Bhagwat Subramanya
Chandrasekhar (informally Chandra; born 17 May 1945) is an Indian former
cricketer who played as a leg spinner. Considered among the top echelon of leg
spinners, Chandrasekhar along with E.A.S. Prasanna, Bishen Singh Bedi and
Srinivasaraghavan Venkataraghavan constituted the Indian spin quartet that
dominated spin bowling during the 1960s and 1970s. At a very young age, polio
left his right arm withered. Chandrasekhar played 58 Test matches, capturing
242 wickets at an average of 29.74 in a career that spanned sixteen years. He
is one of only two test cricketers in history with more wickets than total runs
scored, the other being Chris Martin. He was awarded the Padmashri in 1972
Chandrasekhar was named as
a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1972; in 2002 he won Wisden’s award for
“Best bowling performance of the century” for India, for his six
wickets for 38 runs against England at the Oval in 1971.
Chandrasekhar was born in
1945 in Mysore, where he had his primary education. He developed an early
interest in cricket watching the playing styles of Australian leg spinner
Richie Benaud. An attack of polio at the age of six left his right arm withered.
At the age of 10, his hand had recovered and Chandrasekhar started playing
cricket.
By that time his family
relocated to Bangalore and he got an opportunity to play for “City
Cricketers”. In an interview, Chandrasekhar stated that he joined up mainly
to get a chance to play with the leather ball. While playing on the streets of Bangalore, he
had mainly used a rubber ball. While playing for the club, Chandrasekhar tried
different bowling styles that also included fast bowling. It was in 1963 that he decided to play as a
leg spin bowler. His idea proved to be right as he was soon selected for the
national side.
Making his Test debut for
India against England at Bombay in 1964, he collected four wickets in the
match. He was named the Indian Cricket Cricketer of the Year the same year.
Chandrasekhar was influential in setting up India’s first victory in England
when he picked up six wickets for 38 runs at The Oval in 1971; the bowling was
named the “Indian Bowling performance of the century” by Wisden in
2002. Wisden noted that, “Chandrasekhar was wonderfully accurate for a
bowler of his type, and his extra pace made him a formidable proposition even
on the sluggish Oval pitch.” His consistent bowling performances in 1971
earned him being named one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1972.
In a Test against New
Zealand in 1976, Chandrasekhar and Prasanna took 19 wickets and were crucial in
setting up India’s win. Attributed to him is a famous umpire-directed quote,
made during a day of bad decisions in New Zealand after several of his lbw
appeals were given not out: “I know he is bowled, but is he out?”
Chandrasekhar also played a major role in India’s victory in Australia in 1977–78.
During that series he became the first bowler in test history to register the
identical figures in a same test (6 for 52 in both innings).
Chandrasekhar had minimal
batting skills, finishing with a Test average of 4.07. He was given a special
Gray-Nicholls bat during the 1977–78 Australian tour with a hole in it to
commemorate the four ducks he scored, and he has 23 Test ducks to his credit.
He also holds the dubious distinction of scoring fewer runs (167) off his bat
than wickets (242) taken in Test cricket; the only other cricketer with this
distinction over a significant Test career is New Zealand fast bowler Chris Martin.
Honours and recognitions
Indian Cricket Cricketer
of the Year in 1964
Wisden Cricketers of the
Year in 1972
Padmashri in 1972[14]
Arjuna Award in 1972[15]
Three World records for V Kohli and SPD Smith in 2014-15 Test series between Australia and India
V Kohli and SPD
Smith notched four hundreds each in this series to provide the first ever
occasion of rival batsmen scoring four hundreds in a series constituting a
world record
No
Batsman
Runs
Opp
Ground
Series
1
V Kohli
115
Aus
Adelaide
2014-15
2
V Kohli
141
Aus
Adelaide
2014-15
3
V Kohli
169
Aus
Melbourne
2014-15
4
V Kohli
147
Aus
Sydney
2014-15
No
Batsman
Runs
Opp
Ground`
Series
1
SPD Smith
162*
Ind
Adelaide
2014-15
2
SPD Smith
133
Ind
Brisbane
2014-15
3
SPD Smith
192
Ind
Melbourne
2014-15
4
SPD Smith
117
Ind
Sydney
2014-15
V Kohli and SPD
Smith notched four hundreds each coupled with 600 plus runs aggregate in this
series to provide the first ever occasion of rival batsmen scoring four
hundreds coupled with 600 plus runs in a series constituting a world record. V
Kohli totalled 646 runs while SPD Smith aggregated 769 runs and both scored
four hundreds in the series
V Kohli and SPD
Smith scored three hundreds each in this series while leading their respective
sides to provide the very first occasion of rival captains scoring three
hundreds in a test series which is a world record.
No
Batsman
Runs
Opp
Ground
Series
1
V Kohli
115
Aus
Adelaide
2014-15
2
V Kohli
141
Aus
Adelaide
2014-15
3
V Kohli
147
Aus
Sydney
2014-15
No
Batsman
Runs
Opp
Ground`
Series
1
SPD Smith
133
Ind
Brisbane
2014-15
2
SPD Smith
192
Ind
Melbourne
2014-15
3
SPD Smith
117
Ind
Sydney
2014-15
SR Tendulkar’s last test appearance has a special significance – an amazing coincidence
SR Tendulkar’s 200th test – his last test has this special significance. India won the toss and inserted the opposition in this test. SR Tendulkar was appearing in his 100th test when India has won the toss and has appeared in 100 tests when India had lost the toss– An amazing coincidence
Rahul Sharad Dravid known as Rahul to the cricketing
fraternity was born on 11.01.73 at Indore, Madhya Pradesh and learnt his
cricketing lessons in Karnataka. He was also nicknamed Wall by cricketing
experts for his ability to stay at the crease.
Rahul’s exploits are too many and he is a Cricket
Statistician’s delight. Here are few of his test records.
Rahul Dravid made his test debut against England at
Lord’s in June 1996. He made 95 on his test debut, while another debutant SC
Ganguly scored a hundred {131} on debut in this test. This Lord’s test has gone
into the annals of test cricket as the second test in which two debutant
batsmen scored a ninety and hundred. The first test was the Karachi test
between Pakistan and Australia in Oct 1964 when two Pakistan debutants – Khalid
Ibadulla {166} and Abdul Kadir {95} scored a hundred and ninety.
He has scored five double hundreds – 200 not out
against Zimbabwe at Delhi in Nov 2000, 217 against England at The Oval in Sep
2002, 222 against New Zealand at Ahmedabad in Oct 2003, 233 against Australia
at Adelaide in Dec 2003 and 270 against Pakistan at Rawalpindi in Apr 2004. His
five double hundreds are in the progressive order of runs scored which makes
him the only batsman to perform such a feat in the annals of test cricket.
He has scored a fifty and double hundreds on three
occasions which is furnished below. He is the only batsman in the annals of
test cricket to perform such a feat on three occasions
Player
FI
SI
Team
Oppn
Ground
Start Date
R Dravid
200*
70*
Ind
Zim
Delhi
18 Nov 2000
R Dravid
222
73
Ind
NZl
Ahmedabad
08 Oct 2003
R Dravid
233
72*
Ind
Aus
Adelaide
12 Dec 2003
He has scored hundred in each innings of the test match
on two occasions – 190 and 103 not out vs. New Zealand at Hamilton in Jan 1999
and 110 and 135 vs. Pakistan at Kolkota in Mar 2005. He is the second Indian
batsman after SM Gavaskar to perform such a feat on two or more occasions. SM
Gavaskar has achieved this feat on three occasions
He is the only batsman in the annals of test cricket to
aggregate 10000 plus runs while batting at number three. His has an aggregate
of 10524 runs to his credit
He has scored 50 half centuries while batting at number
three and is the only batsman to score 50 half centuries while batting at
number three in the annals of test cricket
He holds the record for most number of fifties while
batting number three. He has scored 78 fifties. He is one of the two batsmen
who have scored 75 plus fifties while batting at number three in the annals of
test cricket. RT Ponting is the other batsman who has scored 75 fifties while
batting at number three.
He has scored ten nineties in tests and shares the
record for most nineties with SR Tendulkar of India and SR Waugh of Australia
He has scored 5031 runs in India’s 56 winning tests. He
is seventh batsman in the annals of test cricket to score 5000 plus runs in a
team’s winning tests. He is the second Indian batsman to perform such a feat
after SR Tendulkar who has scored 5594 runs in India’s 63 winnings tests
He is the third Indian batsman to aggregate 5000 plus
runs on home soil. He has an aggregate of 5598 runs. The other two are – SR
Tendulkar {6765} and SM Gavaskar {5067}
He is one of the two batsmen in the annals of test
cricket to score 7500 plus runs on away soil. He has an aggregate of 7690 runs
on away soil. SR Tendulkar with 8705 runs is the other batsman.
He has scored 36 half centuries on away soil and shares
the record for most half centuries on away soil with SR Tendulkar who also has
scored 36 half centuries
He is one of the two batsmen who have scored 21 or more
hundreds on away soil. He has scored 21 hundreds; SR Tendulkar with 29 hundreds
is the other batsman to score 20 plus hundreds on away soil.
He is one among the three Indian batsmen who have
scored three double hundreds on away soil. Others are – SR Tendulkar and V
Sehwag
He is one among the 16 batsmen in the annals of test
cricket to score 15 or more hundreds on home soil. He has scored 15 hundreds on
home soil. He is also the third Indian batsmen to perform such a feat, others
are – SR Tendulkar {22} and SM Gavaskar {16}
He is one of the three batsmen who have been dismissed
for a double nelson – 222 – in a test innings. He scored 222 against New
Zealand at Ahmedabad in Oct 2003. Others are – GR Viswanath of India vs.
England at Chennai in Jan 1982 and NJ Astle of New Zealand vs. England at
Christchurch in Mar 2002
He is the only fieldsman to pouch 200 plus catches in
the annals of test cricket. He has pouched 210 catches. He has pouched 112
catches on away soil and remains the only fieldsman to pouch 100 plus catches
on away soil.
He is the only fieldsman in the annals of test cricket
to pouch 50 plus cathes of two bowlers – A Kumble {55} and Harbhajan Singh {51}
He is one of the four batsmen who have scored 60 plus
half centuries in the annals of test cricket. He has scored 63 half centuries.
Others are – SR Tendulkar {65}, AR Border {63} and RT Ponting {61}. Thus he
shares the second place with AR Border for most half centuies by a batsman –
both of them scoring 63 half centuries
He stands third in the list of batsmen who have scored
most fifties in the annals of test cricket. The three batsmen are – SR
Tendulkar {116}, RT Ponting {102} and R Dravid {99}
He shares the record for most partnership runs with SR
Tendulkar in tests. Both of them have shared 6920 partnership runs in 143
innings. They share 20 three figure partnerships which is a record in itself
for most number of century stands in the annals of test cricket
He has partnered Tendulkar on 143 occasions which is
next to 148 occasions partnered by DL Haynes and CG Greenidge
R Dravid and SR Tendulkar share 29 half century
partnerships which is a record for most half century stands between two batsmen
in the annals of test cricket. ML Hayden
and JL Langer shared 28 half century stands.
R Dravid and SR Tendulkar through their 29 half century
partnerships have added 2137 runs. They are the only pair to add 2000 plus runs
through the half century stand in test cricket
He has partnered 49 fifty plus runs partnerships with SR
Tendulkar which is also a record for most fifty plus runs partnerships in the
annals of test cricket
R Dravid has been one of the partners in a three figure
partnership on 88 occasions and shares the record for most three figure stands
in tests.
He is one of the four Indian batsmen who have scored
four hundreds in consecutive tests. His feat read thus – 13 and 115 vs. England
at Nottingham in Aug 2002; 148 vs. England at Leeds in Aug 2002; 217 vs.
England at The Oval in Sep 2002 and 100* vs. West Indies at Mumbai in Oct 2002.
Other Indian batsmen to perform such a feat are – G Gautham {05}, SM Gavaskar
{04} and SR Tendulkar {04}. His career summary read thus –
Opposition
Mat
Inns
NO
Runs
HS
Ave
100
50
0
Australia
33
62
6
2166
233
38.67
2
13
4
Bangladesh
7
10
2
560
160
70.00
3
1
1
England
21
37
5
1950
217
60.93
7
8
1
New Zealand
15
28
2
1659
222
63.80
6
6
1
Pakistan
15
26
3
1236
270
53.73
5
3
1
South Africa
21
40
3
1252
148
33.83
2
5
0
Sri Lanka
20
32
1
1508
177
48.64
3
9
0
West Indies
23
38
7
1978
146
63.80
5
13
0
Zimbabwe
9
13
3
979
200*
97.90
3
5
0
Total
164
286
32
13288
270
52.31
36
63
8
He is one of the few batsmen who have scored a hundred
against every opposition he played against.
R Dravid and V Sehwag added 410 runs against Pakistan
for the first wicket at Lahore in Jan 2006. This stand is one of the three
stands of 400 plus runs for the first wicket as on date. The other two stands
are – 415 runs between GC Smith and ND McKenzie of South Africa against
Bangladesh at Chittagong in Feb 2008 and 413 runs between MH Mankad and P Roy
of India against New Zealand at Chennai in Jan 1956
In India’s innings against South Africa at Chennai in
Mar 08, for the first wicket there was a 213 runs partnership between Wasim
Jaffer and V Sehwag. For the second wicket there was another 200 plus run
partnership – 268 runs stand between V Sehwag and R Dravid. For the first time
in the annals of test cricket 200 plus runs for the first two wickets were
registered in the same test innings
This feat was repeated again by Indian batsmen at
Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai against Sri Lanka in the third test of 2009-10 test
series. M Vijay and V Sehwag added 221 runs for the first wicket which was
followed by 237 runs stand for the second wicket between V Sehwag and R Dravid
for the second wicket
R Dravid became the first cricketer to play his 100th
test while batting at number three on home ground. His 100th test was against
Australia at Bangalore in 2008.
Dravid had partnered 4000 plus runs with two batsmen.
Tendulkar is the other Indian batsman to achieve such a feat. The performances
of these two batsmen are furnished below
No
Batsman
Partner
Runs
1
R Dravid
SR Tendulkar
6920
R Dravid
VVS Laman
4065
2
SR Tendulkar
R Dravid
6920
SR Tendulkar
SC Ganguly
4173
He holds the record for most partnership runs for the
third wicket with SR Tendulkar in the annals of test cricket. The pair has
added 5826 runs from 123 innings. They remain the only pair to add 5000 plus
runs for the third wicket.
R Dravid-SR Tendulkar has shared 18 three figure stands
which is also a record for most number of century stands for the third wicket.
They also shared 23 half century partnerships for the third which is a record
for most half century stands for the third wicket. They shared 41 fifty plus
runs stands for the third wicket which is also a record for most number of
century stands for the third wicket
R Dravid figures in four partnerships of 300 plus runs
for various wickets which is a record for Indian batsman. The following table
furnishes the four occasions
No
Partners
Wkt
Runs
Opposition
Ground
Start Date
1
R Dravid,VVS Laxman
5
376
v Australia
Kolkata
11 Mar 2001
2
R Dravid,VVS Laxman
5
303
v Australia
Adelaide
12 Dec 2003
3
R Dravid,V Sehwag
1
410
v Pakistan
Lahore
13 Jan 2006
4
R Dravid,G Gambhir
2
314
v England
Mohali
19 Dec 2008
He has faced most balls than any other batsman in
aggregating 13288 runs. He is the only batsman to fave 30000 deliveries – 31258
to be precise.
R Dravid and VVS Laxman have forged two partnerships of
300 plus runs – both against Australia – 376 runs for the fifth wicket at
Kolkata in Mar 2001 and 303 runs for the fifth wicket at Adeliade in Dec 2003.
They remain the only pair in the annals of test cricket to have put on 300 plus
runs for the same wicket and against the same opposition.
Added to this record he has to his credit another 300
plus runs partnership for the fourth wicket with SR Tendulkar against Australia
at Sydney in Jan 2004.
He is one of the six batsmen in the annals of test
cricket to have partnered a 300 plus runs partnerships on four or more
occasions. Others are – DG Bradman (05}, HH Gibbs (04}, GC Smith {04}, RT
Ponting {04} and DPMD Jayawardene {04}. The performance of these four batsmen
are furnished in the following table
He holds the record for most occasions of bowled
dismissals in a test innings. He has been bowled on 55 occasions. R Dravid {55}
and AR Border {53} are the only two batsmen who have been dismissed bowled on
50 plus occasions in the annals of test cricket
His partnership of 410 runs with V Sehwag for the first
wicket against Pakistan at Karachi in Jan 2006 is one of the fourteen
partnerships of 400 plus runs in the annals of test cricket and second by
India. The other partnership is – 413 runs between MH Mankad and P Roy of India
against New Zealand at Chennai {Nehru Stadium} in Jan 1956
R Dravid has partnered 214 fifty plus runs partnerships
for various wickets with 33 partners which are listed below. He is the only
batsman in the annals of test cricket to partner 200 plus fifty plus
partnerships
R Dravid earned the distinction of becoming the fifth
fieldsman in the annals of test cricket to pouch 13 catches in a test series.
His feat provides the sixth such occasion. He achieved the distinction against
Australia in 2004-05 test series. What is interesting is that R Dravid’s 13
catches came in four tests while the other five who are in this elite list have
done in five or more tests.
No
Cat
Tests
Fieldsman
Series
Season
1
15
5
JM Gregory
Aus Vs Eng
1920-21
2
14
6
GS Chappell
Aus Vs Eng
1974-75
3
13
5
RB Simpson
Aus Vs SAF
1957-58
4
13
5
RB Simpson
Aus Vs Win
1960-61
5
13
6
BC Lara
Win Vs Eng
1997-98
6
13
4
RS Dravid
Ind Vs Aus
2004-05
Dravid’s 13 catches represents the most catches held in
a series against Australia by a fielder from any country. The previous best
tally of catches in a series against Australia was 12. Five fielders had
jointly held this record. They are LC Braund of Eng in 1901-02, WR Hammond of
Eng in 1934, GS Sobers of Win in 1960-61, AW Greig of Eng in 1974-75 and IT Botham of Eng in 1981
Dravid became the fourth Indian fieldsman to pouch ten
or more catches in a test series. It is the fifth such occasion by an Indian
fieldsman. His effort is the best by an
Indian fieldsman in a test series. The previous best was by ED Solkar who had
pouched 12 catches in 1972-73 series against England.
No
Cat
Tests
Fieldsman
Teams
Season
1
13
4 Tests
RS Dravid
Ind Vs Aus
2004/05
2
12
5 Tests
ED Solkar
Ind Vs Eng
1972/73
3
11
3 Tests
MAzharuddin
Ind Vs Srl
1993/94
4
10
4 Tests
ED Solkar
Ind Vs Aus
1969/70
5
10
4 Tests
AL Wadekar
Ind Vs NZl
1967/68
Dravid’s effort of 13 catches in four test makes him
the third fieldsman to pouch ten or more catches in four tests. Others are – ED
Solkar – 10 catches against Australia in 1969-60 and AL Wadekar – 10 catches
against New Zealand in 1993-94
His 88 three figure partnerships with various partners
which is a world record for most three figure stands
Rahul’s profile on cricinfo appears thus – Rahul Dravid
was probably one of the last classical Test match batsmen. His progress into
the national side may have been steady and methodical rather than meteoric, but
once there, Dravid established himself at the vanguard of a new, defiant
generation that were no longer easybeats away from home. Armed with an orthodox
technique drilled into him by Keki Tarapore, he became the cement that held the
foundations firm while the flair players expressed themselves. Yet, for a man
quickly stereotyped as one-paced and one-dimensional, he too could stroke the
ball around when the mood struck him.
Never a natural athlete, he compensated with sheer hard
work and powers of concentration that were almost yogic. At Adelaide in 2003,
when India won a Test in Australia for the first time in a generation, he
batted 835 minutes over two innings. A few months later, he was at the crease
more than 12 hours for the 270 that clinched India’s first series win in
Pakistan. Initially seen as a liability in the one-day arena, he retooled his
game over the years to become an adept middle-order finisher. The heaves and
swipes didn’t come naturally, but by the time the selectors eased him aside in
early 2008, he had more than 10,000 runs to his name in the 50-over game. There
had also been a lengthy phase where he donned the wicketkeeping gloves, helping
the team to find a balance that was crucial in the run to the World Cup final
in 2003.
However, it’s his Test exploits that he will be most
remembered for. After impressing in a Lord’s debut where he was eclipsed by
Sourav Ganguly, Dravid’s breakthrough innings arrived at the Wanderers a few
months later, against a South African attack accustomed to bullying visitors. A
brief slump followed, but he emerged from that with perhaps one of the most
famous supporting acts of all, to VVS Laxman in an Eden Gardens Test that
rejuvenated Indian cricket. The half decade that followed was a golden one with
the bat, as tours of England and Australia realised more than 600 runs.
A two-year stint as captain, following Ganguly’s axing,
was less successful, though he did lead the side to series victories in England
and the West Indies for the first time in a generation. Just when it seemed his
best was behind him, Dravid showed his class once again on the tour to England
in 2011. In a series in which India were completely outplayed and none of their
other batsmen scored more than 275 runs in the Tests, Dravid amassed 461,
including three hundreds, two of them when opening the innings against a
high-quality pace attack. However, that was followed by a poor series in
Australia, which turned out to be his last, as he announced his retirement soon
after returning to India.
Dravid’s immense levels of concentration also came in
handy when he was standing in the slips. Most of his catches were taken in that
cordon as he overtook Mark Waugh to become the most successful slip catcher in
history.
Some call him the wolf who
lived for the pack, many The Wall and a few even term him the complete
cricketer.
Featured in 164 Tests, 334
ODIs and one T20I in an illustrious career which spanned for over 16 years. He
holds the record for facing the maximum deliveries in Test cricket. He faced a
total of 31,258 balls, almost 3,000 deliveries more than Sachin Tendulkar in
Test cricket.
Widely regarded for his
batting prowess in the Test format where he scored 13,288 runs at a staggering
average of 52.31 including 36 hundreds. An impeccable white-ball player too as
he accumulated 10,889 runs in 334 ODIs at an average of 39.16, including 12
centuries.
He has also spent 44,152
minutes at the crease in Tests which equals to almost 736 hours, the most by
any Test cricketer.
Here’s a look at some of
the most adorable quotes on one of the game’s best team man – RAHUL DRAVID.
“The way you batted
always created huge jams for the bowlers. Have a great one my friend,”
tweeted Sachin Tendulkar.
The duo scored more
partnership runs and forged more hundred run stands than any other batting pair
— 6,920 runs with 20 century stands — both are world records.
“From my
understanding, I thought grinding only happens in the kitchen in the mixer
grinder, but Dravid taught one can grind on the cricket pitch as well. We had
it all when we had the Wall ! Virender Sehwag
Try to take his wicket in
the first 15 minutes. If you can’t then only try to take the remaining wickets
– Steve Waugh
“Rahul Dravid’s
contribution to Indian cricket is like a House wife’s contribution to the
family. The worth is only known when she is absent…Happy Birthday RAHUL
DRAVID.” – Virat Kohli
“We had it all when
we had ‘The Wall'” – Source: Twitter
“Dravid showed how to lead life and the attitude a
player should have” – Suresh Raina
“Some succeeded because
they are destined to but he succeeded because he was determined to” –
Navjot Singh Sidhu
“He deserves his
success as he has worked hard for it. He is one of the most down to earth and
disciplined professionals I’ve met” – Mahesh Bhupathi
“India were down in
the dumps when Rahul played that innings. In a situation like that, it takes
strength of character, talent and temperament to play to your strengths and not
get overawed by the blazing strokes being played at the other end” – Sunil
Gavaskar
“Rahul has always
found time to work on his mistakes, even in these days of non-stop
international cricket. He is quick to spot mistakes and quicker in rectifying
them. This has enabled him to get out of a bad patch quicker than other” –
Gundappa Viswanath
“He is truly the
mainstay of the Indian batting. He is the best batsman of India in this era
undoubtedly” – Kapil Dev
“Even though Sachin
is great, I have always found Rahul more solid and hard to get out” –
Shoaib Akhtar
“Guys like him (Rahul Dravid)… it’s not even
advisable to think that they will be replaced by some other youngsters.
Youngsters will be under tremendous pressure if they start to think like
that” – MS Dhoni
“I’ve seen how Rahul
goes about his innings and that’s something I want to get myself involved
with” – Kevin Pietersen
“Rahul is the kind of
person who young cricketers can look up to; not only because of his success but
also because of the way he conducts himself” – Steve Waugh
“All these things
going around is not called aggression. If you really want to see aggression,
look into Dravid’s eyes” – Matthew Hayden
“He is regarded by
the Australians as one of the mentally toughest players they have come up
against. He is a tough task competitor. He is a wonderful cricketer for India,
a great, great cricketer” – John Wright
“Rahul loves to read
biographies of sports personalities, not necessarily cricketers. He has always
been very interested in finding out how different sports personalities prepare
themselves “mentally” before big events. I have never net anyone so
focussed. It is extremely difficult to get through to him even when he is
reading a book or watching television. I have to say, I pity his wife” –
Andrew Leipus
“Everyone praises
Sachin Tendulkar. He may be a genius in his own right but in my book, Rahul
Dravid is the artist. Dravid’s defence tactics, his strokes, his cuts, his
grace are truly amazing. I’d like to meet the chap sometime and take my hat off
to him” – Peter O’Toole
“If you can’t get
along with Dravid, you’re struggling in life” – Brett Lee
“Now I find myself
coming in after Rahul, a job so huge that India has traditionally left it to
Sachin Tendulkar. By that marker, I can really only disappoint” – Gideon
Haigh
“Rahul Dravid being known as ‘The Wall’ is pretty
much spot on. ‘The fortress’ could also describe Rahul. Because once Dravid was
set, you needed the bowling equivalent of a dozen cannon firing all at once to
blast him down” – Shane Warne
“Dravid has been a class player for a long time now
and we know his ability better than anyone. He’s not like the other guys who
love scoring off every ball and there’s no real weakness in his game
either” – Glenn McGrath
“Rahul’s committment
to Indian cricket is summed up by the fact that he has been keeping wickets in
ODIs because the team needs it, and not because he likes it or is the best at
it” – Murali Kartik
“Rahul has always
been in the shadow of Sachin. If you take his record it’s as good as Sachin’s
buy you cannot compare both as they are different kind of players. Rahul is a
complete cricketer”- Muttiah Muralitharan
“If I packed only two
sets of informal clothes, he would rotate them through an entire tour if he had
to and not think about it. He doesn’t care for gadgets and barely registers
brands of watches, cologne or cars. But if the weight of his bat is off by a
gram, he would notice it in an instant and get the problem fixed” –
Vijeeta Dravid
“If a martian were to
land on earth now and be told that the best batsman in the world was playing in
this match, he would think it was Rahul Dravid and not Sachin Tendulkar” –
Christopher Martin-Jenkins
“A few years ago, when they were all still playing
Tests, I was asked this question while doing commentary: “Crofty, if you had to
choose between Brian Lara, Steve Waugh or Sachin Tendulkar, to bat to save your
life, which one would you go for?” What a very difficult question that is! You
know how Trinbagonians like to say; “Yuh askin’ answers or whuh?” But, this is
not Jeopardy! My reply to that question was not even in the given choices. As
brilliant as those three have been, only Sachin is still playing. I would not
nominate either to bat for my life, even as enjoyable as it might be. I could
not select any of them, not if Rahul Sharad Dravid might also be
available” – Colin Croft
“He’s probably the
nicest guy. No, he is the nicest guy that I have met in cricket. He is a
phenomenal man” – Shane Watson
“Everyone has already exhausted superlatives so I
would not bother myself with any additional praise but you could be sure my
admiration for him has grown tremendously”- Allan Border
“For me, an ideal
Dravid innings needs a most challenging pitch. It it’s a batting beauty with
the ball coming on to the bat, give me Sehwag or Laxman; if there’s a truly
great array of bowlers set to be unleased, give me Tendulkar. If it’s a
minefield, give me Dravid” – Siddhartha Vaidyanathan for Cricinfo
“After he got through
the first 15-20 minutes, it became just another Ranji Trophy game for him”
– Venkatapathy Raju
“My approach to
cricket has been reasonably simple: it was about giving everything to the team,
was about playing with dignity and was about upholding the spirit of the game.
I hope I have done some of that” – Rahul Dravid
“He has a lovely
style of batting. He has silken strokes and to me looks like a traditional
player. I would go any length to watch him” – Martin Crowe
“I was considered a
one-day specialist until then. I remember Rahul telling me before that game to
concentrate on Test cricket, as success in that format defined a true cricketer
more than success in ODIs – Virender Sehwag
“If I have to put
anyone to bat for my life, it’ll be Kallis or Dravid” – Brian Lara
“Dravid could play attacking cricket like me but I
could never play like him” – Chris Gayle
“Rahul respects the
game, which is why we cricketers respect him. He doesn’t play “games”
with game” – Ashok Mankad
‘Jam’ was a great
character to have in the dressing room. He was someone who loved challenges,
whatever was thrown to him throughout his career – whether he was asked to open
because of any reason or was asked to keep wickets” – MS Dhoni
“Champion on and off
the field, showed up with his great hard work, sky is the limit” – Mahesh
Bhupathi
“As at Lord’s
Dravid’s bat had a mellow ring to it and even his defensive strokes had the
hallmark of class” – David Field
“Rahul Dravid is a
player who would walk on broken glass if his team asks him to” – Navjot
Singh Sidhu
“Rahul made me
realise that there are times when a match-saving innings can be as crucial as a
match-winning one” – Akash Chopra
“For a career full of
grace, charm, timing and poise, it was sad that it had to end with a slog. Buy
that was once again, what the team just needed” – Harsha Bhogle
“Rahul’s willingness to learn and expand his
horizons has made him a highly successful cricketer” – Sunil Gavaskar
“It is not an
exaggeration to say that a whole strand of the game – a rich vein that runs
through the game’s poetic heart – departs the scene with India’s greatest-ever
No.3. Playing T20 cricket won’t teach anyone to become the next Rahul
Dravid” – Ed Smith
“Dravid is a perfect
role model for youngsters. He has set a great example for all of us to follow.
We are all trying to follow that path” – Sachin Tendulkar
I’m still learning about coaching and dealing with players – what kind of messages to give, when is the time to intervene, what is a good way to intervene. It is about getting people match-ready. You have a few conversations with people on the specific things you might notice, but you are not really looking to make too many changes and trying to change people’s techniques or actions or grips” –
Rahul Dravid in an interview after the team mentored by him won the U-19 World Cup in February 2018
“Team in trouble?
Whom do you turn to? Rahul Dravid!” – Ian Chappell
“This is what Rahul Dravid wrote on his career statistics presented to him by Statistician HR Gopala Krishna on his felicitation on 21.03.12 by Karnataka State Cricket Association
“To Gopal – Thank you for your dedication and love of statistics that records our performances” – Rahul Dravid
If there’s one cricketer
in the world that nobody hates, I’m pretty sure it’s Rahul Dravid. He is
respected by everyone around the world. Not because of his successful cricket
career, but because of the kind of person he is. Indian Cricket wouldn’t be the
way it is now if it weren’t for ‘The Wall’, Rahul Dravid.
“Knew the man behind the
bat. Not often do you find a person as exceptional as his achievements.” –
Sanjay Manjrekar
“He’s probably the nicest
guy – no, he is the nicest guy – that I’ve met in cricket. He’s a phenomenal
man. He loves the game with so much passion, it’s in his blood and in his
heart.” – Shane Watson
“Some succeed because they
are destined to, but Rahul Dravid succeeded because he was DETERMINED to.” –
Navjot Singh Sidhu
“Rahul Dravid being known
as ‘The Wall’ is pretty spot on. ‘The Fortress’ could also describe him.
Because once Rahul was set, you need a bowling equivalent of a dozen cannon
blasting all at once to blast him down.”
– Shane Warne
“Rahul is the kind of
person who young cricketers can look up to; not only because of his success,
but also because the way he conducts himself.” – Steve Waugh
“Dravid Could play
attacking cricket like me but i could never play like him” – Chris Gayle
“The wolf who lived for
the pack.” – Harsha Bhogle
“Even though Sachin is
great, I have always found Rahul more solid and hard to get out. He has a solid
defense and plays less shots than others. When a batsman plays less shots then
it is tough to get him as he makes less mistakes.” – Shoaib Akhtar
“If Tendulkar’s life is
about enthusiasm, Dravid’s is about determination. If Tendulkar is the child
splashing colour about with glee, Dravid is the scientist in a relentless
search for progress. He might seem weighed down but that is his style and it is
a style that has served him and his team handsomely for almost 15 years.
Tendulkar might have been a Formula One driver or a striker in a goalmouth,
Dravid would have been an Olympic shooter.” – – Harsha Bhogle
“If you can’t get along
with Dravid, you’re struggling in life” – Brett Lee
“Met with a man called THE
WALL in cricket RAHUL bhai @Im_Dravid he is a great human being always there to
talk about cricket & helping u out , honoured to play with him in the Feild
& always pleasure to meet U , stay blessed.” – Mohammad Hafeez
“If I have to put anyone
to bat for my life, it’ll be Kallis or Dravid” – Brian Lara
“If there was one Indian
player who could get a direct entry into the famous Australian team of the late
90s, it would be Rahul Dravid.” – Glenn McGrath
But the best quote about
Rahul Dravid comes from his wife, Vijeta Pendharkar. “If I packed only two sets
of informal clothes, he would rotate them through an entire tour if he had to
and not think about it. He doesn’t care for gadgets, and barely registers
brands – of watches, cologne or cars. But if the weight of his bat was off by a
gram, he would notice it in an instant and get the problem fixed” – Vijeta
Pendharkar
‘Master Blaster’, ‘Little Master’, ‘The God of
Cricket’, ‘The World’s Best Athlete’ — these are the titles bestowed upon one
of India’s most revered personalities: Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. His is a name
that all Indians, and a many people the world over, know and worship. Every
time this legend took the crease, the country would reverberate with the chants
of ‘Sachin, Sachin!’. All differences and squabbles between a billion people
were forgotten for the sheer pleasure of watching this genius decimate the best
bowlers on the planet with an inimitable grace. He united over a billion
belligerent people in a way that no one and nothing ever has, and probably
never will. It is no secret that cricket is a religion in India, and Sachin
Tendulkar its most exalted God.
Image credit: Creative
Commons
In a 24-year career,
Tendulkar has set incredible records that include the ‘most runs scored in
international cricket’, ‘most centuries in international cricket’, and ‘most
Man-of-the-Match awards’, besides many, many more. He has inspired an entire
generation of cricketers and won the admiration of his colleagues and the
sport’s erstwhile icons. And, despite all this fame and adulation he received,
Tendulkar remained as humble as he was in the earliest days of his magnificent
career.
We look at what the world
has had to say about its most celebrated sportsmen.
“Sachin Tendulkar has
often reminded me of a veteran army colonel who has many medals on his chest to
show how he has conquered bowlers all over the world.” — Allan Donald
“I think he is marvellous.
I think he will fit in whatever category of cricket that has been played or
will be played, from the first ball that has ever been bowled to the last ball
that’s going to be. He can play in any era and at any level. I would say he’s
99.5% perfect.” — Sir Vivian Richards “I don’t think anyone, apart from Don
Bradman, is in the same class as Sachin Tendulkar.” —Shane Warne
“Beneath the helmet, under
that unruly curly hair, inside the cranium, there is something we don’t know,
something beyond scientific measure. Something that allows him to soar, to roam
a territory of sport that, forget us, even those who are gifted enough to play
alongside him cannot even fathom. When he goes out to bat, people switch on
their television sets and switch off their lives.” — BBC Sports
“On a train from Shimla to
Delhi, there was a halt at one of the stations. The train stopped by for few
minutes as usual. Sachin was nearing a century, batting on 98. The passengers,
railway officials, everyone on the train waited for Sachin to complete the
century. This genius can stop time in India!” — Peter Roebuck
“I saw him (Sachin)
playing on television and was struck by his technique, so I asked my wife to
come look at him. Now I never saw myself play, but I feel that this player is
playing much the same as I used to play, and she looked at him on television
and said yes, there is a similarity between the two…his compactness,
technique, stroke production… it all seemed to gel.” — Sir Donald Bradman
“I have seen God, he bats
at no. 4 for India.” — Matthew Hayden
“Nothing bad can happen to
us if we’re on a plane in India with Sachin Tendulkar on it.” — Hashim Amla
“There are two kinds of
batsmen in the world. One, Sachin Tendulkar. Two, all the others.” — Andy
Flower
“The only batsman I would
love to see by paying for the tickets and sitting in the stand just to watch
him is none other than Sachin Tendulkar.” — Brian Lara
“We did not lose to a team
called India, we lost to a man called Sachin.” — Mark Taylor
“Commit all your crimes
when Sachin is batting. They will go unnoticed because even the Lord is
watching.” — A placard at the Sydney Cricket Ground “If I’ve to bowl to Sachin,
I’ll bowl with my helmet on. He hits the ball so hard.” — Dennis Lillee.
“When you bowl at him you
are not just trying to get him out, you are trying to impress him. I want him
to walk off thinking ‘that Flintoff, he’s all right isn’t he?’ I feel
privileged to have played against him.” — Andrew Flintoff
“Don’t bowl him bad balls,
he hits the good ones for fours.” — Michael Kasprowicz
“He’s been in form longer
than some of our guys have been alive.” — Daniel Vettori
“We have had champions, we
have had legends, but we have never had another Sachin Tendulkar and we never
will.” — TIME magazine
“I don’t know cricket, I
don’t know how Sachin plays. But I still try to watch him playing because I
want to know why my country’s economy goes down 0.5% when he’s batting.” —
Barack Obama (former US President)
“Sachin Tendulkar, the
Little Master, is so talented that wherever you’re from, you can’t help but
admire him as he hits another century.” — David Cameron (former UK Prime
Minister)
“I have delayed my shoots
many times to watch Sachin bat.” — Amitabh Bachchan
“I would like to thank you
from the bottom of my heart for allowing us to breathe the same air as you do.”
— Shahrukh Khan
“I had to remind Gary
Kristen often that he was in the covers to field against Sachin and not to
applaud him.” — Hansie Cronje
“When we were growing up,
we all used to watch Sachin. He was like God to us, he had that aura around
him.” — MS Dhoni
“In cricket, my superhero
is Sachin Tendulkar. He has always been my hero and will continue to remain
so.” — Virat Kohli
“Gentlemen, he is the best
batsman I have seen in my life. And unlike most of you, I have seen Bradman
bat.” — John Woodcock (English journalist) “Even if my grandchildren don’t
remember the fact that I scored 10,000 runs in One Day and Test cricket, they
will surely remember the fact that I was a team mate of Sachin Tendulkar.” —
Rahul Dravid
“You get him out and half
the battle is won.” — Arjuna Ranatunga
“I’m fortunate that I’ve
to bowl to him only in the nets.” — Anil Kumble
“Cricketers like Sachin
come once in a lifetime and I am privileged he played in my time.” — Wasim
Akram
“Test cricket is bloody
hard work, especially if you’ve got Sachin batting with what looks like a
three-metre-wide bat.” — Mike Hussey
“If Sachin bats well,
India sleeps well.” — Harsha Bhogle
“When you play against
Tendulkar, you almost want to see him get a few runs just to see him bat.” —
Mark Waugh
“I never get tired of
umpiring whenever Sachin is at the crease.” — Rudy Koertzen
“He is a perfectly
balanced batsman and knows perfectly well when to attack and when to play
defensive cricket. He has developed the ability to treat bowlers all over the
world with contempt and can destroy any attack with utmost ease.” – Greg
Chappell
“Technically, you can’t
fault Sachin. Seam or spin, fast or slow nothing is a problem.” – Geoffrey
Boycot
“Sachin was so focused. He
never looked like getting out. He was batting with single-minded devotion. It
was truly remarkable. It was a lesson.” – Martina Navratilova (legendary tennis
player)
“The archives recall not
one single incriminating incident, not one drunken escapade, not one reported
affair, not one spat with a team-mate or reporter… is he human?” – Michael
Atherton
“The thing I like the most
about Sachin is his intensity. After being in the game for so long, he still
has the same desire to do well for India in any international match. I tell you
what, this man is a legend.” – Sourav Ganguly
“The joy he brings to the
millions of his countrymen, the grace with which he handles all the adulation
and the expectations and his innate humility – all make for a one-in-a-billion
individual.” – Glenn McGrath
“When we used to play, we
thought no one can break Sunil Gavaskar’s record. No one could think about 50
Test centuries at that time. This is certainly a big knock under the
circumstances, better than the 200s and 300s.” – Kapil Dev (on Tendulkar’s 50th
Test hundred)
“He is someone sent from
up there to play cricket and go back.” — Ravi Shastri
“You can’t contain
Sachin’s deeds in a statistical frame. He brings unstinted joy to the art of
batting. To me, he best symbolises the heights an individual can rise to
dominate a team sport. Words can never capture the beauty of Sachin’s cricket.”
— Kapil Dev
“He exists where we
can’t.” — Ajay Jadeja
“There is no better sight
on the cricket field than watching Tendulkar bat.” — Harsha Bhogle
“Sachin is the most complete batsman I have ever seen.” — Ricky Ponting
Source – Internet
Fastest Fifties in IPL and for participating teams
England-India Test at
Nottingham in July 2014 witnessed an unique occasion of both India and England
posting a century partnership for the tenth wicket in the first and second
innings of the Test. India batted first and its batsmen B Kumar
and Mohammad Shami added 111 runs for the tenth wicket. This stand provides
first occasion of batsmen posting a “Nelson” runs partnership – 111 runs –
in the history of Test cricket and also
provides the 25th occasion of batsmen posting a three figure
partnership for the tenth wicket.
Batting second in the Test/England
batsmen – JE Root and JM Anderson posted 198 runs for the tenth wicket. This
stand provide the 26th occasion of batsmen posting a century partnership for
the tenth wicket and also represent the highest partnership for the tenth
wicket in the annals of test cricket. All such occasions are furnished below
No
Partners
Runs
I
Team
Opp
Ground
Start Date
1
WW Armstrong/RA Duff
120
3
Aus
Eng
Melbourne
01.01.1902
2
RE Foster/W Rhodes
130
2
Eng
Aus
Sydney
11.12.1903
3
AA Mailey/JM Taylor
127
3
Aus
Eng
Sydney
19.12.1924
4
AJ Bell/HGO Owen-Smith
103
3
SAF
Eng
Leeds
13.07.1929
5
HR Adhikari/Ghulam Ahmed
109
1
Ind
Pak
Delhi
16.10.1952
6
Amir Elahi/Zulfiqar Ahmed
104
1
Pak
Ind
Chennai
28.11.1952
7
K Higgs/JA Snow
128
2
Eng
Win
The Oval
18.08.1966
8
RO Collinge/BF Hastings
151
2
NZl
Pak
Auckland
16.02.1973
9
Wasim Bari/Wasim Raja
133
3
Pak
Win
Bridgetown
18.02.1977
10
P Willey/RGD Willis
117*
3
Eng
Win
The Oval
24.07.1980
11
SL Boock/JG Bracewell
124
1
NZl
Aus
Sydney
22.11.1985
12
CL Hooper/CA Walsh
106
1
Win
Pak
St John’s
01.05.1993
13
NJ Astle/DK Morrison
106*
3
NZl
Eng
Auckland
24.01.1997
14
A Mahmood/Mushtaq Ahmed
151
1
Pak
SAF
Rawalpindi
06.10.1997
15
AR Caddick/AJ Stewart
103
1
Eng
Aus
Birmingham
05.07.2001
16
NJ Astle/CL Cairns
118
4
NZl
Eng
Christchurch
13.03.2002
17
JN Gillespie/GD McGrath
114
2
Aus
NZl
Brisbane
18.11.2004
18
Z Khan/SR Tendulkar
133
2
Ind
Ban
Dhaka
10.12.2004
19
MEK Hussey/GD McGrath
107
1
Aus
SAF
Melbourne
26.12.2005
20
Harbhajan Singh/S
Sreesanth
105
2
Ind
NZl
Hyd-RGS
12.11.2010
21
AB de Villiers/M Morkel
107*
1
SAF
Pak
Abu Dhabi
20.11.2010
22
TL Best/D Ramdin
143
1
Win
Eng
Birmingham
07.06.2012
23
AC Agar/PJ Hughes
163
2
Aus
Eng
Nottingham
10.07.2013
24
TA Boult/BJ Watling
127
1
NZl
Ban
Chattogram
09.10.2013
25
B Kumar/Mohd Shami
111
1
Ind
Eng
Nottingham
09.07.2014
26
JM Anderson/JE Root
198
2
Eng
Ind
Nottingham
09.07.2014
B Kumar and Mohammad Shami
added 111 runs for the tenth wicket in this test to provide the fourth occasion
of Indian batsmen. All such occasions are furnished below
No
Partners
Runs
I
Team
Opp
Ground
Start Date
1
HR Adhikari/Ghulam Ahmed
109
1
Ind
Pak
Delhi
16.10.1952
2
Z Khan/SR Tendulkar
133
2
Ind
Ban
Dhaka
10.12.2004
3
Harbhajan Singh/S
Sreesanth
105
2
Ind
NZl
Hyd-RGS
12.11.2010
4
B Kumar/Mohd Shami
111
1
Ind
Eng
Nottingham
09.07.2014
JE Root and JM Anderson posted 198 runs for the tenth
wicket to provide the fifth occasion of England batsmen posting a century
partnership for the tenth wicket. All
such occasions are furnished below
No
Partners
Runs
I
Team
Opp
Ground
Start Date
1
RE Foster/W Rhodes
130
2
Eng
Aus
Sydney
11.12.1903
2
K Higgs/JA Snow
128
2
Eng
Win
The Oval
18.08.1966
3
P Willey/RGD Willis
117*
3
Eng
Win
The Oval
24.07.1980
4
AR Caddick/AJ Stewart
103
1
Eng
Aus
Birmingham
05.07.2001
5
JM Anderson/JE Root
198
2
Eng
Ind
Nottingham
09.07.2014
The following are the four
occasions of batsmen posting 150
plus runs for the tenth wicket in the annals of test cricket.
No
Partners
Runs
I
Team
Opp
Ground
Start Date
1
JM Anderson/JE Root
198
2
Eng
Ind
Nottingham
09.07.2014
2
AC Agar/PJ Hughes
163
2
Aus
Eng
Nottingham
10.07.2013
3
RO Collinge/BF Hastings
151
2
NZl
Pak
Auckland
16.02.1973
4
Azhar Mahmood/Mushtaq
Ahmed
151
1
Pak
SAF
Rawalpindi
06.10.1997
JE Root and JM Anderson
posted 198 runs for the tenth wicket. This stand represents the highest
partnership for the tenth wicket in the annals of test cricket. The previous
best was the 163 runs partnership between PJ
Hughes and AC Agar of Australia
against England at Nottingham in.07.2013. Both the occasions are furnished
below
No
Partners
Runs
I
Team
Opp
Ground
Start Date
1
JM Anderson/JE Root
198
2
Eng
Ind
Nottingham
09.07.2014
2
AC Agar/PJ Hughes
163
2
Aus
Eng
Nottingham
10.07.2013
It is interesting to note
that most tenth wicket century partnerships have been recorded against England
– Eight partnerships. All such partnerships are furnished below
No
Partners
Runs
I
Team
Opp
Ground
Start Date
1
WW Armstrong/RA Duff
120
3
Aus
Eng
Melbourne
01.01.1902
2
AA Mailey/JM Taylor
127
3
Aus
Eng
Sydney
19.12.1924
3
AJ Bell/HGO Owen-Smith
103
3
SAF
Eng
Leeds
13.07.1929
4
NJ Astle/DK Morrison
106*
3
NZl
Eng
Auckland
24.01.1997
5
NJ Astle/CL Cairns
118
4
NZl
Eng
Christchurch
13.03.2002
6
TL Best/D Ramdin
143
1
Win
Eng
Birmingham
07.06.2012
7
AC Agar/PJ Hughes
163
2
Aus
Eng
Nottingham
10.07.2013
8
B Kumar/Mohd Shami
111
1
Ind
Eng
Nottingham
09.07.2014
Nottingham in England and
Sydney in Australia are the two grounds to witness tenth wicket century
partnerships on three occasions. All
such occasions are furnished below
“This FTP protects the
status of Test cricket, ensures that prestigious historical Test series can
continue to be contested over four or five matches and provides certainty of
planning for our members.”
Author: Speed
“It’s probably the
most nerve-racking end to a test match I’ve played in … (maybe) any game of
cricket I’ve ever played – tied World Cup semi-finals included.”
Author: Ponting
“We held separate
discussions with Brian and we believe it is in the best interest of West Indies
cricket for him to return to the job.”
Author: Gordon
“For 18 months the ICC
have been consistently reviewing the role that Twenty20 cricket could play
internationally, and this response indicates there is strong interest from many
parts of the cricket world in this type of event.”
Author: Speed
“I have been surprised
yet again with my estimates. This is magic. It shows what cricket is all about
in this country.”
Author: Modi
“We’re certainly under
pressure again. England have played consistent cricket for two days in this
match and have certainly played more consistent cricket than us in the series.
That sees us in another challenging position that we’ll have to sit down and
think about it.”
Author: Gilchrist
“The President
complimented both the teams for playing excellent cricket. He also appreciated
both the teams for playing cricket in its true spirit and displaying themselves
as true ambassadors of their respective countries.”
Author: Zaidi
“We need to see
whether it can add value to international cricket or take value away from it.
We need to be careful to preserve 50-over and, particularly, test
cricket.”
Author: Speed
“He has taken 580-odd
wickets in Test cricket. So every team will want to have him in the side. His
presence here for the Test is of course a big encouragement for us.”
Author: Jayawardene
“To win ? you have to
make hundreds in Test cricket, that’s what it’s all about. They’re just not
doing that right now. There’s no doubt we’ll sit down and talk about some of
the individuals, but I must admit I’d be surprised if any changes would be
made.”
Author: Ponting
“I think we played
some very good cricket, there’s no doubt about that,”
Author: Ponting
“He got the biggest
response I’ve ever heard on a cricket ground.”
Author: Ponting
“He has done well in
domestic cricket and has experience as well.”
Author: More
“We want to make sure
that Australian cricket fans make up the majority of the crowd.”
Author: Sutherland
“Fox’s comprehensive
cricket coverage over the coming summers is a must for all Australian cricket
fans.”
Author: Sutherland
“It’s a really, really
tough job and I think cricket is a long way behind other sports in terms of its
level of support and the way in which it trains and develops its umpires,
especially considering how much pressure and scrutiny umpires are under.”
Author: Sutherland
“Personally, I’m very
disappointed because I went there to play cricket. I don’t think you can ever
say they’re cheapened runs in Test cricket.”
Author: Langer
“How and Fulton have
been selected after showing consistent form in domestic cricket and New Zealand
A.”
Author: Bracewell
“It was nothing, we
were just discussing cricket. Why do you people have to read more into
everything?”
Author: Chappell
“We believe that’s the
best way that cricket can show it’s remorse, can show the people of the
countries that have been affected that we’re thinking of them and we’re
concerned to do whatever we can to ease the suffering at this terrible
time.”
Author: Speed
“It’s a great sign for
him and for Indian cricket. Hopefully, he will go from strength to strength
from here.”
Author: Dravid
“We’re pretty
confident, we’ve played good cricket in Adelaide in the past and had a good win
there this year, I think it suits our style of team.”
Author: Haddin
“It’s a bit of a
lottery but we played some good cricket. Today was our day. I don’t think it
will have any impact on the five-day matches to come.”
Author: Vaughan
“It’s some of the best
one-day cricket played in a long time _ no doubt about that,”
Author: Ponting
“Cricket is an international game which is played by a diverse range of
cultures and communities. Respect for each other is a key component of the game
and racist comments have no place in cricket.”
Author: Speed
“He has done very well
in domestic cricket and his experience will be crucial in Pakistan.”
Author: More
“We need to put the
system in place that they can play cricket on Saturdays. I think they should be
representing clubs and not the schools on the weekend.”
Author: Estwick
“We waited here in the
Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) premises from morning as per the directives
of the court. Then we got verbal intimation that they are not arriving.”
Author: Dalmiya
“We have 14 players in
the squad and a couple of those guys haven’t played a lot of cricket, so we’ll
look at them in tomorrow’s game against South Africa.”
Author: Ponting
“The sooner we can get
back to playing the cricket we’re used to and the cricket we’ll be playing
going forward the better. I think an agreement will be struck.”
Author: Ponting “We
have played very good cricket in Australia and we know what we are capable
of.”
Author: Ponting
“Usually derbies are 0-0 or completely crazy. In the end it was a cricket
score, … We are back to winning habits in a derby we don’t traditionally
win.”
Author: Wenger
“A meeting was held to
discuss some Zimbabwe Cricket ideas for making progress on negotiations. But
they have dug their heels in and are all adamant there will be no talks until
payments have been fully made.”
Author: Field
“It was a bit slippery
in the middle around the cricket pitch.”
Author: Toomey
“It does look like a
good wicket. I think it’ll be a fairly traditional Sydney cricket wicket. It’ll
be unlikely that we’ll make any other changes.”
Author: Ponting
“I’m sure everybody
watching had one of the greatest days of their lives. It was a great game of
cricket.”
Author: Ponting
“We played bad cricket
yesterday and that one hour was really disappointing.”
Author: Jayawardene
“There’s an ebb and
flow of cricket populations. When you have harsh, wet springs it can damage the
egg sacs and cut down the numbers.”
Author: Lewis
“You can cut the
tension with a cricket stump.”
Author: Walker
“Our joint vision is
to set new standards for the delivery and presentation of the cricket World
Cup.”