin Tendulkar. 

The demand for a Bharat Ratna for Sachin has been rising from all quarters after the World Cup victory and responding to this, Sports Minister Ajay Maken had written to the Home Ministry for pushing his name for the top award.  Now it could be just a matter of time before the nation honours the finest cricketer the world has ever seen.

If the PM’s office accepts this, then effectively it clears the way for Sachin to become the first sportsperson to receive the nation's highest civilian award.

Bharat Ratna is the highest civilian award of India and is awarded for the highest degree of national service. This service includes artistic, literary and scientific achievements, as well as public service of the highest order. Unlike knights, holders of the Bharat Ratna carry neither special title nor any other honorifics, but they do have a place in the Indian order of precedence.

Sachin -  "I find it difficult to sleep even after all these years because my mind is constantly working and that is the way I have always prepared."

Maken Wishes Tendulkar for His 100th International Ton

Sports Minister Ajay Maken wished Sachin Tendulkar luck as the iconic batsman gears up for his 100th international century when India take on England in the four Test series starting at the Lord's tomorrow. "I would like to wish Sachin Tendulkar all the best for his 100th international hundred," said Maken here today. "But not only Sachin, I would like also like to wish the other members of the Indian team all the very best," he added. Tendulkar has a chance to mark the 2,000th Test at the Mecca of Cricket. The 38-year-old veteran has scored 51 Test hundreds and 48 ODI centuries during his 21-year long illustrious career. 

Meanwhile, the Minister also informed that he had written to the Home Ministry to include sports excellence as an area of recognition for the Bharat Ratna. "I have written to the Home Minister  to give Bharat Ratna to all sportspersons. I have asked the Home Ministry to include sports as an area of recognition for the Bharat Ratna. I hope a sportsperson soon gets the Bharat Ratna," said Maken. In a recent communication to Home Minister, Maken wrote: "The undiluted binding effect of sports in our pluralistic society and nation, singularly surpasses any other idea that acts as a cohesive force and nurtures our national pride. It has indeed become one of the most potent tools of involving our youth and citizens away from divisive tendencies." "It indeed helps our younger generations work towards getting more laurels and medals for the country." 

Sachin - "I feel when somebody has been playing cricket for a long time, he creates a separate identity for himself."

TENDULKAR THE ENDURING MASTER

His slump in 2005-06 might have had something to do with injuries. I remember him ringing me up about tennis elbow in that period because he was struggling with that. That might have been wearing him down. Or he might have been just completely drained - it must be hard being Sachin Tendulkar. But he's evolving in mind – you keep giving yourself reasons to carry on. That's been the thing – the hunger and the dedication to the game. He could easily walk away from the game, he's a very wealthy man, but I don't think he does it for the money. He does it probably because he loves it so much, he doesn't want to do anything else and he's a bit worried about life after cricket.

Mentally he keeps having to challenge himself, whether it be through statistics or winning World Cups in Mumbai, or beating England or staying No1 in the world, or all of the above, so I think mentally he keeps challenging himself. He's a very hard worker technically anyway – he hasn't changed that much over the years. Occasionally he's gone into machine mode and at times he's gone back to the youth of being a bit more free-scoring and he's done that in the last couple of years. This is a lad who started against the Wasim Akrams and Waqar Younises and the Donalds and the McGraths, he's faced all the quick bowlers. On his first tour of Australia he got runs as a 16-17 year old. He can play the short ball, he can play the bouncy ball. It's just up to him if he wants to take it on.

He's a massive threat to England. He's arguably the best batsman of my generation and one of the best of all time. He's got 99 international hundreds, and he's been playing in the last few years the best cricket of his life. He understands English conditions, he's got runs over here before. He's mentally strong, he's technically strong, he has very few weaknesses and he's still hungry for more runs, he's not someone who's looking to end his career.

I don't think it [99 hundreds, 2000th Test etc] is in his mind. It's driven by India, driven by statistics by the love of  Sachin. All Sachin wants to do is bat. He's at his happiest when he's got a bat in his hands. But obviously he's only human – if he's on 99 hundreds and he's batting at Lord's in the 2,000th Test, it's a fairytale story. So he's only human, it will be on his mind at some stage, he'll want to get it out of the way, get it done and dusted so that he can carry on with his career.

Sachin - "I believe every era has its significance and the same holds true for players and coaches."

Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag Selected in ICC’s Dream Test Team

Indian batting ace Sachin Tendulkar & opener Virender Sehwag are in the list of the cricketers through which people can select the members of the best test team of all times through online voting. This historic match will be played between India & England from July 21 to 25. And the most interesting fact is that, ICC has included the whole world to select the dream team. 

Sehwag got selected in the team as an opener, whereas Sachin got into the team as a middle-order batsman. With these cricketers, the one of the greatest batsman of India, Sunil Gavaskar also got space in the team. In this team, no other Indian bowlers or wicketkeeper got selected. Only the 1983 world cup team winning captain, Kapil Dev got the opportunity to be the part of the team as an all-rounder. Legendary spinners Bishen Singh Bedi & Anil Kumble are also in the team. Sir Donald Bradman & West Indian star cricketer, Vivian Richards are in the team as the middle-order batsmen. With them the Australian attacking wicketkeeper cum batsman, Adam Gilchrist & South African wicketkeeper, Mark Boucher are the competitors.

ICC has chosen 60 players in five various categories like, openers, allrounders, middle-orders, wicketkeeper, fast bowlers & spinner. And ICC also wants the fans of cricket should come up to vote & select the dream team. The fans will be instructed to select two openers, three middle-order batsmen, one wicketkeeper, three fast bowlers & one spinner. The dream team will be announced during the India vs England test match in England.

Haroon Lorgat said in a statement that, “All the cricketers whom we have selected in the team has inspired us throughout the ages. 2,000^th test match will be the day when we can remember them. With so many legends of the game to choose from, it is a very difficult task & I’m sure one that will lead to plenty of fond recollection & great debate.” The ICC believes that test match is the best way to recollect those special cricket moments. And ICC also want to maintain the gravity of cricket for the next 2000 matches.

Sachin -  "I am not thinking too far ahead, just want to take it one thing at a time."

Sachin on Maken's Mind for Bharat Ratna

A day after reports emerged that Sports Minister Ajay Maken has written to the Home Ministry asking it to consider including sportspersons in the list of Bharat Ratna awardees, it is clear that Sachin Tendulkar is on his priority list for the honour.

In an exclusive chat with NDTV, Maken, when asked in a rapid fire round about what comes to his mind when he thinks of Bharat Ratna, the master-blasters name came the prompt reply.

While fans, players and eminent sports personalities have already expressed their opinion supporting the highest civilian award for Tendulkar, the Sports Minister's opinion is sure to hasten the process of including sportspersons in the gambit of personalities awarded with the Bharat Ratna, which is currently reserved for artistic, literary, and scientific achievements, as well as "recognition of public service of the highest order.

Sachin - "I always had a dream to play for India but I never let it put pressure on me."

India Get Tendulkar Boost for England Tests

Batting superstar Sachin Tendulkar, on the verge of an unprecedented 100th international century, returned Saturday to a strong Indian squad for the upcoming Test series in England.

Tendulkar, with 51 hundreds in Tests and 48 in one-day internationals, had opted out of the ongoing Test series in the West Indies. He is also the world's leading scorer in both Tests (14,692) and one-dayers (18,111).

Openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag, pacemen Zaheer Khan and Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, and all-rounder Yuvraj Singh, who missed the West Indies tour, also returned to the squad after regaining fitness.

"Sehwag will join the team a fortnight later," the Indian cricket board said in a statement, meaning the opener will miss the first Test.

The four-Test series starts at Lord's on July 21, followed by a one-off Twenty20 match and five one-day internationals. The team for the limited-overs matches will be announced later.

The full-strength squad will be led by wicketkeeper-batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni, with Gambhir as his deputy.India named five fast bowlers as conditions are expected to favour them in England and two spinners in Harbhajan Singh and Amit Mishra.Praveen Kumar, Ishant Sharma and Munaf Patel are the other pacemen.Batsman Virat Kohli, part of the current squad in the West Indies, was dropped while Wriddhiman Saha was picked as a second wicket-keeper. India won their last Test series in England in 2007 under Rahul Dravid.

Sachin -  "Every individual has his own style, his own way of presenting himself on and off the field."

Sachin coaches son, runs biz in England

A new business venture and imparting batting tips to son Arjun are two things that Sachin Tendulkar is currently focussing on before he starts concentrating on the upcoming England series. The cricketer, who is in London with wife Anjali and children Arjun and Sara, has been regularly visiting the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) cricket academy to coach his 11-year-old son and passing on tips to other people using the indoor nets. 

An honorary life member of the club, Tendulkar, who has been staying at a property he owns near the Lord's, has been visiting the academy here for the past few days. "He (Tendulkar) has been a regular visitor at the Lord's in recent weeks," an MCC spokesman was quoted as saying in Sunday Telegraph. And when he is not coaching Arjun, Tendulkar is devoting time to his new business venture in Winchester, about 100 km from London. It's about cricket-themed entertainment centres where one will be able to bat against an image of Tendulkar (or other, better international bowlers) that runs in and delivers a semi-hard ball at you; or bowl against an image of him that deals with your delivery after calculating the trajectory and rotations of the delivery.  Tendulkar, who will be aiming for his 100th international century when India take on England at the Lord's Test, is expected to start training from this week for the four-match Test series.

Sachin -  "But eventually it is a game of cricket."

Rs 40 Crores Sachin Museum in Pune

Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar is a perfectionist and the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has to put extra efforts to convince the little master to agree to the plan to set up a museum in his name. 

After the PMC standing committee chairman Ganesh Bidkar recently met Tendulkar during his Pune visit, the PMC is busy preparing detailed plan for the museum. The PMC is consulting experts on the final draft of the museum and its overall development which will be presented to Tendulkar along with the details he had asked for. 

Tendulkar asked me, why the corporation needs Rs 40 crore for museum? What will be done with the money and what is the plan to utilise it? said Bidkar adding that the Master Blaster was curious about the plan and categorical in his demand for all minute details about the museum. 

The corporation will present a detailed plan to Tendulkar and after his green signal will go ahead with the museum. 

PMC has two-acre land in Baner which has been acquired by the PMC under amenity reservation. The general body of the corporation has already approved the proposal and forwarded the same for the state government's nod. 

In March last year, the Maharashtra government in its budget had announced that it would set up a museum in Mumbai to showcase the legend's achievements. Finance minister Sunil Tatkare also made a provision of Rs 40 crore for the same. However, the Mumbai Municipal Corporation could not provide land for the museum and the funds remained unutilised. 

This prompted Pune municipal corporation to jump into action and in April this year the standing committee resolved to allocate an acre of land to the state government where a sports museum to showcase Tendulkar's career can come up. 

Sachin - "Before coming here I had a minor back problem and I thought whenever I play Pakistan I get a back problem."

Sachin Tendulkar, Sir Donald Bradman, Brian Lara and Imran Khan – Incomparable Legends

Also known as the “Little Master” of India, Sachin Tendulkar today stands tall as a true cricket icon. As his sporting career grew from a minor age of 16, Sachin has matured into a perfectionist and a true world class batsman, who has earned a fanatic fan following from all over the world.   

Lately, the player has been receiving numerous praises from cricketing legends and the international media from across the globe. During the recent Indian tour to West Indies, the Caribbean star Courtney Walsh cited him as the number one Indian batsman.

Skippers Jacques Kallis and Ricky Ponting too had heaps to add to the player’s goodwill, especially, after Sachin’s remarkable, record breaking double century against South Africa last year.

Not only within his profession, Sachin also holds a massive fan base from all over the world. Shane Warne, who ranked Sachin as world’s best player, quoted that “in India, people outside stadiums, waited for Sachin to come to bat before paying to enter”. With so much already added to his name, and definitely a lot more to come, does Sachin Tendulkar still come up to the mark that legends like Sir Donald Bradman, Brian Lara, and Imran Khan hold?  They say he led a team that came to be known as ‘the Invincibles’. Yes, Sir Donald Bradman, the greatest batsman the world has ever seen. Not only did Sir Donald earn his mark as a legendary cricketer, the Australian also grew into a brilliant administrator for the sport. In fact, Sir Donald played a major role in the development of today’s cricket.

Sir Donald dominated the early twentieth century. His batting skills were so consistent and indestructible that England’s captain Douglas Jardine came up with ‘unsporting’ and dangerous bowling techniques to reduce the Australian’s dominance.

Sir Donald is ranked as Australia’s number 1 athlete and in 1988 the Australian Confederation of Sports voted him as the greatest male athlete in the past 200 years.

After Sir Donald Bradman, Brian Lara is considered to be the only batsman to pile up massive scores in a smaller time span. Lara added two world records to his career in the mid 90s. These included highest test and first class scores. In addition, the star is regarded as the only batsman ever to score a century, a double century, triple century, quadruple century and a quintuple century in first class cricket.

Throughout his cricketing career, Lara has achieved numerous honors and awards that have earned him the title of ‘the Prince’.     

The charismatic and proud Imran Khan on the other hand, who found himself a place in the ICC Hall of Fame, holds a remarkable twenty-one year cricketing career.

Before taking up politics, as a captain, he led his Pakistani team into winning the first and only World Cup in 1992.

As an all rounder, Imran Khan holds brilliant statistics topped with an ever growing fan following. Within Pakistan and across the globe, his followers still see him as an idol of the sport with true professionalism and charisma.

With player like Sachin Tendulkar, it would be a little unfair to draw out comparisons. Over the years, Sachin has grown into more of an obsessive player. His physical fitness is true example of the little master’s precision and dedication to the sport. In his overall performance, Sachin holds 99 centuries, both in the ODIs and test cricket, and currently the record for highest number of centuries in international cricket. The Master Blaster also holds the record as the first batsman to complete 32000 runs.

Sachin Tendulkar, on his own, will always remain another legendary cricketer and a star performer. His technical strokes coupled with captivating wrist work have always made India proud. Despite his growing age, one may always expect more marvels to come from Sachin Tendulkar.

Sachin Bats for DRS; BCCI Remains Adamant

Despite Sachin Tendulkar coming out in support of using the Decision Review System (DRS), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) remains adamant on their stand of not being in favour of the controversial referral system.

A BCCI source confirmed Friday that they won’t change their stand on the DRS even if Sachin voiced his support for the technology after initial doubts. They also made it clear that there won’t be the use of DRS in the upcoming series against England.

The BCCI reiterated their stand on the issue that they have no faith in the DRS in its present form. They have a strong objection in the ball tracking system in the DRS which, they think, is not capable of making error-free decisions. That was the reason why Indian captain MS Dhoni called the DRS the "adulteration" of technology and human decision-making during the World Cup a couple of months back. Shashank Manohar, president of BCCI, had told a leading cricket website earlier, "I have even told the ICC that we have no problem with Hot Spot. Our objection is to ball tracking.... it becomes just a case of someone else`s imagination versus the umpire`s imagination."

At the first place BCCI wanted Hot Spot to be the part of the DRS system during the England series. When the ICC did not meet their demand, the Indian board decided to turn down the referral system.

Earlier on Thursday, batting legend Sachin Tendulkar had said that he is not against the use of Decision Review System (DRS). He said that he always believes the use of technology is good for the game. 

"I am not against DRS, but I feel it will be more effective with the support of the Snickometer and Hot Spot technology. This will give more consistent results," Sachin had told a leading cricket website in an interview. 

Sachin - "Beating Pakistan is always special because they are a tough team and we have a bit if a history regarding Pakistan."

Sachin keeps word, visits paraplegic centre

Standing true on a promise made to disabled soldiers at the Paraplegic Rehabilitation Centre (PRC) in Khadki, on April 21, Sachin Tendulkar visited the centre on Monday. The cricketer interacted with some of the basketball players, discus throwers and archer Amol Boriwale whom Sachin will sponsor for the Paralympic trials in Italy in 2011. Office Superintendent of the PRC RJ Manickam said, “At the video conference with Sachin on his birthday, he had promised that he would visit the centre. It was a nice gesture on his part that he visited us within a couple of months of the conversation.”Tendulkar met basketball players C Y Reddy, A D Pereira and Walsalan Nada and discus player Shymal Raju. Addressing the soldiers, he said, “I am happy that I could come to the city and meet everyone here. A lot of people think that as a sportsperson I am a hero but in reality sportsmen are just entertainers. It is you people who guard the national borders and are the real heroes.” 

Tendulkar also witnessed a basketball match played by the soldiers and planted a sapling at the PRC. As a memorabilia, he autographed a pair of his hand gloves for the soldiers. Speaking about the interaction with Sachin, Raju, who participated in 2004 Paralympics, said, “He is a nice sportsman. He told me to keep trying harder and participate in more competitions irrespective of the results.” 

Tendulkar, who also brought two boxes of mangoes for the soldiers, made it a point to sign autographs for everyone. “I am really proud of the spirit of the people present here. I have come here as part of my promise but I would love to come back again. In fact, next time I will bring my children. I remember being told that you all had prayed for the team to win the World Cup in April and it was due to your good wishes that we managed to do so.” 

Sachin - "At least with me, the match starts much, much earlier than the actual match."

I am not satisfied yet - Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar has almost every batting record that is there to be made under his belt but the iconic Indian cricketer says he is still not satisfied with his career as he considers satisfaction the beginning of stagnation.

"When you win something or score a century you say you are happy, but not satisfied. Satisfaction is like engaging the handbrake and hoping a car moves forward," Tendulkar told the latest issue of 'Sky Sports Magazine'.

"I am not satisfied yet with my career and what I have done, not at all. I feel the moment you start to feel satisfied, then it is only natural that you begin to cool down and lose it," he explained. Tendulkar reiterated that he is not even thinking of retirement despite completing more than two decades in international cricket.
"I still love cricket as much as ever. It is my job, but it is also my passion. Cricket remains in my heart, I don't need anything else to motivate me. I dreamed of playing for my country when I was young and it is still my dream, it is still fun for me," the 38-year-old right-hander said.

"Life without cricket is unthinkable," he added.

Tendulkar attributed his longevity and recent success to a stricter fitness regime, not playing Twenty20 Internationals and bowling only sparingly.

"I am still learning about the game. I figure something out about my batting all the time, you have to keep your mind open. I learn all the time, those small adjustments, with your footwork or bat swing can improve your game, I love doing that. You never know everything. Mentally that makes you feel so good. That is the best form of preparation," Tendulkar said.

Recalling India's recent World Cup triumph after a gap of 28 years, Tendulkar said when the defining moment of his career finally arrived, he wasn't in the middle of the field wielding his bat, nor was he even on the balcony watching his teammates.

Instead, he was on his own in the dressing room, his hands clasped together, his eyes closed as he prayed in silence.

He only knew India had won the World Cup when he heard that cathartic roar reverberate around the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai as his captain, Mahendra Singh Dhoni hit the winning runs against Sri Lanka.

Tendulkar described the experience as "a different kind of feeling, a high, like living on a different planet, it felt as though I was flying."

He had waited 22 years for this moment.

For all his personal records - and he boasts the most Test runs and Test centuries, and the most One-Day runs and One-Day centuries - Tendulkar wanted something tangible, a trophy to lift, a medal to wear, and to win something as part of an Indian team.

Tendulkar had played in the previous five World Cups, but had fallen short each time. The experience left him feeling "shattered beyond words."

His fellow players too laud the way Tendulkar has sustained himself at the top level.

"It has been fascinating watching the changes in his approach," said teammate Rahul Dravid. "From being a master blaster, he is now a mistake-proof batsman."

While he can't control his body ageing, Tendulkar has increasingly sought to exert more control over his mind.

"You have to be still in your mind, and keep it blank.

It is also important to avoid any needless anger," he said.

"Growing up, I picked up a lot from my father, who never lost his temper, and I tried to follow that, so I don't lose my cool."

This impenetrable mask doesn't slip away from the cameras either.

"I have never seen him lose his temper in the dressing room, he has never thrown his bat around even when given out wrongly," said Indian pace spearhead Zaheer Khan.

"Maybe he will have an extra bowl of ice cream, and that is when you realise he is pretty upset."

Sachin -  "And that is the reason why this victory is great, because different players have made contributions to the win."

BCCI honours Sachin, World Cup Champions

The Indian team that won the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 has been felicitated at the BCCI Awards ceremony on Tuesday in Mumbai. Each member of the team was presented with a cheques of Rs. 2 crore.

Sachin Tendulkar also received the Polly Umrigar Award for being India's best cricketer of 2009-10.

The twelve-month period saw him score 1064 runs from ten Tests @ 82, inclusive of one double hundred and five hundreds. He also scored 695 runs from 12 ODIs @ 69.5, inclusive of the first double hundred in ODIs by a male cricketer, against South Africa at Gwalior in February 2010. He also scored 175 in an ODI against Australia at Hyderabad.

Tendulkar received a trophy and cheque for Rs. 5 lakhs.

Former cricketer Salim Durani has been honoured with Col CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award at the fourth annual BCCI Awards Ceremony in Mumbai. He was presented with a trophy and Rs. 15 lakhs.

The Indian team that won the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 was also felicitated at the ceremony. Each member of the team was presented with a cheques of Rs. 2 crore. The support staff of the team too were honoured and presented cheques of Rs. 50 lakh each as declared by the Cricket Board earlier.

However, former coach Gary Kirsten, mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton and bowling consultant coach Eric Simmons were absent. Among those present were members of the 1983 World Cup winning squad, including then skipper Kapil Dev, Balwinder Singh Sandhu, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sandeep Patil and Yashpal Sharma.

On the occasion, Dhoni thanked fans for supporting the team and said that winning the coveted trophy after 28 long years was a proud moment.

"I thank all of you for the support we got throughout the World Cup. Hundred crore people supported us in the country as well as outside. It was a great moment for us.

"When you play for the country, the one thing you want to win is the World Cup. It is a proud moment for all of us. The victory was achieved thanks to the combination of experienced players and youngsters. We exploited the conditions really well. It was a great moment."

The top performers in international, domestic and age-group cricket tournaments, in the 2009-10 (1 October 2009 to 30 September 2010) season are also
being rewarded at the function. 

Sachin - "I am sure this book would soon become a collector's item."

Sachin laughs off 'emphatic 100th ton' theory

Sachin Tendulkar stated the reason for him opting out of June-July's three-Test series in the West Indies. "I just want to spend some time with my family. I have not had time with my children. If I don't spend time with them now (during their school holidays), I would have to wait for one more year to do so. The kids (daughter Sara and son Arjun) are very thrilled because we hadn't discussed this with them, so they didn't know anything. It was a surprise for them," he said on Monday"I could make out that they wanted me to be with them because of their school holidays coinciding."

Tendulkar was rested for the one-day series against the West Indies, but when it came to the Test series, he requested the Board to leave him out. He will be available for the tour of England involving four Tests and a one-day series.

No one can stop the theories though. The batting genius laughed at one about him not going to the West Indies because he wants to get his 100th international century at Lord's, a venue that will host the 100th India vs England Test (July 21-25) and the 2000th game in the history of Test cricket. "How can you plan such things?" he asked.

Respected West Indies writer Fazeer Mohammed connected Tendulkar's Caribbean absence to the state of the game in the region. "But there was obviously something missing that made India's batting maestro determine that a month in the Caribbean and the prospect of a couple really big innings was worth passing up. Maybe it was the challenge. Maybe it was the sense of occasion. Maybe it was both.

"To put it bluntly: milking our bowlers on the way to a 100th senior international hundred in a near-empty stadium would have been the equivalent of Barcelona defeating Manchester United on a Sunday morning at the Aranjuez Savannah with ten men and two dogs in attendance and two vagrants sleeping at the back of the pavilion," Mohammed wrote in the Trinidad Express.

Earlier, Tendulkar stated: "As I have been playing continuous cricket over the last 10 months which started during the Sri Lankan series in July 2010, I had requested the Cricket Board to allow me to spend some quality time with the family as it coincides with my children's holidays and hence will not be available for the series in the West Indies. I would appreciate everyone's understanding of my decision and look forward to be back shortly post the series."

Post 2000, Tendulkar has been part of Test series wins in England, Pakistan and New Zealand but when it came to the 2005-06 Test series victory in the West Indies, he was injured. So, in all probability, he will end his career without experiencing a Test series triumph in the Caribbean.

That could be a regret, but only just, considering what he said a few years ago: "Getting married and having kids nothing matches that."

Sachin - "THE INTERNATIONAL cricket calendar shouldn't be so packed with action that it drives spectators away. Also, there should be enough space between cricket events to help players recharge their batteries - not just physically but mentally, too."

The Sachin Tendulkar slap

This is a resounding slap across the face of West Indies cricket, the sting of which will linger for some time, certainly until July 10, the scheduled final day of India's tour of the Caribbean.

For more than two decades on the international scene, Sachin Tendulkar has let his bat do the talking. Indeed, it can be argued that his achievement of staying virtually free of major controversy for such a prolonged period in an environment where he has a god-like status and is the subject of attention for hundreds of millions - both in his private and public life – is as remarkable as the runs and records compiled since he first walked out to bat for his country almost 22 years ago.

Yet his decision to opt out entirely from the West Indies tour, citing a desire to spend some time with his family after more than three months of non-stop cricket (World Cup and then Indian Premier League), while not controversial, certainly reinforces how low is the regard for the regional side as reputable opponents and a team against whom notable achievements can stand up as worthy of being considered world-class.

Think about it for a moment. Tendulkar is 38 years old, so time isn't exactly on his side, even though his appetite for the game is undiminished on the evidence of his prolific form over the past 18 months. His last Test innings in the Caribbean was nine years ago as he also missed the 2006 campaign in the West Indies, when Rahul Dravid played two of his gutsiest innings to lead his team to a series-clinching victory in the final Test in Kingston. In ten Test matches in this part of the world, Tendulkar has just a single hundred to his credit, an innings of 117 at the Queen's Park Oval in 2002 which lifted his tally of Test centuries to 29, level then with the legendary Sir Donald Bradman. Of course, he has since raced along to establish a new and increasingly distant standard, both in Tests (51) and One-Day Internationals (48), which means that the next hundred he scores for India will be his 100th in senior international cricket, a phenomenal achievement by anyone's reckoning. 

So here was the chance: three Test matches against generally inexperienced bowling on pitches in Jamaica, Barbados and Dominica that aren't exactly noted to be particularly challenging these days. It would have been like taking jelebi from a baby.

But there was obviously something missing that made India's batting maestro determine that a month in the Caribbean and the prospect of a couple really big innings was worth passing up. Maybe it was the challenge. Maybe it was the sense of occasion. Maybe it was both. To put it bluntly: milking our bowlers on the way to a 100th senior international hundred in a near-empty stadium would have been the equivalent of Barcelona defeating Manchester United on a Sunday morning at the Aranjuez Savannah with ten men and two dogs in attendance and two vagrants sleeping at the back of the pavilion.

Tendulkar's humility and soft-spoken nature should not be interpreted as evidence of the absence of an ego. Like anyone who excels to such levels and for so long, the little man from Mumbai is driven as much by an inward hunger as any flag-waving sense of patriotism. In that context, it surely does not profit him much (beyond the statistical significance, that is) to pile on the runs against the West Indies next month, in the same way that sealing a Test series victory in the second week of July will not be seen as one of the glittering achievements of the captaincy of Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Two weeks on from the final ball being bowled in Roseau though, and the picture will be very different. Full houses at Lord's, Trent Bridge, Edgbaston and The Oval, the crowds as much Indian as English, and the top-ranked Test-playing nation in the world in town to take on a home side that had vanquished Australia Down Under as never before.

Now that is motivation. That is the environment to get the pulses racing. To hear the roar of thousands as you emerge from the pavilion, to overcome the threat of Anderson, Broad, Tremlett and Swann on the way to yet another significant personal milestone while also putting your country in a strong position. Let's be honest. What is coming up over the next few weeks, as competitive as it might be, cannot compare with the sort of theatre that is being anticipated in the English summer just ahead.

It has been one of the more laudable traditions of Test cricket in the Caribbean over the decades to appreciate great deeds from visiting players as they clash with our own champions. Gupte versus Weekes, Roberts versus Gavaskar and Marshall versus Amarnath are just three of the many West Indies-India confrontations that rekindle memories of men at their very best on the field of play while the animated masses in the stands react excitedly to every thrust and parry.

That enjoyment of the contest has gradually been replaced by a narrow-minded cheering of your own, even when there has been precious little to cheer. Still, we could look forward to the doers of great deeds performing in our own backyards.
Now, as the Indians of 2011, led by their premier batsman and national icon, are showing, we're not even deserving of that privilege.

Sachin - "Early in the day, my kids woke me up and took me to their room, which they had decorated for the occasion. It was a pleasant surprise."

Tendulkar's Mumbai Indians bid for IPL final

Sachin Tendulkar's Mumbai Indians are hoping the momentum from back-to-back wins will carry them into the IPL final in Friday's qualifier against Royal Challengers Bangalore. Mumbai looked in danger of missing the play-offs but two victories against Kolkata Knight Riders have revived their campaign in the glitzy Twenty20 competition. 

A win against Bangalore will take Tendulkar's men into a Saturday's title clash against defending champions Chennai, and offer them a chance to avenge their defeat against the same rivals in last year's final.

"It's obviously a knockout game for us," said Mumbai coach Robin Singh Thursday. "We have done pretty well against Bangalore in the few outings we have had in the past.

"But this is a fresh game and we have to start from scratch. We have to refocus and regroup because the stakes are really high."

Bangalore will be counting once again on hard-hitting West Indies opener Chris Gayle to fire with the bat.

Gayle has been instrumental in guiding Bangalore to the play-offs, having scored 519 runs from 10 innings at a strike rate of 184 after joining the franchise as a replacement for the injured Dirk Nannes.

"You can't ignore the fact that Gayle is in terrific form," said Singh, a former India all-rounder.

"But we have been bowling exceptionally well. You have to back yourself to bowl well against anyone. We have thought about how we want to go about things. We have our own plans ready for what we would like to do."

Bangalore captain Daniel Vettori also praised Gayle but dismissed the suggestion that his side were too dependent on the muscular left-hander.

"We know Chris has played well and he has been the main scorer for us this season, winning so many games for us. But we have other batsmen like Virat Kohli who have stepped up and performed when needed," Vettori said.

"So if Gayle has an off-day, we are still confident that we can win games."

Mumbai are high on confidence following a spectacular last-ball victory against Kolkata in the final league game and another by four wickets with four balls to spare in the first play-off on Wednesday.

But Mumbai may bring in Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds to replace West Indies batsman Kieron Pollard, who has just 143 runs from 15 matches with a high score of 28.

Sachin - "It was an innings of great discipline."

Sachin Dominates Kolkata in Crucial Eliminator

Mumbai Indians repeated the game against the same Kolkata Knight Riders defeating twice in similar fashion. Master Blaster winning the toss elected to field first which turned the match for them. Batting first Kolkata Knight got a bad start.

J Kallis who is in great form for his side returned back in the 2^nd over of the innings for just 7 runs. Kolkata was unable to recover from the situation and lost skipper Gautam Gambhir. He was bowled by Harbhajan for just 4 runs. Shreevats Goswami also retuned back for a duck as the Mumbai bowler Munaf fired with the ball.

Manoj Tiwary was not in great form and returned back very soon leaving Kolkata in deep troubles. Later Yusuf Pathan and Ireland star batsman Ryan ten Doeschate took the charge for Kolkata. Both managed well and resisted the Mumbai Indians. Munaf Patel in his 2^nd spell fired again and removed Yusuf who scored 26 from 24 balls.

Ryan continued to hit the ball smashing three sixes and six fours in his innings. Shakib Al Hasan joining the Ryan party accelerated the Kolkata innings. Shakib who scored 24 from 16 balls with 4 fours was dismissed by L Malinga. Ryan completed his half century, playing until the end scored 70 from 49 balls. Munaf made the difference for Mumbai by picking early wickets and resisting the Kolkata Knight Riders for just 147.

Mumbai chasing a decent total dominated all the times. Aiden Blizzard and Sachin Tendulkar never looked nervous. Both played the ball to boundary whenever they got the chance and competing each other. Blizzard played more dangerous innings than Sachin and never allowed the Kolkata bowlers to explode. Blizzard who completed his half century went for big shot and caught by Abdulla.

Rohit Sharma once again disappointed and returned for a duck without facing a ball.  Sachin who seemed to be dangerous was removed by J Kallis for 36 from 28 balls. Ambati Rayudu returned back for 12 from 16 balls leaving the Mumbai Indians in more troubles. Pollard and Suman also retuned back scoring 3 and 2 giving an opportunity to Kolkata. Franklin rescued the Mumbai once again. 

Franklin scored 29 from 25 balls with Harbhajan scoring 11 from 5 balls with 1 four and 1 winning six. Mumbai showed an all round performance and won the game with four balls remaining.

Sachin - "The entire country looks up to me and they have expectations and that's why I have to work very hard."

Tendulkar conferred rank of IAF Group Captain

Batting ace Sachin Tendulkar was on Friday conferred the Indian Air Force's honorary rank of Group Captain in honour of his cricketing achievements and contribution to the nation. He is the first sportsperson to be conferred a rank by the IAF and the first personality with no aviation background to receive the honour.

In 2008, India's World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev had received the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel of the Territorial Army.

The 37-year-old Tendulkar was inducted into the Air Force as its brand ambassador, with IAF chief Air Chief Marshal P V Naik doing the honours at a glittering ceremony at the Air Force auditorium in Delhi .

"It's a great pleasure and honour to be honoured by IAF. It was wishful thinking and it has come true today. I'm extremely proud to be a part of IAF. I want to urge the youth to join air force and serve the nation. So dream, because dreams do come true," Tendulkar said after receiving the honour.

Earlier, President Pratibha Patil had conferred the honorary rank of the IAF on the iconic batsman on June 23.

The rank was conferred on Tendulkar under the provision of granting honorary rank by Armed Forces to eminent personalities acknowledging their contribution towards the nation.

The IAF had, in January, mooted a proposal to confer the honorary rank of Group Captain on Tendulkar.

IAF feels that besides the recognition, his association with it would motivate the younger generation to join the Air Force to serve the country.

Naik said the batting legend's association with IAF will help in making the youth aware about the Air Force.

"Youth admires him (Master Blaster). I think the youth will get inclined towards the Air Force. What youth will do in future we can't say but the indications that we are getting from school students… we are hopeful.

"To take corrective measures in reforming the IAF is my duty and Sachin's association will help in spreading awareness (about the Air Force)," Naik said. 

Before being felicitated with the honorary rank, Tendulkar had gone through a process of familiarisation with the IAF and training in basic military practices and drills.

Till date, 21 eminent personalities have been granted honorary ranks by the IAF, the first being the Raja of Jawhar Yashwant Rao, who was conferred the Flight Lieutenant's rank in 1944.

Industrialist J R D Tata  was made an honorary Air Vice Marshal in 1974 and the last one to get such an honour in 1990 was industrialist-cum-aviator Vijaypat Singhania, who is now an honorary Air Commodore.

In a career spanning more than two decades, Tendulkar has crossed many milestones and holds almost every batting record.

He is the most-capped Test cricketer in the world with 169 matches to his name.

Tendulkar has played 442 one-day internationals, just a couple of matches less than Sri Lankan Sanath Jayasuriya's record of 444.

The veteran right-hander has scored 13,742 runs in 168 Tests at an average of 56.08, notching up 48 hundreds and 55 half-centuries in the process.

He has 17,598 runs, including 46 centuries, in his 442 one-dayers. The Mumbaikar also holds the distinction of being the first batsman to score a double hundred in ODIs. 

Sachin - "We used to call him the 'Shadow Man' for this habit of his."

Sachin strokes revive Howrah school’s dream

A pen stroke by Sachin Tendulkar has brought almost as much joy to some of his young fans as his cricket strokes have over the years. 

Five bats signed by the master will be auctioned to fund the expansion of a primary school for underprivileged students in Howrah’s Tikiapara. 

Sachin signed the bats on Wednesday in a Mumbai hotel where he was staying with his Mumbai Indian team-mates before their IPL match against the Rajasthan Royals.

“He took no more than five minutes to agree to help the slum school, once he heard that it needed money to build a floor to house the classroom for standard VI, a library and a staff room,” said Prashant Desai, an investment banker from Mumbai who corresponded with the cricketer regarding the project. 

Samaritan Mission, the school, set up in 2001 with six students, now has 800. It needs Rs 15 lakh to offer education till Class VI. 

With two companies picking up two of the signed bats for Rs 3 lakh each, the dream that school founder Mamoon Akhtar nurtures of adding classes each year and eventually affiliating the school to the ICSE board has received a shot in the arm.

“We had been looking for expansion funds for a year without success and I was beginning to worry that we would have to put the plan on the back burner, when my friend Mudar Patherya came up with the idea of getting help from Sachin Tendulkar. In the end, everything happened smoothly,” said Akhtar, who had dropped out of St Thomas Church School, Howrah, in Class VII because his parents could not fund his education. He cleared Class XII as a private candidate.

Patherya, who runs Trisys Communication in Calcutta, was working on a book called Sachindia, on Team India’s recent World Cup win, that Sachin was to launch. 

“Initially, we had planned to get 200 copies of the book signed by Sachin. I had also got a well-known bookstore chain to display them for free and give away the sales proceeds to the school. But Sachin made it simple when he said that he would sign five bats which we could simply sell or auction on eBay,” Patherya told Metro.

On Wednesday, Sachin not only signed the bats but also a few of the books. He asked for two of his photographs published in the book to be mailed to him.

“The book is a collage of images and statistics along with reports published in various newspapers after the World Cup victory. He asked for two photographs to be mailed to him — one in which he is raising his bat to the heavens and the other of Yusuf Pathan and other team-mates lifting him during a victory lap,” said Patherya.

Sachin did not say much about the charity except that he was proud to be a part of the event and that he liked the book immensely, added Patherya.

Sachin - "He always used to look at his shadow and run his fingers through his     hair."

Anything possible - Sachin Tendulkar

With a thrilling win over the Kolkata Knight Riders, the Mumbai Indians not only put themselves at the third position on the points table, but also put an end to their losing streak. 

Mumbai Indians captain Sachin Tendulkar felt anything was possible in T20.

“It is T20 cricket and anything is possible in this format. 

“Sometimes, when the bowlers don’t get it right, batsmen can have a couple of edges which go for boundaries,” said Sachin.

“It was a wonderful match and it was a wonderful crowd. It is always a pleasure playing at Eden Gardens.”

Sachin was all praise for Ambati Rayudu.

“Rayudu was fantastic. He showed great character.

“We had lost the momentum after three wins on the trot, but what is more  important is to get the momentum back.”

Sachin was happy that the move to promote Harbhajan Singh clicked.

“Before we started to bat, we discussed keeping the focus on maintaining the run rate. 

“I think, sending Harbhajan (Singh) at ‘one down’ was a good move as he got us some vital runs. 

“Knowing the Knight Riders, we know that they are going to come back and come back hard. 

“We have to meet them in the play-offs in a couple of days, and I am sure we will face a stiff challenge.”

Sachin - "Anyone would want to play like him, he was completely at a different level as far as mental toughness is concerned."

Sachin Tendulkar - The Billionaire Batsman from India

One of the greatest players to have ever played the game of Cricket, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar has been lies in his ability to play his master strokes and dominate the crease on all types of surfaces, against all opponents and proving to be a master batsman for whom there the most admired icon of the cricket world for more than two decades now.

Ever since his debut way back in 1989, Sachin Tendulkar has consistently displayed extraordinary skills at the crease that has baffled even some of the greatest players and critics of the game. Tendulkar's genius is no good ball.
Tendulkar is a prodigious run-getter and holds the record for most runs in Tests and ODIs and most centuries in both forms of the game.

His statistics are unassailable and will remain unbroken for a long, long time to come. Here is a Sachin Tendulkar – when comes another? Immensely gifted and blessed with an impeccable batting technique, Tendulkar's innings is a feast, combining timing, elegance, grace and power.

Sachin - "It has been frustrating. The last game I played was on April 17."

Sachin best player I have played against: Warne

Australian spin legend Shane Warne on Thursday lavished praise on his long-time tormentor Sachin Tendulkar, declaring the iconic Indian batsman as the greatest cricketer he has ever played against.

Rajasthan Royals skipper Warne, who will play his last Indian Premier League match against the Mumbai Indians on Friday, said it was only appropriate to end his IPL stint as a player against Tendulkar.

"Sachin is the greatest player I have played against. It's appropriate that my last game is versus Sachin," Warne said.

"Sachin has been my friend for a long period of time. We have bit of laugh with each other, crack jokes. I hope Sachin does not smash me all around the park tomorrow," he said. 

Warne was fined a hefty $50,000 following his public spat with Rajasthan Cricket Association secretary Sanjay Dixit and the 41-year-old Australian said that he failed to understand why nothing happened to the RCA secretary.

"Unfair that I get fined while Sanjay Dixit gets away with saying whatever he feels like," Warne said.

"My fight with Dixit was immature on both our parts," he added.

Warne escaped a ban but was fined heavily by the IPL's disciplinary panel for calling Dixit a "liar and egoistic" after an IPL match in Jaipur, forcing RR owner Shilpa Shetty to intervene and apologise for the incident.

Dixit, who is also an IAS officer, had blasted Warne and Tendulkar on Twitter and trashed Warne in a website article.

"I had to face the consequences but he got away simply. I don't think it's fair. It should be something same for both of us. But the story is this way and one can't do much.

"I had 7 days to decide on a counter claim but I did nothing. It was a silly incident and pity that it got way too much attention," he said.

Despite his spat with the RCA secretary, Warne remained positive about being associated with the Rajasthan team in the future. 

Sachin - "New Zealand's Daniel Vettori is a very good bowler."