‘No Conversation Between Sachin, Patil’

“There is no truth in the report. We have spoken to both Tendulkar and Patil, no such conversation ever took place,” said senior Board official Rajeev Shukla. Speculation was rife that the series against the West Indies could be the swansong for Tendulkar, but Patil himself also denied discussing the future with the senior cricketer. “It’s always a pleasure to meet Sachin, but I have not met him for the last 10 months. I have not called him, neither has he called me. We have not discussed anything, It’s all non-sense,” Patil said.

The report had stated that Patil met Tendulkar after the BCCI penciled in an unscheduled tour against the West Indies at home in November comprising a two-Test series and a three-game ODI rubber. The report also hinted that Patil had told Tendulkar that the selectors will decide the batsman’s future after his much-awaited 200th Test appearance, which is expected to happen in the two-match home series against the West Indies. “Patil spoke to Sachin Tendulkar and made him understand the entire scenario. He even told him about the selectors’ plan for the next one year and how they were looking to blood more youngsters,” the unnamed selector has been quoted as saying in the report.

The 40-year-old batting great, who has scored close to 16000 runs in Tests, has had a lean run especially over the last couple of years. He has scored only two half centuries in the last 10 Test matches India have played at home, against New Zealand, England and Australia, and his last Test hundred (146) was in an away Test at Cape Town against South Africa in January, 2011.

Another Chance For young Names and Veterans

Yuvraj made a ballistic hundred to underline the fact that he has so much more to offer as a cricketer, Yusuf’s blistering fifty told us that there’s still some fire left in his blade and Mandeep’s assured half-ton spoke volumes about the 21-year-old Punjabi’s skill and temperament. 

Some of them like Robin Uthappa and Unmukt Chand might have misfired in the first match, but they will be eager to push their cases forward when India take on the visitors in the second one-dayer here on Tuesday.Beyond the aforementioned personal angle, the ‘A’ matches have a much larger significance to it.

 

The under-19 and ‘A’ tours are long preceived to be the feeder lines to the national squad. While, the under-19 matches threw up talents like Yuvraj, Irfan Pathan and Virat Kohli, the ‘A’ tours reached a near-extinct stage, especially in the turn of this millenium. 

Perhaps, the presence of a set of remarkably gifted players and India’s subsequent rise to the top of the world cricket in Tests and one-dayers might have played a part in pushing the ‘A’ tours towards the red line. 

West Indies’ India tour Oct 31-Nov 27

The West Indies cricket team will tour India in October-November to play two Tests and three One-Day Internationals (ODI), it was officially announced Thursday.

The Oct 31-Nov 27 tour will also include a three-day warm-up game.
“The dates and venues of the matches will be announced shortly,” Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Sanjay Patel said in a statement here.

 

Sachin Announce His Retirement At Mumbai Test

Looks like BCCI is forcing Sachin to announce his retirement no matter how much the master blaster is saying he has some more cricket left in him. There are rumors saying that’s the reason why Sachin’s 200th test has been planned at Mumbai which could mark the event at his home ground.

Sachin played 198 tests and his 200th test has been planned by BCCI at Mumbai. However, we have an upcoming South African tour at the year end and it was believed that Sachin will make the record at the proteas.This could well mark Sachin’s 200th test and also pave way to announce his retirement.

In case the proposal is okayed by the WI Cricket Board we have chances of seeing Sachin announce his retirement at Mumbai test itself.It may be noted that Sachin already retired from one-day and Twenty-20 formats of the game!