Sachin Tendulkar the most searched sportsperson 2013

Sachin Tendulkar the most searched sportsperson 2013NEW DELHI: India's cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, who recently retired from all forms of the game, is the most searched sportsperson and also features among the top-10 most searched Indian personalities of 2013, according to Google.

Besides Tendulkar, the other most searched sportspersons are athletic legend Milkha Singh, India cricket skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Lionel Messi, Roger Federer, Sania Mirza, Rahul Dravid, Chris Gayle, Ravindra Jadeja and Saina Nehwal.
In a survey carried out by Google India, the much scandalised 2013 Indian Premier League (IPL) is the second in the top trending list. This year's IPL was rocked with charges of spot-fixing and betting charges.

Google India in a statement said that the sixth edition of the IPL broke records for the amount of online searches for latest scores and results.

"From a search trends perspective, 2013 was clearly the year of entertainment. Shah Rukh's Lungi Dance from Chennai Express, the Bollywood romantic drama Aashiqui 2, national heart-throbs Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif, Telugu actor Kajal and her counterpart, the young rebel star Prabhas and singer Honey Singh ruled 2013 and drove millions of Indians to the web," said Rajan Anandan, VP and managing director, sales and operations, Google India.

Dravid, who led Rajasthan Royals in the IPL, and India's Olympic bronze medallist Saina Nehwal also featured among the top-10 most searched news.

Dravid was in the news after his three Rajasthan Royals teammates Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan were arrested by Delhi Police for their involvement in spot-fixing in the IPL. Dravid has agreed to be a prosecution witness in the case.

India will miss Sachin Tendulkar says Morne Morkel

South African pacer Morne Morkel on Monday, fired the first salvo ahead of the two-match Test series, starting here December 18, stating that the young Indian batsmen will miss 'Sachin Tendulkar's patience' in the middle and they should be prepared to face some hostile bowling from the home side. (Sachin Tendulkar's absence makes life easier: Russell Domnigo)

Morkel said it would be interesting to see how the young Indian batsmen cope with the South African pace battery now that the likes of Tendulkar are not in the visiting team. (We have the desire to win: Pujara)

"Sachin was a batsman who could bat for a long time. And he put the bowlers and the opposition under pressure by batting for a long time. He was the rock for their batting. He could bat with the top-order and the middle order both," said Morkel two days ahead of the first Test.

"These young Indian batsmen are quality players, but we can clearly see from the ODI series that they are attacking batsmen who like to come at the bowling. It will be interesting to see how they go about this," he added. (An uphill task awaits India in Tests)

Tendulkar retired from all forms of cricket after playing his 200th Test against the West Indies in Mumbai last month. His departure left a huge void in the Indian team and that will be most visible when the Test series begins.

"Like I said, they are all very quality guys. Rohit Sharma has been scoring runs off late and Cheteshwar Pujara can bat for time at number three. Even Ravichandran Aswhin averages 40 at the back-end of their line-up. So we need to make use of the early morning conditions with the new ball. We need to be on the money from Wednesday itself, otherwise they can score quickly and at Wanderers, sometimes it can be a high scoring game," he said. Asked specifically if he left out Virat Kohli's name on purpose and that South Africa might not consider him a threat, Morkel was non-committal at best.

"Virat has done well in Australia and scored some runs when India toured there last. He is a quality player. But he is obviously going to slot into Sachin's role and he has got some big boots to fill. He can do it very well, don't take me wrong, but it is going to be a testing time for him at number four," Morkel said. (Virat Kohli's flaws against pace bowling could be exposed: Ray Jennings)

Though the Indian team management has made no official statements about who will bat at number four, Kohli has batted with Pujara in pairs at the open nets sessions on Friday and Sunday at Benoni.

In the first ODI, India were rattled by pace and bounce, losing the match by 141 runs. Things did change for the bowlers in the second ODI in Durban, where the bowlers restricted the opposition to 281 runs. Yet, the Indian batsmen failed to chase it down, losing by 136 runs eventually. Adapting to the conditions will be the key, considering that the Indians have had almost negligible practice in the build-up to this Test series. The batsmen, in particular, have suffered the most, as their last outing was in Durban. They have not batted in a competitive setting since, for the second innings in the third ODI at Centurion was washed out before the abandonment of the practice game in Benoni due to a wet outfield. "When I heard the news that they did not have even a ball at Benoni, I felt it will definitely be something in our favour," said Morkel.

"Because the pitch at Benoni can also be a bit tricky at times. I think that could have been good practice for them. So it is definitely some sort of bonus for us that they were stuck to indoor nets or open net-practice. Out there in the middle, it's a completely different ball game."

Morkel, however, felt his side should not be carried away by the listless show by the Indians so far in the South African tour. "The nature of the Wanderers' pitch is that is has always been bouncy and quick.

It can be a high scoring game, if the batsmen get in. So the margins for bowlers are definitely a bit smaller here, because of the ball coming onto the wicket and the outfield here. "It is going to be crucial how we use the pace and bounce. But we need not to get too carried away. The Indian bowlers struggled to find the right lengths in the first ODI and it takes some time to adapt to the conditions here. So we need to be smart about using the conditions as well," he added.

Despite the struggles in that first match of the tour here, the Indian team can gain heart from the fact that they did beat South Africa here in a Test match way back in 2006. Back then, under Rahul Dravid, S Sreesanth had taken eight wickets in two innings and Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman had scored half-centuries to script a first-ever Indian Test victory in this country. "2006 was a long time ago. We can only think about the current scenario and for South Africa, it is about getting a good start. We were a bit slow against Pakistan and that cost us a bit. For India, a lot has changed. They have no Rahul Dravid, no Tendulkar, no batsmen who can really build an innings. So it's a completely different ball game," Morkel said.

Chase dreams as they come true- Sahin Tendulkar to youth

NEW DELHI: Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar on Saturday advised youngsters in the country to chase their dreams to excel in their respective fields, but discouraged them from wasting too much time on modern gadgets.

Tendulkar, speaking at an NDTV programme to honour 25 Greatest Global Living Indians, said that dreams come true if one chases them hard.

"I would encourage the youth of India to dream because dreams come true if you chase them hard," he said after accepting the award from President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrapati Bhawan.

"I also at times had to face defeat but the most important thing I learnt from my sport was when you are defeated you stand up to face another challenge.

"I am extremely honoured to receive this award. I was asked to give a message to youth of India and I could not think of anything than the advice I got from my grandmother who said 'Health is wealth, take care of your health'," said Tendulkar, who recently retired from international cricket after an illustrious career spanning 24 years.

He asked the youth to engage in outdoor activities to keep themselves fit and in good health so that they can focus on their respective fields.

"When today, I look at the current generation, they are so much into videogames, laptops, computers, mobile phones which unfortunately only exercises your thumbs. I would urge our youngsters to engage themselves in outdoor activities, play some sport, find some passion in life where you could be competing against your friends," he said.

"It is about fitness and good health which will allow you concentrate longer, focus harder in whatever you want to be in life," said Tendulkar who retired with almost all batting records in his kitty.

Tendulkar, who hit a phenomenal 100 international centuries, said he had always played the game in the right spirit.

"For me, when my career started 24 years ago, my sport got me lot of things. To play the game in the right spirit, respect the opposition, not to take things for granted, have strategies as the standard of playing got better and better, to be able to execute your plans," he said.

The other 24 eminent persons honoured were Kapil Dev, Leander Paes, Ela Bhatt, Hariprasad Chaurasia, CNR Rao, Amartya Sen, SS Badrinath, Fali Nariman, Indra Nooyi, M S Swaminathan, Anish Kapoor, AR Rehman, Amitabh Bachchan, Rajinikanth, Shah Rukh Khan, Waheeda Rehman, Mukesh Ambani, NR Narayana Murthy, Ratan Tata, Syed Haider Raza, Venkatraman Ramakrishnan, Vikram Seth, Yusuf Khwaja Hamied and Zubin Mehta.

Imran Khan says sachin is lucky

NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan captain Imran Khan on Saturday said recently-retired Indian batting icon Sachin Tendulkar was lucky to have never faced the ferocious West Indies pace attack of '70 and '80s.

While delivering a lecture on leadership at an All India Management Association function here, Imran said facing the likes of Andy Roberts, Michael Holding, Joel Garner, Malcolm Marshall and Colin Croft was a huge task.

In fact, Imran pointed out that some fine talent was forced to be on the bench because the frontliners were irreplaceable.

"There was Sylvester Clark, who used to be on the bench mostly but on a rebel tour of South Africa, he demolished the opposition single-handedly," Imran said.

"My friend, the poor guy, Sunny Gavaskar bore the brunt of the West Indian fast-bowling attack. Sachin is very lucky that he didn't face them," he added.

Tendulkar retired recently after playing international cricket for nearly a quarter of century, notching up most of the batting records to be rated as the greatest of modern era.

Sachin Tendulkar on Gold Toss coin

The specially-designed gold coin for toss in Sachin's 200th and last Test. (BCCI)

Hope Sachin sign off on high-Rahul Dravid

MUMBAI: There is perhaps no one who can claim to have spent more time with Sachin Tendulkar on the cricket field. Having shared numerous partnerships with him in the middle, having seen him bat since the maestro was 15, Rahul Dravid, a batting colossus himself, sure knows the legend and his game inside-out. "What he has accomplished is difficult to replicate," Dravid said at a promotional event in the city on Monday.

"He has never let his standard come down. His love for cricket has been consistent from the age of 16 to even now at 40. I would like that he does well in his last two Tests and signs off with a good performance. I hope he enjoys both these games. He has worked hard for so many years now, so he deserves a good farewell," Dravid felt. "I just want to wish him all the best and say 'thank you' for all that he has done for Indian cricket for the last 24 years," Dravid added.

Would he come to the Wankhede Stadium to watch his final match for India? "I hope to be there. I hope to do some media work around that time," he said.

Dravid felt that while it was impossible to replace a batsman of Tendulkar's class in the Indian team, there are talented batsmen around who can help fill that void to some extent. "There are some good young talented players around. What Virat has been able to do in one-day cricket and Test cricket is quite exceptional. I think India's one-day batting is good as I have ever seen it. Our top six-seven are just sensational," he said.

Dravid has sympathy for Indian bowlers who have disappointed during the on-going ODI series against Australia. "It's been a tough series for the bowlers. It's hard to blame them. I won't be too critical of our bowlers. They are young and inexperienced. With all these field restrictions coming in, it's not easy to be a bowler. What needs to be an acceptable bowling performance for them probably needs to be re-assessed."

Sachin Tendulkar first Indian to reach 50,000 runs in all formats

In Mumbai Indians' semi-final against Trinidad and Tobago on Saturday, Sachin Tendulkar reached another landmark by completing an astounding 50,000 runs in competitive cricket across all formats.

Needing 26 runs on the day to reach the mark, Tendulkar tucked the ball towards midwicket for a single off left-arm spinner Yannick Ottley to reach another milestone in a glorious career spanning close to two-and-a-half decades.
He scored 35 off 31 balls before being dismissed by Lendl Simmons.
Tendulkar now has 50009 runs in 953 competitive matches, which includes 551 List A matches, 307 First-class matches and 95 T20 games.

Tendulkar has so far scored 25,228 runs in 307 First-class matches, including a staggering 15,837 runs in 198 Tests.

The 40-year-old has 21,999 runs in 551 List A matches which includes 18,426 runs in 463 ODIs.

Having scored 2747 in the 94 earlier T20 matches, the Master Blaster scored the necessary 26 runs with ease.

Tendulkar has had an ordinary 2013 CLT20 tournament till the semifinals and could score only 20 runs in four matches with a highest score of only 15. (Mumbai beat Trinidad, enter final)

Sachin is also standing on the cusp of another rare feat of becoming the first player in the history of the game to play 200 Test matches, which in all likelihood will be completed in the upcoming two-Test series against the West Indies.

Wasim Akram hopes for Tendulkar's last Test against Pakistan

Famed Pakistan fast bowler Wasim Akram said Thursday he hoped Indian batting great Sachin Tendulkar would play his final Test farewell against Pakistan in Kolkata.

World record run-getter Tendulkar, 40, is set to achieve the unique record of playing his 200th Test later this year against the West Indies, who have agreed to tour India.

Speculation is rife that Tendulkar might retire from all cricket after that or sometime early next year.

Tendulkar, regarded as one of the best batsmen to play the game, has so far scored 15,837 runs with 51 hundreds in 198 Tests and 18,426 in 463 one-days with 49 centuries -- all world records.

But Wasim, who played in Tendulkar's debut Test in Karachi in 1989, said Tendulkar's farewell Test should be against Pakistan.

"I have created an ideal scenario for his farewell Test: India playing Pakistan at Eden Gardens, Kolkata with a passionate crowd and both nations at a standstill," Wasim told AFP.

"It could be the best farewell Tendulkar can have," he added. The Indian media has speculated that India may cancel their tour to South Africa later this year and invite Pakistan for a short two-Test tour.

The nuclear rivals have not played a full series since 2007, but there were hints that full ties may revive after India invited Pakistan for a short limited over series last December.

Recent tensions on the de facto border in the divided Himalayan region of Kashmir, however, have left 11 people dead since early August and are likely to make the prospect of a tour more remote.

Pakistan's domestic team Faisalabad Wolves, due to play in India's Champions League Twenty20 that starts September 17, are still waiting for clearance from New Delhi.

Wasim said sport should be separated from politics. "Cricket, as always, has the capacity to bring the people of both nations closer," said Wasim, who led a Pakistan tour of India in 1999 despite extremist threats.

Wasim said Tendulkar was also revered in Pakistan. "He is a role model," said Wasim. "He is one of the best without any doubt and if I had to vote for the best sportsman of the century I would not hesitate for a second to give it to Sachin.

"Having played with him for years and having been in touch even after my retirement I have found him a true role model," he said.

"I hope relations improve and my wish come true is that India and Pakistan play a Test sooner

Sachin Tendulkar still has hunger for cricket: Chetan Chauhan

PATNA: Amid speculations on retirement of Sachin Tendulkar, former Test cricketer Chetan Chauhan on Wednesday said the veteran batsman still had hunger for runs and was the best judge when to call it a day.

"Tendulkar still has hunger to play cricket," Chauhan said.

Chauhan, who partnered with legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar for a long time before retiring from the game in 1982, said Tendulkar was the best judge himself to call it a day at a right time.

"Though he (Tendulkar) has not scored a century in Test matches for the last two year, but he still has a lot of potential and hunger to keep playing the game", Chauhan, who was here in connection with a run organised by BJP's sports wing, said. He himself is president of BJP's national sports cell.

The former Test opener said that Gautam Gambhir had chance to return to the national team.

Chauhan, who played 40 Tests, said Virat Kohli had tremendous potential as India's future captain.

"He (Kohli) proved himself as a good captain in the recent West Indies tri-series which India won and also at Zimbabwe tour," the cricketer-turned BJP leader said.

"His (Kohli) aggressive attitude and cool head even in trying times makes him a fit candidate to lead Team India in future," Chauhan said.

About cricket in Bihar, Chauhan said that the state had produced some good crickters like Saba Karim, Amikar Dayal and Avinash Kumar. He paid a visit to cricket academy run by Dayal at St Xaviers school and encouraged youngsters.

He expressed displeasure over fight between different cricketing bodies in the state for affiliation to the BCCI.

Chauhan urged them to come on one platform under former cricketer and BJP MP Kirti Azad.