Javagal Srinath

Javagal Srinath
Born: 31 August 1969, Mysore
Major Teams: Karnataka, Gloucestershire, India.
Known As: Javagal Srinath
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Right Arm Fast Medium
Profile:
Javagal Srinath is the spearhead of the Indian pace attack and is the only bowler in India to produce the speeds generally associated with West Indian or South African pacemen. After Kapil Dev`s retirement, Srinath broke into the playing XI and since then he has rarely let down the cricket fans in the country. Whether in Test cricket or the limited overs game, whether in making the initial breakthrough with the new ball, breaking up a vital partnership in the middle order or cleaning up the tail, Srinath can always be depended upon to deliver the goods. Bowling with a smooth action, the `Karnataka Express' has been able to extract pace and bounce from even docile wickets. Statistically his Test record is tarnished by his early tours, but he is very much the genuine article who has frequently displayed the entire repertoire of the fast bowler's art - the dipping inswinger, the late outswinger, the deadly yorker, the whistling bouncer. At the same time he has never compromised on the basic qualities of bowling i.e. the line and the length. He has had injury problems in 1997 and 1998, possibly due to over-bowling but has now fully recovered after his shoulder operation. His one-day bowling record is very impressive, and only Dennis Lillee and Waqar Younis have taken 100 wickets in fewer matches. He is also a useful tail-end batter and is capable of scoring runs at a brisk pace.
The spearhead of the Indian attack for many years now, Srinath has rarely let down the cricket fans in the country. Whether in Test cricket or the limited overs game, whether in making the initial breakthrough with the new ball, breaking up a vital partnership in the middle order or cleaning up the tail, Srinath can always be depended upon to deliver the goods. Bowling with a smooth action, the `Karnataka Express' has been able to extract pace and bounce from even docile wickets. Perhaps the finest tribute to his pace bowling skills is the fact that a large percentage of his impressive bag of international wickets have been taken on unfriendly tracks at home. On the bouncy tracks in Australia and South Africa and in green conditions in England, he has been the leading wicket taker. Srinath has frequently displayed the entire repertoire of the fast bowler's art - the dipping inswinger, the late outswinger, the deadly yorker, the whistling bouncer. At the same time he has never compromised on the basic qualities of bowling - line and length.
Srinath's overall performance is all the more creditworthy for it was only after Kapil Dev retired in 1994-95 that he became the spearhead of the attack. A vigorous tailend batsmen, he can be counted upon to get quick runs and has many times indulged in timely big hits. A safe outfield with a strong throwing arm, Srinath has been over bowled and this has forced him to miss a few Tests because of injury. Happily all that is past and after surgery to his shoulder in 1997 he seems to be a more complete bowler.
Test Debut: India v Australia at Brisbane, 1st Test, 1991/92
ODI Debut: India v Pakistan at Sharjah, Wills Trophy, 1991/92

Irfan Pathan
Born: 27 October 1984, Baroda, Gujarat
Major Teams: Baroda, India.
Batting Style: Left Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Left Arm Medium Fast
Irfan Pathan Jnr - his namesake is also a left-arm seamer for Baroda - is India’s youngest pace-bowling hope. At 18, he has already established himself as part of arguably the most incisive pace trio in the country, alongside Zaheer Khan and Rakesh Patel; served consistently as spearhead of the national under-19 team; and finds himself regularly selected for the India A team. Tall, and well filled out for his age, Irfan does most of his work off the seam at a useful pace off a side-on action, and his left-handedness marks him out a natural danger to the right-hander. Like Zaheer, one of his two idols – Wasim Akram, naturally, is the other – Irfan has refined his raw ability at the Dennis Lillee-assisted MRF Pace Foundation in Chennai. In another two years, this boy could be a star
Historic hat-trick for Pathan India left-arm seamer Irfan Pathan (5-61) took a hat-trick in the first over, the first bowler to do so in the Test cricket history in first over of the third and final Test against Pakistan on Sunday. Pathan had Salman Butt caught at first slip by Rahul Dravid with a sharp outswinger, trapped captain Younis Khan LBW with a sharp inswinger and bowled Mohammad Yousuf with another big inswinger to leave Pakistan reeling on nought for three. Pathan took wickets with his fourth, fifth and sixth balls to complete the 36th hat-trick in Test cricket history. Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh is the only other India bowler to take a Test hat-trick, against Australia at Kolkatta in 2000-01. The 21-year-old Pathan had his victims beaten by the swing as well as seam movement extracted from the pitch. The left-armer is the 33rd bowler to record this feat in Test cricket. It is the 36th occasion that a bowler had taken three wickets off successive balls in the longer version of the game. Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram, Australians Hugh Trumble and Jimmy Matthews have taken two hat-tricks in Test cricket. Irfan Pathan's hometown -- Baroda -- erupted with joy when the local lad became only the second Indian to claim a Test hat-trick on Sunday. "Pathan has really done us proud and I wish him all the best and hope he takes more and more wickets and sets greater targets and achieves more," selection committee chairman and secretary of Baroda Cricket Association Kiran More said. Pathan's mother Shamimbanoo said that all family members, relatives and friends were very happy that he got this achievement on Pakistani soil and "as Indians we feel proud for it". She added: "Irfan has really made all Indians proud and that makes us happy." Shamimbanoo said that Irfan used to be in touch with them regularly and "we were very confident that he would get us on his own and caught us by surprise". Mehbubkhan, Irfan's father, said that the entire family were praying to Allah that their son achieved something great which would ramain in everyone's memory forever. His sister Shagufa said: "After his failure in getting wickets in Lahore and Faislabad tests on dead pitches, we all were sure about his sucess in Karachi Test." Pathan's local coach Mehndi Shaikh said that the paceman had bowled with a lot of heart and soul and "I am very happy and glad that he showed both maturity and fire during his spell".
He has taken 5 wickets in an innings six times in Test cricket, and once in one-day internationals, against Zimbabwe in the 2005 Videocon Tri-Series. His spell in the final match against Pakistan in the 2004 tour was arguably his best performance in ODI cricket. His trademark weapon is an inswinger which darts into a right-hand batsman, and he also has the ability to reverse swing the old ball. In the ODI format, Pathan has been particularly impressive, frequently giving India early breakthroughs. He now consistently ranks in or near the top 10 of the LG ICC cricket ratings.
He is developing into an all-rounder, as part of a reallocation of responsibilities under the new Indian cricket coach Greg Chappell. Chappell has identified potential in Pathan's batting. Pathan has recently been used as both an opener and a top order batsman in late 2005 in one-day cricket, making 83 runs at more than a run a ball against Sri Lanka in a Test match. He also proved his enhanced batting skills by scoring 82 and 93 against Sri Lanka, opening the batting in the December 2005 New Delhi Test, when regular opener Virender Sehwag was hospitalised with illness. He scores primarily in front of the wicket, his main strength being his ability to drive. He has shown his batting strength against Pakistan (India's traditional rival) by hitting 90 in the second Test in Faisalabad (21-25 January, 2006).
Pathan recently took a hat trick in the first over of the Karachi Test against Pakistan becoming the first bowler to take a hat-trick in the first over of a Test match. It was also the highest in terms of total averages of the batsmen dismissed (130.18: Salman Butt 34.27, Younis Khan 46.04, Mohammad Yousuf 49.86). [1] This was also the first hat trick by a paceman from India and the first hat trick for any Indian bowler in an away match.
Pathan was the inaugural winner of the ICC Emerging Player of the year award in 2004, and is being groomed as the spearhead of the Indian attack for years to come, as well as a potential captain. Following his strong performances in 2005, Pathan was promoted in December to an A-grade contract by the BCCI.
He moved to the second spot in the ICC ODI Bowling rankings but a poor performance against West Indies saw him go down to 7th in the rankings.

Mohammad Kaif

Mohammad Kaif
Born: 1 December 1980, Allahabad,
Uttar Pradesh Major Teams: Uttar Pradesh, Leicestershire, India.
Known As: Mohammad Kaif
Batting Style: Right Hand
Bat Bowling Style: Right Arm Off Break
Profile:
Immensely gifted, Mohammad Kaif's inclusion in the Indian team against South Africa was widely welcomed. During the last couple of years he has impressed not only with his stylish strokeplay and steely temperament which has seen him perform well under pressure, but also with his agile fielding. As skipper of the victorious Indian under-19 side in the World Cup in Sri Lanka in January 2000, Kaif also proved himself to be a skillful captain. He came up through the ranks representing the under-19 team against Sri Lanka in 1999 (earning handsome praise from the coach, K Srikkanth) and then playing with much success for the India A team on the tour of West Indies early in 2000.
But it was his showing in the under-19 World Cup that brought him into national reckoning. This was followed by two superb knocks of 90 and 93 in the Challenger Trophy Series - performances that saw him edge that much closer to the India cap. He did not exactly fail in his only Test against a rampaging South African side. A stint at the National Cricket Academy and a training trip to Australia played a major role in furthering the cricketing education of Kaif. A series of high scores in the domestic circuit followed and this saw him drafted into the Indian one-day side where his useful batting and athletic fielding have made him an indispensable member.(
Test Debut: India v South Africa at Bangalore, 2nd Test, 1999/00 Latest Test: India v Sri Lanka at Colombo (SSC), 3rd Test, 2001
ODI Debut: India v England at Kanpur, 4th ODI, 2001/02 Latest ODI: India v Australia at Johannesburg, World Cup, 2002/03

Manoj Prabhakar

Manoj Prabhakar
Born: 15 April 1963, Ghaziabad
Major Teams: Delhi, Durham, India.
Known As: Manoj Prabhakar
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Right Arm Medium
Profile:
A fiercely competitive cricketer, Manoj Prabhakar's approach was very much in keeping with the times. Asking no quarter and expecting none, Prabhakar's combative attitude made him an opponent to be feared and respected. Whether batting or bowling, he epitomized aggressiveness. He was also one with a never say die attitude and this was seen in his batting which was a mixture of well timed strokes and a sound defence. He was generally more at home in the middle order but served the country well in many matches as a resolute and dependable opening batsman. As Kapil Dev's most durable and effective opening partner, he frequently gave the initial breakthrough. But he is best remembered as a stock bowler who could bowl long spells without losing either accuracy or hostility.
Prabhakar was one of the few cricketers who had an equally good record in both Test cricket and the limited overs game. As a bowler, he made up for his lack of genuine pace by some enormous in swing. He was a member of the Indian team in three successive World Cup competitions and it just one bad match against Sri Lanka in the 1996 tournament which cost him his place for good. Always a fighter, Prabhakar carried the combativeness off the field too. He made some scatching comments about being dropped and then in retirement, he charged that Indian players were guilty of match fixing and betting. He continued to stay in the news by entering politics and standing unsuccessfully for Parliament.
Test Debut: India v England at Delhi, 2nd Test, 1984/85
Latest Test: India v New Zealand at Cuttack, 3rd Test, 1995/96
ODI Debut: India v Sri Lanka at Sharjah, Asia Cup, 1983/84
Latest ODI: India v Sri Lanka at Delhi, World Cup, 1995/96

Mohammad Azizuddin Azharuddin

Mohammad Azizuddin Azharuddin
Born: 08 February 1963, Hyderabad
Major Teams: Hyderabad, India, Derbyshire.
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat Bowling Style:
Right Arm Medium
Test Debut: 31 December 1984 v England, Calcutta
ODI Debut: 20 January 1985 v England, Bangalore Distinctions: Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1991
Profile
India`s ``winningest`` captain in both Tests and One-day internationals started his career in 1984-85 in a spectacular fashion,setting a world record by scoring a century in each of his first three Tests. A dashing, wristy and elegant Hyderabad batsman, Azharuddin now forms the backbone of the Indian middle order batting. His wristy flicks, glances and drives are a veritable feast for the eye, and once in the groove he can be utterly unstoppable. Among other accomplishments, he used to have to his credit the fastest century in one-day cricket, scored against NZ, until this record was broken by the explosive Sri Lankan opener, Sanath Jayasuriya, and later Shahid Afridi. He is an outstanding player of spin and medium-pace bowling. Also sharing the record for the quickest test century by an Indian
Non-batting
Azhar occasionaly used to bowl brisk offspinners in one day cricket, until a back strain forced him to stop.
He is among the best, if not the best fielder in the world, pulling off unbelievable catches, spectacular diving stops, tremendous pieces of ground fielding, and many a run outs with his trademark flick-of-the-wrist returns from gully and backward point.
Recent Times
He is the most experienced member of the squad and was the captain till about August 1996, when he was, in my view, unjustly removed from captaincy on the basis of just a bad patch he was passing through. As a leader, he used to command the respect of his entire team.
He had a good series against S. Africa in Winter 1996. But a little careless performance in the Carribean lead to him being dropped from the Team for the Independence cup, a very controversial decision. But now he's back and had a great series in Sri Lanka. He has the Highest average among Indian Batsmen in both the onedayers and the tests ( he got centuries in both ).

Harbhajan Singh

Harbhajan Singh
Born: 3 July 1980, Jullundur
Major Teams: Punjab, India.
Known As: Harbhajan Singh
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Right Arm Off Break
Profile:
Harbhajan's elevation to the Indian cap in 1998 was a major surprise to the world because the 18-year-old was relatively unknown outside Punjab. An attacking spinner in the classical mould, he has not yet established himself in the side. The fact that he has not fully enjoyed the confidence of the selectors is one reason for this but his action being deemed suspect by the ICC has also stalled his progress. A stint with former England off spinner Fred Titmus seemed to have done him some good. The one quality that Harbhajan Singh is well known for is that he is a fighter to the core. For a purveyor of slow off spinners, his attitude is aggressive. He is back among the probables for the series against Australia - the opponents against whom he made his Test debut three years before - it is to be hoped that his best results could lie ahead since he has youth on his side.
Harbhajan Singh's road to glory has not been an easy one. The 20-year-old off-spinner from Jullunder has been plagued by allegations of a jerk in his bowling action and insinuations of him having attitude problems. After almost losing his job with employers Indian Airlines and being saddened immensely by the death of his father, Harbhajan was reborn as a cricketer. Training doubly hard, the fiery youngster readied himself for the touring Australians. In the absence of ace legspinner Anil Kumble, India were desperately on the look out for a strike bowler. Bowling with a high arm action, extracting good bounce and considerable turn on good Test match wickets, Harbhajan Singh destroyed the Aussies by scalping 32 wickets in the three Test series. Harbhajan's performance had outdone the previous best wicket tally for an Indian in a Test series against Australia, beating legendary left arm spinner Bishen Singh Bedi's haul of 31 wickets in 1977-78 in Australia. What makes the feat especially commendable is the fact that Harbhajan notched up his wickets in three Tests as against Bedi's five. The most special moment in the series for Harbhajan was undoubtedly the hat-trick he snared in the first innings of the second Test at Kolkata when he dismissed Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and Shane Warne off successive deliveries. In the three Tests, Harbhajan returned figures of 4/132, 13/196 and 15/217, thereby leading India to a famous 2-1 victory.
In the course of the series, Harbhajan was constantly aggressive, giving back in good measure any on field chatter he got from the Aussies. With the bat too Harbhajan struck some lusty blows, earning kudos from teammates, scribes and selectors alike. The arrival of Harbhajan at the international stage as a force to reckon with has been a whiff of fresh air for Indian cricket. India were struggling in the bowling department and Harbhajan has answered the call handsomely.
Test Debut: India v Australia at Bangalore, 3rd Test, 1997/98
ODI Debut: India v New Zealand at Sharjah, Coca-Cola Cup, 1997/98

Shanthakumaran Sreesanth
Born February 6, 1983, Kothamangalam, Kerala Current age 23 years 18 days
Major teams India, Kerala, Kerala Under-19s Also known as Gopu
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm fast-medium
For three seasons, S Sreesanth was hardly anything more than an answer to a trivia question - who is the only Kerala bowler to have taken a Ranji Trophy hat-trick ? His rise, though, was rapid, and since he played for a weak side, unnoticed. Not too many bowlers get selected for the Duleep Trophy in their first season, like Sreesanth did in 2002-03 after snapping up 22 wickets in his first seven games. His progress was halted owing to a hamstring injury in the following year, but he returned stronger, with a more side-on action and increased pace and a superb display in the Challenger Trophy, in 2005, propelled him to the national squad for the Sri Lanka series.
With so much cricket played these days it is often difficult to keep track of who is who and what they are doing. In a new weekly feature Cricinfo will take a look at one player who is making the news, whether at the highest level or an aspiring talent, and tell you what they are all about. This week, it's the turn of India's new star, S Sreesanth When India's new-found left-arm pace attack let it all slip after a rollicking start in the third Test against Pakistan at Karachi, the fans were crying out for variety. Sreesanth, always in the reckoning for the one-dayers following an impressive start against Sri Lanka last year, broke the monotony, rolling his right arm and bagging six wickets in the series, four of which were snared in a Karachi pitch which looked as dead as the 'dead rubber' encounter. His pace, coupled with his studious demeanour may be far from frightening. Neither is his gentle delivery stride. What is rather disconcerting for the batsman, however, is his ability to swing the ball late and generate sudden movement off the pitch. The frequent dropped catches by his colleagues at Multan notwithstanding, at Karachi Sreesanth had announced his arrival.
He represents the new breed of Indian cricketers who hail from far-flung regions, which in the past have been given the cold shoulder as far as talent-spotting is concerned. Incidentally, Kerala, his homestate, is revered for its sporting culture and has produced several Olympian athletes but has sadly had a dearth of international-quality cricketers. Sreesanth was to change all that. Early on, he took to legspin, modelling his action on Anil Kumble. However, his pace and penchant for slipping the frequent yorker compelled him to take up fast bowling, encouraged by his elder brother. When his predecessor from Kerala, Tinu Yohanan earned a selection to the National Cricket Academy in 2000, Sreesanth worked harder at his craft, making it to the MRF Pace foundation in Chennai. Success followed almost immediately, making his first-class debut in the 2002-03 domestic season, bagging 22 wickets in just seven matches and meriting a selection in the Duleep Trophy squad in the same season.
In October 2003, he had a chance to impress the selectors in a tour match against the visiting New Zealand side at Rajkot. However, he was laid low by a hamstring pull which saw him bowl just 12 overs, taking one wicket. There was speculation as to why he missed five Ranji Trophy games that season, despite travelling and training with the side. The grapevine had it that an astrologer convinced him to take a break for the sake of his longevity in the game. However, Sreesanth flatly denied this claim, stating that he was training just to regain fitness.
He entered the record books the following season, taking a hat-trick against Himachal Pradesh, the first such feat by a Kerala bowler. Back home, he was nicknamed `The Prince of hat-tricks.' National recognition didn't follow till the Challenger Trophy in 2005, when he played for India B. To start with, his name drew more attention than his skills. There was confusion whether to address him as Sreesanth or S Santh, as shown in scorecards (He later insisted on being called by his first name, ie Sreesanth). But, with an entire nation desperately wishing Sachin Tendulkar to rediscover his touch after a long layoff, here, ironically, was Sreesanth's great opportunity to become a giant-killer. The ball jagged in, trapping Tendulkar right in front, and the minute the finger went up, he had acquired his passport to national colours. Timeline
November 2002 - Ranji Trophy debut against Goa March 2003 - Duleep Trophy debut for South Zone October 2003 - Plays tour match against visting New Zealand team. Bowls 12 economical overs and takes the wicket of Craig McMillan. Suffers hamstring pull. November 2004 - Takes a hat-trick against Himachal Pradesh in the Ranji Trophy, the first by a Kerala cricketer. October 1 2005 - Irani Trophy debut. October 13 2005 - Wins the Man-of-the-Series award in the Challenger Trophy with 7 wickets, the joint highest wicket taker with Murali Kartik. October 25 2005 - ODI debut against Sri Lanka at Nagpur. Takes 2 wickets February 19 2006 - Takes best bowling figures in ODIs - 4 for 58 against Pakistan at Karachi.
What he says
"For a start, I never expected to get the new ball. I didn't think I'd even play. Then for Rahul bhai (Dravid) to ask me to open the bowling with Irfan (Pathan) was incredible. Since I've got a large percentage of my wickets with yorkers, my friends suggested I start with one. I almost got Salman Butt in the first match at Peshawar."
What they say
Javagal Srinath, after the third ODI at Multan
"What impressed me most was his attitude. For someone who was ill and down the previous day, he played the game with verve. It's an irony in cricket that often when a player is coming out of a niggling injury or a brief illness, he puts up a performance which is above expectations."
Moin Khan
"To me, the find of the series for India has undoubtedly been Sreesanth and irrespective of what happens, this lad has the ability to go a long way and serve his country with merit and distinction."
What you may not know
Sreesanth is an accomplished dancer and was once a national break-dance champion while in the eighth grade. His favourite entertainer is....well Michael Jackson. His folks back home wouldn't have been surprised to see him shake a leg after taking a wicket in Karachi. In an interview to reporters he said, "People recognise me. When I was on stage, I used to do all silly things to be in the limelight. I love dancing."
Sreesanth's talents and ability were recognised in other sports as well, namely, football, table tennis and hockey. Though hailing from the south, Sreesanth speaks Hindi with a distinct North Indian twang. Hindi aside, he also speaks Malayalam, English and Tamil. He is also a student of psychology and an avid reader.
Known for his guts and spontaneity, once as a student, Sreesanth couldn't resist the urge to meet Sachin Tendulkar. Stopped by a security guard, he managed to bluff his way in, saying that Tendulkar had paid for his scholarship. Little did he know that few years later, he would grab Sachin's wicket to earn national selection.

Sunil Manohar Gavaskar
Born: 10 July 1949, Bombay
Major Teams: Mumbai, Somerset, India.
Known As: Sunny Gavaskar
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Right Arm Medium
Other: ICC Match Referee
Profile:
Sunil Gavaskar was a complete opening batsman. He combined a rock solid defence with an ability to dispatch the bad ball for four. For a part of his career, he eschewed the cut and the hook, preferring to play within the "V". Though short in stature (5'4"), his best strokes were drives off the front foot, to both sides of the wicket. His success in his debut series in the West Indies in 1971 (774 runs at 154.80) led Lord Relator to lament in a calypso, "We couldn't out him at all!" For a large part of his career, he seemed to stand between India and defeat. Some of his best innings came in Indian losses, including 3 centuries in Pakistan. During his career, he played a significant role as India managed to score the highest 4th innings totals to win (102 out of 406/4), and tie (90 out of 347) a Test, and the second highest to draw (221 out of 429/9) one. During his 221, he personally added 179 on the last day, still the most runs scored by an Indian in a single day of Test cricket.
In 1983-84, after a string of low scores against Marshall and the West Indies, he decided to shed the shackles, and answered with a 94-ball century at Delhi. 4 Tests later, the series lost 3-0, he came in at no. 4, with India 0/2, and scored his 30th Test century, surpassing Don Bradman. His 236* in that innings still stands as India's highest individual Test score.
Slow to adjust to one-day cricket, he scored 36* off 60 overs against England in 1975. At the other end of the scale, his only century, coming in his last but one one-day match, was off 85 balls. His captaincy appeared too defensive at times, perhaps conditioned by his many solo battles as a batsman in defence of India. The highlights of his captaincy were a 2-0 Test win over Pakistan in 1979-80, and a win the World Championship of Cricket in 1985.
After having battled speedsters around the world for 16 years, his last Test innings was a classic display against spin bowling, a 96 on a minefield at Bangalore. His safe catching in the slips led to his being the first Indian (excluding wicket-keepers) to take over a hundred catches. Early in his career, he occasionally opened the bowling for India, which says more about India's disregard for opening bowlers than anything else. After retirement, he has been a popular, sometimes controversial commentator, both on TV and in print
Test Debut: India v West Indies at Port-of-Spain, 2nd Test, 1970/71
Last Test: India v Pakistan at Bangalore, 5th Test, 1986/87
ODI Debut: India v England at Leeds, Prudential Trophy, 1974
Last ODI: India v England at Bombay, World Cup, 1987/88
First Class Debut: Vazir Sultan Colt's XI v Dungarpur XI at Hyderabad, 1966/67
Last First Class Match: Rest of the World v M.C.C. at Lord's, 1987
Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1980

Vangipurappu Venkata Sai Laxman

Vangipurappu Venkata Sai Laxman
Born: 1 November 1974, Hyderabad
Major Teams: Hyderabad, India.
Known As: VVS Laxman
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Right Arm Off Break
Profile:
V.V.S. Laxman is a stylish right-hander from Hyderabad who will always be remembered for the fine knock of 167 he scored in the third Test against Australia at Sydney in January 2000. Since his debut he has been in and out of the Indian team but one of the main reasons for that is that he is unable to have a secure batting position. To be fair to Laxman, he is not a natural opening batsman and has had the job thrust upon him. Laxman's fine technique however makes him a safe bet to open the innings. Some people have labeled him as a Test batsmen who cannot bat aggressively hence have marked him unfit for the one dayers. This however is not true as his aggressive nature is visible even in the Test matches. Laxman may lack some of the glamour that is associated with some of his teammates but he prefers to be what he is - a quietly efficient and determined cricketer. He is a batsman for whom patience, timing and technique are of utmost importance.
The term 'Hyderabadi stylist' is one that is not new to Indian cricket. First popularised by the late ML Jaisimha, an attacking batsman, the mantle was taken over for many years by Mohammed Azharuddin. Today, VVS Laxman has honourably made the title his own. A spate of high scores in the 1999-2000 Ranji Trophy season, including ten centuries in as many first class matches, confirmed Laxman's pedigree and penchant for tall scores. In Test cricket however, apart from a sparkling 167 against Australia at Sydney in a losing cause, Laxman had done little to show that he was a world beater. All that changed dramatically when the Australians toured India in early 2001.
Going into the series with a Test average of just under 28, Laxman was not a major cause of concern for the Aussies. In a rare display of attacking yet consistent batting, Laxman notched up 503 runs at an average of over 83. More than the sheer volume of runs scored, it was the manner in which he made his record breaking 281 at Kolkata that will remain etched in memory for years to come. It was a flawless innings under pressure that changed the complexion of a whole series, and signaled the emergence of a new batting hero. Laxman's 281 surpassed Sunil Gavaskar's record innings of 236 not out against West Indies at Madras in 1983 as the highest Test score by an Indian. Riding on the back of Laxman's efforts, India pulled off a sensational 2-1 win in a closely contested series. Spurred on by the success in Tests, Laxman was a changed man in the one-dayers, scoring his maiden ton in the fifth match against the Aussies at Goa. In short, the series against Australia changed Laxman's destiny as a cricketer. Rather, Laxman rewrote Indian cricket's destiny at the expense of the Australians.
Test Debut:India v South Africa at Ahmedabad, 1st Test, 1996/97 ODI Debut:India v Zimbabwe at Cuttack, Pepsi Triangular Series, 1997/98

Zaheer Khan

Zaheer Khan
Born: 7 October 1978, Shrirampur, Ahmednagar, Maharashtra
Major Teams: Baroda,
India. Known As: Zaheer Khan
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Left Arm Medium Fast
Profile:
Zaheer Khan who quit his engineering studies to pursue a career in cricket is one of the best current findings of Indian team. His emergence has been a revelation for Indian cricket which was badly needing a genuine quick bowler. Zaheer's impressive debut in the ICC KnockOut, when two yorkers in three balls speared into the off stumps of Kenyan batsmen, heightened people's expectations. His pace and willingness to angle the ball into the body has impressed even the best in the World. He is an aggressive wicket taking bowler and has unveiled another potent dimension of his game in the one-dayer at Jodhpur against Zimbabwe, where he struck Henry Olonga for four sixes off the last four balls of the innings thus proving that he is an aggresive batter too.
The emergence of Zaheer Khan has given the Indian new ball attack a sense of well-being after a long hiatus. Zaheer's impressive debut in the ICC KnockOut, when two yorkers in three balls speared into the off stumps of Kenyan batsmen, heightened expectations. He stayed in the forefront of India's ICCKO and Champions Trophy campaigns, picking up 15 wickets, the most prized being Steve Waugh's, which showed he could unsettle the best in the business. Always presenting a composed exterior, his bursts of speed and willingness to angle the ball into the body can discompose most batsmen. In two Tests on bland subcontinent wickets, Zaheer toiled for limited success but his enthusiasm never flagged. He unveiled another potent dimension to his game in the one-dayer at Jodhpur against Zimbabwe, smiting Henry Olonga for four sixes off the last four balls of the innings.
Three years with the MRF Pace Foundation moulded Zaheer into a fighting fit product, ready to pass through the turnstiles into international cricket. He was given the opportunity to train at the Commonwealth Cricket Academy in Adelaide in October 1999 and toured New Zealand with the Academy boys. Having played for Mumbai at the Under-19 level, he failed to break into the city's Ranji Trophy side and sensibly decided to shift allegiances to Baroda. The impact of his Australian sojourn was evident during his maiden first-class season in 1999-2000, which yielded 35 wickets. The lad from Srirampur who quit his engineering studies to pursue a career in cricket would soon rest assured he had made the right decision.
Test Debut: India v Bangladesh at Dhaka, Only Test, 2000/01 ODI Debut: India v Kenya at Nairobi (Gymk), ICC KnockOut, 2000/01

Kapildev Ramlal Nikhanj

Kapildev Ramlal Nikhanj
Born: 6 January 1959, Chandigarh
Major Teams: Haryana, Northamptonshire, Worcestershire, India.
Known As: Kapil Dev
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Right Arm Fast Medium
Kapil Dev named Indian player of century 24 July 2002
London Wisden's decision to name all-rounder Kapil Dev as India's player of the century has been welcomed by the country's former Test players.
Kapil, the ex-captain who led India to their lone World Cup triumph in 1983, was picked ahead of former batsman Sunil Gavaskar and modern-day icon Sachin Tendulkar by a 35-member panel comprising international commentators and former players.
His peers said Kapil was the right choice because he could alter the result of a match single-handedly.
"I don't think anyone has won more matches for India individually," said former Test spinner Maninder Singh on Wednesday.
"He could change the nature of his game with his bowling, batting, fielding and captaincy. That puts him ahead of everyone else."
Kapil took 434 wickets at 29.64 apiece and scored 5,248 runs at an average of 31.05 in Tests.
He made his debut for India as a 19-year-old in the 1978-79 season against Pakistan. He played 131 Tests and 225 one-dayers in a career spanning over 16 years.
"I am very happy for Kapil, he richly deserved the award," said Madan Lal, a member of Kapil's World Cup-winning team and now a national selector.
"THE GREATEST"
"It's a good decision by the jury, there was never any doubt in my mind that Kapil is the greatest."
Kapil is the only cricketer in history to score more than 5,000 and take more than 400 wickets in Tests. His mark of 434 wickets stood as a record until West Indian Courtney Walsh surpassed it just two years ago.
"It's a very intelligent decision by the panel to name Kapil," said former Test opener Chetan Chauhan.
"Gavaskar, Kapil and Sachin were the frontrunners but because of his ability to contribute with both the bat and ball they have gone with Kapil."
Kapil's most memorable knock was an unbeaten 175 in the 1983 World Cup against Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells in England, where he rescued India from 17 for five to 266 in 60 overs.
Tendulkar won the people's choice award at a ceremony in London on Tuesday, while Gavaskar's team of 1985 - winners of the World Series Cup in Australia - was picked as the best Indian team of the century.
Tendulkar has scored 29 Test centuries and a world-record 33 one-day hundreds. Gavaskar, the first man to score 10,000 Test runs, has a world record 34 Test centuries. He played his last Test in 1987.

When Kapil Dev’s first coach Desh Prem Azad recommended that he should drink a lot of milk, Kapil’s father bought a buffalo to solve the problem. The incident had a deep impact on the young lad. And the determination to succeed gave India her best pace bowler ever.
With 684 wickets and almost 9,000 runs in both versions of the game, Kapil stamped himself as the best all-rounder in world cricket. His exploits also include leading India to the 1983 World Cup triumph at Lord’s. Best Batting performance in ODI: 175* vs Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells (18-6-1983).
It was, probably, the best innings ever to be played in a one-day match. India won the toss and elected to bat in the World Cup match. Kapil Dev came into bat with his side reeling at 17-5. The top five batsmen, which included Sunil Gavaskar, Krishnamachari Srikkanth, Mohinder Amarnath and Sandeep Patil, all fell for scores less than 10. Kapil went on to make 175 not out off 138 balls and turn around the match. At that point of time, it was the highest individual score made in a one-day match.
The second highest scorer of the Indian innings was Syed Kirmani, who made 24 not out. Sadly, there is not a single clipping or television footage available of this amazing innings, as the BBC were apparently on a strike that day and did not cover the match. The innings changed India’s fortunes in the 1983 World Cup. And, ironically, it is the only hundred that Kapil scored in one-dayers. Best Bowling performance in Tests: 9 for 83 vs West Indies at Ahmedabad (1983-84)
Nine scalps of the West Indian batting line-up that read Gordon Greednidge, Vivian Richards, Larry Gomes, Clive Llyod, Gus Logie, and Geoffry Dujon, apart from the bowlers.
Balwinder Singh Sandhu, Kapil Dev’s opening bowling partner, claimed the first wicket to fall in that particular innings -- that of Desmond Haynes. Kapil just kept working away at the rest. This was the only nine-wicket haul of his career although he took eight wickets in an innings on two occasions. ''Indian teams had seen the ups and downs in almost everyone's captaincy. I thought I had enough when I saw the captaincy being moved back and forth between Sunil [Gavaskar] and I. The one thing I learnt as captain is that one must be prepared to take the slamming. I don't know why, but in cricket, everything, absolutely everything, is blamed on the captain. That is if things go wrong. If things go right, it is 'team work that did it'." In his moment of glory, after being named 'Wisden Indian Cricketer of the Century' Kapil was a picture of humility, attributing his success to guidance from senior players.
"I have no words to describe how I feel. Besides happiness and pride, I feel a sense of humility to have received this award. The other nominees for this award are my heroes, and being chosen from among my heroes is a great honour," he said.

Profile:
One of the greatest all rounders in the history of the game, Kapil Dev was a truly dynamic cricketer who shaped many Indian triumphs during his long career which stretched from 1978 to 1994. The jewel in the crown would automatically be the World Cup triumph in 1983 but close behind would be the series triumph in England three years later when he was again the captain. A skilful medium pace bowler, a hard hitting middle order batsman, a brilliant versatile fielder and an intuitive captain who led by personal example, Kapil Dev was as close to the complete cricketer as one can get. Kapil burst upon the scene even as the famed spin quartet was breaking up and was the country's premier strike bowler for well over a decade. As a batsman, he was capable of touching the heights as he showed during his unforgettable 175 not out against Zimbabwe at Tunbridge Wells or while hitting four consecutive sixes off Eddie Hemmings to stave off the follow on in the Test against England in 1990. Besides his record Test tally of 434 wickets, Kapil Dev is also the only cricketer to have scored 5000 runs and taken 400 wickets in Tests. He holds the record of most number of Tests played by an Indian and his recent appointment as coach of the Indian side was largely welcomed, even though the initial results were far from encouraging
Test Debut: India v Pakistan at Faisalabad, 1st Test, 1978/79
Last Test: India v New Zealand at Hamilton, Only Test, 1993/94
ODI Debut: India v Pakistan at Quetta, 1st ODI, 1978/79
Last ODI: India v West Indies at Faridabad, 1st ODI, 1994/95

Yuvraj Singh

Yuvraj Singh
Born: 12 December 1981, Chandigarh
Major Teams: Punjab, India.
Known As: Yuvraj Singh
Batting Style: Left Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Left Arm Medium
Profile:
At 19, Yuvraj is already an all rounder who has proven himself. One need look no further than his performance in the domestic youth competitions and in the Under-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka. In the final of the Cooch Behar Trophy in the 1999-2000 season, Yuvraj made 358 against Bihar. Any batsman who has the ability to play an innings of that length is bound to be a force to reckon with. Following that performance up with what was an extremely successful World Cup in Sri Lanka, Yuvraj caught the eye of many a cricket pundit. He was named player of the series for scoring heavily through the World Cup, including a tremendous half century that came off just 20 balls in the semifinals against Australia.
A tall, well-built lad, Yuvraj Singh strikes the ball very hard. Although critics feel that he is uncomfortable and imbalanced driving off the front foot, this does not reflect in his performance so far. A useful left arm spinner, Yuvraj sometimes refrains from bowling because of a recurring back strain that has threatened to put him out of action more than once. Yuvraj's father Yograj Singh represented India in one Test match against New Zealand in 1981. A good fielder inside the circle, Yuvraj is regarded by many as an exciting One-Day prospect

Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Name : Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Nickname : Mahi

Nationality : Indian

Date of Birth : 7 July 1981

Place of Birth: Ranchi, Bihar

Batting style : Right hand batsman

Bowling style : Right arm medium

Field position: Wicketkeeper

Clubs played : Jharkhand
MS Dhoni : (Mahendra Singh Dhoni)
Mahendra Singh (MS) Dhoni pronunciation (help·info) (born July 7, 1981 in Ranchi, Jharkhand) is an Indian cricketer. He is an aggressive right-handed batsman and wicketkeeper. He is currently ranked eigth in the official ICC cricket rankings for batsmen in Limited over internationals (as of September 25, 2006).He was picked to play for the Indian cricket team in December 2004 and has been a regular member of the Indian one-day international team since then. His success in the limited overs format has also secured him a Test spot, and he is rapidly becoming one of the most famous & marketable icons in India, noted for his shoulder length hair.

MS Dhoni's Career
Dhoni (affectionately known as Mahi), made his debut for Jharkhand in the 1999-2000 season as an eighteen year old. He started off his career with modest performances at the local level. He was noticed by the national team selectors in 2004 after his performances in first class tournaments such as the Deodhar Trophy and the Duleep Trophy. Dhoni was selected to represent India 'A' on a tour of Kenya and his performances were good enough to win him selection in the Indian national team, making his one-day international debut against Bangladesh in Chittagong in December of that year.Dhoni's best performance for India thus far was an unbeaten score of 183 off 145 balls against Sri Lanka at Jaipur on 31 October 2005, equalling the second best score by an Indian in ODIs. It was also the highest innings recorded by a wicket-keeper, and the highest number of sixes in an innings for a wicketkeeper with ten (all-rounders Sanath Jayasuriya and Shahid Afridi have hit 11). He also broke Saeed Anwar's record of most runs scored off boundaries by scoring a total of 120 runs off 4s and 6s eclipsing the previous record of 118. [1] This has broken the record for the highest individual score for a team batting second. This has also established the new Indian record of number of sixes in a match, overtaking previous record holders, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly (both hit seven 6's in a match). Earlier, in 2005 he scored 148 against Pakistan in Vishakapatnam, in his fifth one-day international; the score came off only 123 deliveries.At the end of the year Dhoni was rewarded a BCCI contract, starting with a B-grade contract.Dhoni's current batting average in ODIs is just over 50 (as of April 2006), the highest by any Indian player with more than 20 innings. With a career ODI batting strike rate of more than 100 he remains the only batsman with the unique double of a 50+ average scored at more than a run a ball. Currently, Dhoni has one of the highest strike rates in the world (103.00 runs per hundred balls). With 44 sixes in 38 ODI innings, Dhoni has hit more sixes than he's played international matches.Following his good one-day form against Sri Lanka, he ousted Dinesh Karthik in December 2005 as the Indian Test wicketkeeper. Shoaib gave him a bouncer first up which surprised Dhoni and in his follow through Shoaib told him exactly what he thought of him. His reply was to hit Shoaib for 42 runs (5 fours and a six) of 28 deliveries from Shoaib and made his maiden Test century against Pakistan in the 2nd Test at Faisalabad in January 2006, reaching the landmark in just 93 balls. Shoaib at one stage of that innings got hit for 3 fours off 4 balls and therefore bowled a full toss at chest height; and it was Dhoni's turn to have a word or two. In total he made a 148 in that match of 153 balls; 19 fours and 4 sixes. Dhoni's career batting average at the end of the ODI series against Pakistan in Abu Dhabi stands at 52.76, which is the fourth highest for any batsman having scored at least 1,000 runs in one-day internationals, behind Australians, Mike Hussey Michael Bevan, and Englishman Kevin Pietersen. [2]However, in the third Test against England, Dhoni attracted some criticism when losing his wicket after playing an injudicious shot. India went from 75-3 to 100 all out to lose the match .Just after the 2006 Test match Loss against England,which resulted in a 1-1 levelled series, Dhoni requested for more crowd support and he was obliged with the same, the team going to win the ODI Series that followed the Tests, his fans seem to be increasing by leaps and bounds and is received to a a rousing reception whenever he comes into bat.On 22nd April 2006, Dhoni overtook Ricky Ponting as number one in the ICC ODI rankings for batsmen, and however he was soon dethroned, he continues to be in the Top 10.In the 2006 India tour of the West Indies, where India won the Test series 1-0, Dhoni had a relatively average outing, aggregating a substandard 24.00 with the bat, his only score of note being the belligerent 69 in the first Test at Antigua. He also took 13 catches and had 4 stumpings in the series. India were defeated 4-1 in the ODIs that preceded the Test series, where Dhoni averaged only 23.75, his highest being 46 not out, with 5 catches
MS Dhoni's Records
On 31st October 2005 Mahendra Dhoni scored 183* runs of just 145 balls, accompanying that there are a list of records which he broke He hit 10 Sixes, the most by an Indian in an Innings, and the second highest in ODI cricket (The highest is 11 by Sanath Jayasuriya and Shahid Afridi) He broke Adam Gilchrist's record of 172 for the highest score made by a wicket keeper He is the second highest in scoring maximum runs in boundaries after Herchelle Gibbs of South Africa In this match Kumar Sangakkara also made a century, making it the first match in which both wicket keepers scored a century He has an average of 48.89 giving him the 4th highest average in the world overall The highest Indian average Highest average for a wicketkeeper. 2nd Highest average among those who have made more than 1200 runs in one day international cricket Highest strike rate among the top 5 averages He has a strike rate of 100.96 giving him the sixth highest strike rate overall The highest by an Indian The 4th highest among players who have made more than 1000 runs in International Cricket In April 2006 Dhoni was briefly ranked No.1 in the ICC one day Batsmen's ratings. He is currently ranked No. 4 after a poor series in the West Indies. Statistics are true as of 30/4/06
MS Dhoni's Teams
InternationalIndia (current) India - A [edit]Indian first-classJharkhand (current) East Zone (current) Bihar
MS Dhoni's Career highlights
One-day internationalsODI debut: vs Bangladesh, Chittagong, 2004-2005 Highest batting Score: Dhoni's best ODI batting score of 183* was made against Sri Lanka, Jaipur, 2005-2006 [edit]Test MatchesTest debut: Dhoni started his career versus Sri Lanka at Chennai in 2005/06 season. Maiden Test hundred: at Faisalabad in the 2005/06 season. Highest batting score: 148 vs Pakistan at Faisalabad in the 2005/06 season.

Virender Sehwag

Virender Sehwag
India
Player profile
Full name Virender Sehwag
Born October 20, 1978, Delhi
Current age 28 years 7 days
Major teams India, ACC Asian XI, Delhi,
ICC World XI, Leicestershire, Rajasthan
Cricket Association President's XIBatting style Right-hand batBowling style Right-arm offbreak Profile
Virender Sehwag is a primal talent whose rough edges make him all the more appealing. By the time he had scored his first centuries in one-day cricket (off 70 balls, against New Zealand) and Test cricket (on debut, against South Africa, from 68 for 4), he was already eliciting comparisons with his idol Sachin Tendulkar. It is half true. Like Tendulkar, he is short and square with curly hair, plays the straight drive, backfoot punch and whip off the hips identically, but leaves Tendulkar in the shade when it comes to audacity.
Asked to open the innings in Tests on the tour of England in 2002, Sehwag proved an instant hit, cracking an 80 and a 100 in the first two matches. Regularly thereafter, he kept conjuring pivotal innings at the top of the order, none as significant as India's first 300 (which he bought up, characteristically, with a six), at Multan against Pakistan in early 2004.
Sehwag bowls effective, loopy offspin, and is a reliable catcher in the slips. He also once almost split the cricket world: when he was banned for a match by the ICC referee Mike Denness on grounds of excessive appealing, the Indian board wasn't prepared to listen, and even played an unofficial Test with South Africa to prove a point. When a compromise was finally reached, Sehwag was back to his merry ways.
Though he continued to dominate in the Test arena, Sehwag's one-day form dipped alarmingly - after January 2004, he went through a period of 60 matches where he averaged under 29. Despite his fitness levels dropping and his one-day spot being under threat - he was even dropped for the final one-dayer against England in April 2006 - Sehwag continued to sparkle in Tests, as shown by his magnificent 254 at Lahore. In June, he came excruciatingly close to scoring a century before lunch in the first day against West Indies in St Lucia, a feat never accomplished before by an Indian batsman.

Rahul Sharad Dravid

Full Name Rahul Sharad Dravid
Born January 11, 1973
Birth Place Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
Profession Cricketer
Nick Name THE WALL
Family info Dad's Name Sharad Dravid
Mom's Name Pushpa Dravid
Brother's Name Vijay Dravid
Name of his house "Srishti"
Education School St. Joseph's, Bangalore
College St. Joseph's, Bangalore
Favourites of Dravid Singers Chris de Burgh, Kishore Kumar,About Rahul Dravid
Rahul Dravid, the leader of the Indian cricket team who has surpassed and also created many remarkable records, is certainly man with a difference. Dravid was born on 11th January 1973 in the city of Indore in Madhya Pradesh, India. His complete name is Rahul Sharad Dravid though he is well-known with nicknames such as Jammy and The Wall, attributed to him for different reasons.Rahul did his schooling from St. Jospeh’s Boys High School, Bangalore and graduated from St. Joseph’s College of Commerce. Dravid started playing cricket at an early age of 12. He played for the state in under-15, under-17 and under-19 cricket tournaments. Soon Dravid played the County cricket for Scotland and Kent. At that time his coach was Keki Tarapore, an Indian cricketer who played in one test match in 1948. In 1991 Dravid also led Karnataka to the Ranji Trophy and made a double century in the final match. In 1996 Rahul got an opportunity to play international cricket. He made his test debut against England at Lords in the 2nd Test match of India’s tour of England. In the same year Dravid’s ODI test debut was against Sri Lanka at Singapore in the Singer Cup tournament. Rahul was one amongst he Wisden cricketers of the year 2000.In the world of cricket Rahul is known for his consistent batting and active leadership. He is one of the best defensive batsman India could ever produce. This defensive style of playing fetched him the nickname of ‘The Wall’. He is blessed with immense skill to rotate the strike and play with front foot defence, neither scoring runs nor getting out. Rahul’s brilliant strategy of playing cricket has enabled him to create some outstanding records in the cricket world. Dravid has scored 23 centuries in Test cricket at an average of 57.65 which included 5 double centuries while in one-dayers he has an average of 40.16 at a strike rate of 70. He has played a total of 104 test matches and 291 ODIs and the runs scored are 9049 and 9510 respectively. Dravid is also the world record holder for the highest percentage of runs in the matches won under a single captain, where the captain himself has won more than 20 tests. Under the captainship of Bengali boy Saurav Ganguly, Indian team played 21 matches out of which Rahul Dravid played in every single wins and scored a record average of 102.84 and made 2571 runs, with nine hundreds- three of them double-centuries- and ten fifties in 32 innings. Dravid made a great contribution of 23% of the total runs scored by India in those 21 matches. It is only due his superb and consistent performance that Dravid was first made the vice-captain and then the captain of Indian team. Apart from batting Rahul has also done wicket keeping in many matches. His innocent face and distinct attitude has made him the heartthrob of females all over the world.Lately the Indian skipper and his boys played a scintillating test innings in and against West Indies and brought home the Cup. Prior to this Dravid along with Vireder Sehwag was crowned the hero of the Allianz Cup 2006 (Pakistan v India Test Series) as the dup played a record breaking innings on Pakistan soil.
Latest News:
Rahul Dravid expects a tough and healthy show in Colombo
The Indian skipper Rahul Dravid said that he hopes a healthy and tough competition in the forthcoming triangular series with South Africa and the host Sri Lanka. According to Rahul both the rivals were a force to reckon with in world cricket.Addressing a media conference Rahul said that “Sri Lanka is playing very good cricket at the moment and are always difficult opponents at home. And let us not forget South Africa! they are not number two team in the world for nothing. Any side that chases down a 400-plus score has to be very explosive. South Africa’s last one dayer in April saw them surpass world champions Australia.”Dravid also admitted that India will be different rivals from the side that India thrashed 6-1 at home last year. To him each match is a new contest to win as he said that “we had a great series with them last year but that does not give us any advantage. It’s a new series, a new game and we will have to be at our best to win.”
Praises for Dravid and flaks for Lara
Former England captain Mike Atheron has extolled the Indian skipper for his superb performance during India’s latest West Indies tour of the Caribbean. But on the same hand he criticized the West Indies captain Brian Lara for not playing well. Writing in The Telegraph, Atherton said, “for Dravid there were the spoils of victory….for Lara there were only recriminations, as he blamed a losing start to his third tenure on the selectors, the pitches and just about everything else except his own leadership.” He further added that “Dravid’s role in India’s victory in the final Test match at the Jamaica’s Sabina Park was immense…for Dravid the trsm ethic is everything. You can see it in the way he plays- every innings is fashioned according to the situation and the needs of the team- and you see it in the way he conducts himself, which is almost entirely without ego, a rare trait in great sportsmen”.
Rahul Dravid in favor of Twenty-20 in home cricket
After a remarkable performance in the West Indies, nowadays the Indian skipper Rahul Dravid is putting his heart and soul for the Twenty-20 (the latest form of cricket) to be adopted in domestic cricket. Since the introduction of this new version the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has opposed it. But Rahul feels that the latest formula can be conveniently implemented with no change in the traditional 50-50 limited overs game. In an interview with the BBC sports Mr. Dravid said that “ For an event like this to play for the victims of the earthquake was fantastic. But we need to be careful that Twenty20 does not dilute the 50 over cricket game.” He further added that since there is not much domestic competition in our country so the concept can very well be accepted here.Dravid is also happy and excited about Sachin Tendulkar’s improving fitness and his return to cricket after Tendulkar played a wonderful innings in London, made a half century and remained not-out.

Sourav Ganguly

Sourav Ganguly
Born : July 8, 1972
Major Teams : India, West Bengal
Known As : Dada
Batting Style : Left hand batsman
Bowling Style : Right arm medium bowler
Test Debut : 1996 against England at Lords
ODI Debut : 1991/92 against West Indies at Brisbane
ProfileThe captain of the side, Saurav Ganguly’s international career began in a disastrous way. As a 19 year-old, he was on tour to Australia in 1991/92 where both his ability and attitude was questioned. His recall for the 1996 tour to England was severely criticized but this talented left-hander silenced his critics by hitting century at Lord's. He hit another brilliant century (136) in that series at Nottingham and he ended up with the Man of the Series award. In the beginning he was considered fit only for Test matches because his inability to play onside strokes slowed down his scoring. Ganguly is one of the best players in the world when it comes to playing shots on the off side. But it did not take him long to work on his problem on the onside and gradually developed into an explosive opener as Sachin Tendulkar’s partner. He began with a bang in the 1997 Sahara Cup in Toronto, where he won four Man of the Match awards in a row. Ganguly’s biggest problem is his running between the wicket. He seems a little reticent as he strolls out to the wicket and prefers hitting fours in the early overs to stealing singles.

sachin tendulker

Sachin's Profile:
Full Name : Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar
Born: 24th April, 1973,
Mumbai Major Teams: Mumbai, Yorkshire, India
Known As: Sachin Tendulkar
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat
Bowling Style: Right Arm Off Break, Leg Break, Right Arm Medium
Marital Status: Married
Wife´s Name: Anjali TendulkarC
hildren: Two (One Boy and One Girl)
Girl´s Name: Sarah Tendulkar
Boy´s Name: Arjun Tendulkar

By popular vote, the greatest batsman in the world today, Sachin Tendulkar has the cricketing world at his feet. The adulation he commands world over is unsurpassed, perhaps since the days of Don Bradman, to whom of course he has been compared, by no less than the great man himself. While he may not end with a Test career average of 99.94, there is little doubt that based on his vigorous style of batsmanship and his insatiable appetite for runs and big scores, he is the most complete batsman since Vivian Richards. In many ways though he has surpassed even that outstanding West Indian batsman.
When Tendulkar is on song, there is no more majestic sight in the cricketing world. The spectators at the stadium are on their feet cheering while all over the world, TV audiences are glued to the screen. He has scored heavily on all kinds of wickets the world over, in conditions which lesser mortals have not been able to master and against bowlers whom other batsmen have found it difficult to score off. Immensely gifted and blessed with an impeccable technique, Tendulkar´s batting is a dream, combining timing, elegance and power. Mentally very strong, Tendulkar is best when confronted by a challenge - as he showed when mowing down Shane Warne in India in 1998. Captain during two short stints, Tendulkar has made it clear that he would prefer to concentrate on his batting and indeed, he seems to be getting better with every passing year. Scoring two double centuries in successive seasons and being the first to cross the 10,000 run barrier in ODIs is clear proof of this. The best thing from the fans´ point of view - if not the bowler's - is that the entertainment, courtesy Tendulkar, is still at the intermission stage. Long may ´The King´ continue to regale his willing subjects !!!
Do you know ...
... that Sachin Tendulkar got the name Sachin because his family members were all huge fans of the legendary music director Sachin Dev Burman (SD Burman)?
... that Sachin Tendulkar always wears his left pad first before his right pad when he goes in to bat?
... that Sachin has the National tri colour pasted inside his kit bag which is perhaps a constant reminder of what the country expects of him.
... that during an independence day function organised by the Indian high commission at Colombo, he requested a security man to get him a small flag, which he held close to his heart and he later tucked it neatly in the inside pocket of his blazer.
... that Sachin Tendulkar has won the maximum amount of man of the match awards in international cricket? His tally of 38 man of the match awards is the most by any player.
.. that Sachin is also one of the few cricketers to change his bat manufacturers often? He started his career with a Spanserils Greenland's (SG) switching on to Power, then to Slazenger and then to BASS before his current bat manufacturer MRF. During the 1996 World Cup he didn't have any stickers on his bat as he was in between contracts. There was also a slight controversy about him using a bat with the MRF logo on it as the ICC then had a rule that players were allowed to use bats manufactured only by sports firms.
... that Sachin was the first batsman to be given out run out by the third umpire? This incident took place in India's friendship series with South Africa at Durban during the 1992-93 series.
... that Sachin is the youngest batsman to get a half century
... that Sachin was also the first over seas cricketer for English County Yorkshire when he played for the proud club in the summer of 1992? And he played for the club with some distinction scoring 1000 runs at an average of 46.
... that Sachin uses one of the heaviest bats in World Cricket. His bat weighs 3.2 pounds which is about 1.42 kgs? The only person who uses a heavier bat is Lance Klusener.
... that India have won 22 of the 28 one day matches in which Sachin Tendulkar has made a century?
... that Sachin Tendulkar remembers each and every one of his test dismissals? He can exactly tell anyone who the bowler was and the mode of his dismissal.
Opening the innings for the first time in one dayers
Sachin Tendulkar opened the batting for the first time in the second match of the four match one day series against New Zealand at Auckland on March 27th 1994. He was forced to open the innings because Navjot Singh Sidhu was injured and no one else in the team was keen to open. It was his 70th one day international. Apart from it being a Sunday, it was also a day when the festival of colours "Holi" is celebrated in India. India needed 146 to win in 50 overs and Sachin Tendulkar played one of his best innings in One day internationals blasting 82 in 49 balls. When he was eventually dismissed caught and bowled by left arm spinner Matthew Hart he was given a standing ovation by the packed Sunday crowd at Auckland. Not surprisingly he won the man of the match award for that innings. "It was a dream like innings and such innings happen once in a life time." is what Sachin said at the post match presentation.
His first one day hundred Sachin Tendulkar got his first one day international century after playing 78 matches and five years of international cricket. People were beginning to wonder whether he will ever get to the three figure mark but on September 9, 1994 he silenced all his critics with a masterly 110 against Australia at the Premadasa Stadium in Colombo in the Singer Cup. His hundred helped India to win a match which was a do or die encounter for them as they had lost the previous match to Sri Lanka. Sachin's hundred helped India to a good total batting first and they ended up winning the match by a handsome margin. They also ended up winning the tournament beating Sri Lanka in the final. Sachin Tendulkar is a huge follower of Lord Ganesha (the Elephant God so widely worshipped in India) and that day happened to be Ganesh Chaturthi, may be that might have had something to do with his first one day hundred.
His first test hundred Sachin got his first test hundred on 14th August 1990 against England at Old Trafford Manchester. He made a match saving 119 not out and he along with Manoj Prabhakar who made 67 not out saved the match for India after they were in dire straits losing six wickets for next to nothing before tea. That match saving effort also earned him the distinction of becoming the second youngest test player at the age of 17 years and 112 days to score a hundred. His hundred followed a magnificent 50 in the first innings. Although it was bright and sunny in England it was pouring almost all day in India as it was Gokulashtmi (the day when the birth of Lord Krishna is celebrated by all his devotees). Gokulashtmi is normally associated with heavy rains.
Hundred in his first match as Captain In his very first match as Captain of India at the tender age of 23 Sachin scored a hundred (his ninth in ODI's) against Sri Lanka at the Premadasa Stadium in the Singer Trophy on 24th August 1996. Sachin scored an unbeaten 109 but India ended up losing the match tamely by nine wickets as Sanath Jayasuriya blasted a hundred in quick time. It was a festive occasion for the Indians and Sri Lankans as it was Coconut Day a national holiday in Sri Lanka and Raksha Bandhan or Narli Poornima in India where the sisters tie Rakhi on the hands of their brothers and the brothers in turn pledge to protect and stand by the side of their sisters at all times.
His first test victory as Captain Sachin achieved his first test victory in his very first test match as Captain when India beat Australia at the Ferozshah Kotla in New Delhi in the first ever Gavaskar-Border trophy test match played from the 10-14th of October 1996. The match will always be remembered for Nayan Mongia's 152 which the wicket keeper batsman scored as an opener and for which he was awarded with the man of the match. His first test victory came during the 'Navratri' season a period of nine nights during which people celebrate by dancing and playing dandia or garba which is a form of group dance and worshipping Godess Durga. The festival is particularly popular in Calcutta, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Karnataka. The 10th day is celebrated as Dussera a day which symbolises the victory of good over evil as Lord Ram returned to his Kingdom Ayodhya after his 14 year exile and his victory in the battle with the king of Sri Lanka Ravana. After winning the test match Sachin said "this win is a gift by the team to the cricket fans all over India on the occasion of Navratri."