Tendulkar: Is He Really The Greatest Batsman Ever?

Does he need any kind of introduction? If you are a cricket fan and if you are asked in your sleep who is the god of cricket? The answer without thinking twice would be “Sachin Tendulkar”. One of the best batsman India and the world (most probably) have seen and will ever see.

The question to ask is “Is he really the greatest batsman ever?” With over 13,000 runs in Tests, 47 centuries and over 17,000 runs, 46 centuries in ODI’s he has to be the greatest batsman ever looking at his stats. But has anyone ever tried to see what are Sachin’s second innings stats? Has anyone ever tried to find out how many times has Sachin succeeded in taking India to victory while batting second? Or how many times has Sachin performed under 'pressure' situations? Don’t get me wrong here I am not at all trying to take away the credit from a fantastic player as “Sachin Tendulkar” but aren’t there better players in world cricket than him? Lets take Rahul Dravid for example. 11,000 runs, 29 centuries in Tests and over 10,000 runs, 12 centuries in ODI’s the moment you look at the stats u can figure out that it’s a record of a person who is successful but he cannot be compared to the AURA of a Tendulkar. I might want to add though that sometimes stats don’t give you the entire picture. We all know the number of times Dravid has shored India out of trouble. Again as I said before, I am not trying to say that Rahul Dravid is a greater player then “The GOD”.

Below are some stats that show first & second innings averages of different Indian players in ODI’s since Jan 2005:

(Source: cricinfo.com)

Now let’s compare batsmen in International Cricket:

Below are some stats that show first & second innings averages of different players in ODI’s since Jan 2005:

(Source: cricinfo.com)

As you can see there is a phenomenal drop in the average as soon as the second innings comes into play. He also has the most drop in average when you compare Indian batsmen and International batsmen. Yes you can say he has a major difference because his first innings average is the best compared to other players but we aren’t talking about his first innings. Everyone knows that he is a phenomenal player when it comes to first innings. The entire point is whether is it really right to term him as the “Best batsman ever”.

It’s a thought worth thinking about if you can “not be a Tendulkar fan” for a while and then think. My point is not to take away the glory from him that he has attained in all these years. No one can do that. He has cemented his place and proved himself every time people have raised fingers on him. In fact he didn't need to do the talking as his bat does most of the talking for him. You don’t find players everyday that play for 20 years in world cricket and are termed as “The GOD”. There is no doubt that he is too good when it comes to cricket, when it comes to his batting and he is a fabulous sportsman but the question to ask is as I asked earlier “Is it appropriate to term him the best”?

Published in a website isport.in on Monday 3rd May 2010

http://www.tapri.in/cricket/international/1396-tendulkar-is-he-really-the-greatest-batsman-ever

About the author:

Kunal Choksi is an automobile enthusiast.

He likes to read, travel and loves automobiles & gadgets.

Email – kunal-choksi@hotmail.com

Who Was The Best Indian Cricket Captain?

India is hovering around the Number 1 position in ODI’s and trying to maintain the Number 1 position in Tests. Who do you think is to be given the credit for getting the team to such a marvelous position? Is it that India has actually started playing better cricket? Or is it that the cricketing scenario has changed in the country over the years? Could it be the captaincy under which the team is performing so well? Or is it just extra ordinary talent over the years?

Saurav Ganguly is considered as the most successful captain for India. He is also considered as the most aggressive one too. He is also the only captain who has won a test series against Pakistan in Pakistan itself. Achievements of ‘Dada’ can go on and on. But is it because of ‘Dada’ that the team is performing so well now? As he is the one who pioneered the base of a brilliant performance and killer attitude towards the game.

Ms Dhoni is considered as the most successful captain of India after Sourav Gangluly. Is it really correct to term him as the second most successful captain of the nation? The team has won T20 world cup under his captaincy and don’t forget players like ‘Tendulkar’ and ‘Laxman’ have publicly announced that they are very comfortable under ‘Ms Dhoni’s’ captaincy. But let’s not also forget that ‘Dada’ was made captain when the team was going through a very bad phase, match fixing scandals was at its high and team India had lost out on players like ‘Jadeja’ and X captain ‘Azharuddin’. It was under him that the team saw a new light. He never had star players performing under him; he was a sort of a captain who made stars out of ordinary players. Tendulkar was the backbone of the team during that phase, as Dravid wasn’t really a phenomenal one day player then. He removed the pressure of Tendulkar and helped players like Dravid, Yuvraj and Kaif to be who they are today. Thus, giving a platform for Dhoni to work on and making an all time fabulous team which has gone out on the field and done wonders.

I am not trying to take away any credit from any of the great captains. Let’s not forget the previous captains that have served the team and done a very good job too! Rosalynn Carter once said that “A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don't necessarily want to go but ought to be”. Most of the captains have done or tried to do their job in the best possible way but it’s either a ‘Ganguly’ or ‘M S Dhoni’ who is required to take the team where it is currently.

It’s an individual call as to who is greater of the two personalities, for some people ‘The prince of Bengal’ is someone who cannot be replaced but for some people it is ‘Ms Dhoni’ who is more street smart and knows how to handle pressure situations better, a better captain.

A list of comparisons between all the major captains of team India has been given below.

List of captains who've captained India:

(Qualification: Captained in more than 8 Tests, and more than 15 ODIs)

(Source: www.Indiancricketfans.com)

Published in a website isport.in on Thursday 6th May 2010

http://www.tapri.in/cricket/international/1400-who-was-the-best-indian-cricket-captain

About the author:

Kunal Choksi is an automobile enthusiast.

He likes to read, travel and loves automobiles & gadgets.

Email – kunal-choksi@hotmail.com

Will The “Longest Version Of The Game” Bow Down?

Sir Don Bradman, Malcolm Marshall, Micheal Holding, Sir Viv Richards, Allan Border, David Boon, Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara & Ian Botham. These are names that need no introductions if you are a Cricket fan. Players who redefined success and the way people looked at the game. Most of these players played in the best form of the game called “Test Cricket”.

Let’s look at a bit of history of cricket. It went through its birth-throes and emerged in a competitive international form in 1877 as "Test Cricket" with England playing Australia and losing. In 2000, Bangladesh became the tenth and newest Test entrant. Its standard five-day format calls for approximately 90-overs to be bowled per day till the match is drawn/tied, won or lost.

“One-Day Internationals” had an interesting origin. Although the limited-over’s format began in 1963 in the English domestic circuit, the first ODI was played (again) between England and Australia when the first four days of a Test match in 1971 were washed out, and the sun came out on the fifth. ODIs became popular so fast that by 1975, the cricketing nations had played their first World Cup.

“Twenty20” was originally introduced in the United Kingdom for professional inter-county competition by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), in 2003. On 17th February 2005 Australia defeated New Zealand in the first men's full international Twenty20 match, played at Eden Park in Auckland. After all this there was no looking back. Cricketing fans went bizarre. They wanted more and more cricket each day of their lives. It is said that a true temperament of a player is tested in “Test Cricket”. Whether he is a bowler or a batsman, his real test is when he plays the longest version of the game. With the growing popularity of “Twenty20” the question to ask is will “Test Cricket” be able to survive the competition?

The International Cricket Council (ICC) says it is pleased to own three versions of the game. But it also thinks that “Twenty20” could gobble up the other two in the near future. After the introduction of Indian Premier League (IPL) it’s as if players have been more interested in playing for money than the game. It is also said that cricketing boards of respective countries are skeptical of scheduling matches during the time of IPL as they are not sure if the players will play for their home team. The amount of money that a player earns in an IPL season is far more when it is compared to what he earns back home.

Whether this form of game is going to be a blessing or a curse we will have to wait and watch. Will Twenty20 change the world cricketing order in the near future? Will test and one-day cricket bow down to it? Will we get cricketing legends that we used to get earlier? Or will Cricket redefine itself? It’s unclear how long will we have to wait for a definitive answer.

Published in a website isport.in on Saturday 8th may 2010

http://www.tapri.in/cricket/international/1412-will-the-longest-version-of-the-game-bow-down-

About the author:

Kunal Choksi is an automobile enthusiast.

He likes to read, travel and loves automobiles & gadgets.

Email – kunal-choksi@hotmail.com

Spanish GP – Schumacher Shows His Skill

Was it the Spanish Grand Prix or was it “Webber” Grand Prix. He not only qualified for the pole position but also finished the race at the same position without letting anyone pass by him. It was as if Mark Webber was racing with himself. A difference of approximately 15 seconds between him and the first looser (2nd position) when he crossed the chequered flag.

Fernando Alonso getting more out of his luck today finished second and the same goes for Sebastian Vettel as Lewis Hamilton’s left front Bridgestone gave up on him when the chequered flag was about 4 laps away. This gave both the followers of Lewis Hamilton to finish a position ahead of what they would have finished at. Tough luck for Lewis I guess. Now the positions might have changed at the last moment and Lewis unfortunately finished on the 14th position but the real battle was somewhere else.

After the 18th lap, a legend called Michael Schumacher decided to show his fans that he still has the metal in him. Jenson Button who had lost out to the German in the pits dropped back to the 6th position behind Michael Schumacher. That’s when the real battle of the race begun. The defending world champion tried his best to go ahead of the ace driver but in vain. Schumacher used all experience and skills to show who the best is.

With a car that can surely do better than Schumi’s Mercedes, Button still couldn’t manage to get ahead of him. He tried his best and managed to get close to the German, while on main straight several times but in vain. Michael Schumacher just dint let him pass by. The battle continued till the end of the race but finally it was Schumacher who came out victorious in the 4th position ahead of Jenson button who finished 5th.

It might have been Mark Webber’s day but it was Schumacher who came out victorious. Is this an indication to all the Schumacher fans of what to expect in the upcoming races? Will we get to see the “Real Schumacher” in the rest of the season or was it just today? Whether he will perform to his fans expectations or not, whether he will make his come back count or not? These are questions that will require time and only Michael Schumacher will be able to answer them and I suppose he would want his car to do the talking rather than his mouth.

In the meantime all we have to do is sit back and enjoy one of the best drivers in the history of F1 prove himself yet again.

Published in a website isport.in on Monday 10th May 2010

http://www.tapri.in/motor-sports/f1/1419-spanish-gp-schumacher-shows-his-skill

About the author:

Kunal Choksi is an automobile enthusiast.

He likes to read, travel and loves automobiles & gadgets.

Email – kunal-choksi@hotmail.com

India vs Australia: Has India Attained No.1 Spot in Test Cricket Because of Teamwork?

Sachin Tendulkar scores a double Ton and Murali Vijay scores his first century in Test cricket. Hats off to both batsmen for getting India where they are currently. But if I may ask if you remove these two scores what is the total of the World’s No.1 Test team? The last 5 wickets (after Tendulkar got out) fell in 9 runs. So, did the rest of the players assume that 17 runs of lead is enough?

Why is it that most of the times the team depends on only individual performances? Why can’t the entire team contribute to lead its way to victory? Either a Tendulkar scores a century or maybe a Virendra Sehwag or maybe a Rahul Dravid. When will India learn how to play like a team?

I am not saying that India has not given a tough fight to Australia’s massive score of 478. They have overtaken the score with 2 batsmen who displayed brilliant batting performances, but the rest just daggled around. If that is what you call team play, well then I guess I need to get my definitions correct. Just to put some light on the total of 478, 3 of Australia's batsmen scored above 50 and one batsmen scored above hundred. Also, Simon Katich who came close to a 50 but unfortunately got out at 43. If u look at the scorecard it does look like a true team effort doesn’t it?

I hope India bowl brilliantly and we win the test match and take a lead in the Test series. But if India wants to be aworld class team and maintain its Test position for a longer period of time, players will have to learn what teamwork is really about. It's more than just a mere word in the English language. Teamwork and consistent performances by players is the reason why Australia has won more than a couple of World Cups. India might beat Australia in this Test match but when it comes to consistent performances and team work Australia beats India by a huge margin.

Published in a website isport.in on Tuesday 12 October 2010

http://www.tapri.in/cricket/test-cricket/1839-india-vs-australia-has-india-attained-no1-sport-in-test-cricket-because-of-teamwork

About the author:

Kunal Choksi is an automobile enthusiast.

He likes to read, travel and loves automobiles & gadgets.

Email – kunal-choksi@hotmail.com

Commonwealth Games: When Will Kalmadi and Co. Be Punished?

With India finishing second for the first time ever in Commonwealth Games (CWG), as an Indian am I supposed to be proud of my country’s performance or should I be ashamed for the common wealth that was accumulated for organizing the games?

To be honest I am very proud of the athletes of my country as they are the reason why India is on the second spot for first time in the history of the game.

As a citizen of this country and a tax payer, I am truly embarrassed as all the organizing committee of CWG did was to churn more and more money out from the entire event. Finishing the work 2 days prior to the event, broken bridges, substandard quality of work, ignoring the worker who is still lying in the hospital after the bridge collapsed on him. The list can go on and on and on. To top it every Indian who had blamed the government that we didn’t need the Games fell flat as soon as the opening ceremony finished. All I could hear from people was what an opening ceremony it was. Ours was better than the FIFA World Cup ceremony and ours was better than the previous CWG and on and on. There is no doubt that the opening ceremony was absolutely brilliant but was the ceremony so well that tax payers money which was pocketed by the organizing committee be forgotten?

Will there be justice to every tax payer’s money? Will the culprits be given the punishment or as it generally happens we will just have a committee that will look into the matter?

I as the citizen of India would love to see the culprits appropriately punished and the punishment should be such that no other person in the country would want to repeat the same mistake.

Time to face the embarrassment yet again & salute the athletes of India!

Published in a website isport.in on Thursday 14th October 2010

http://www.tapri.in/specials/commonwealth-games/1846-commonwealth-games-when-will-kalmadi-and-co-be-punished

About the author:

Kunal Choksi is an automobile enthusiast.

He likes to read, travel and loves automobiles & gadgets.

Email – kunal-choksi@hotmail.com

Stylish Star+

First of all let me tell you, I ride a 20 Bhp motorcycle. So anything below that (yes I am a bit biased) I find pretty boring. So when my editor told me to take a look at the new edition Tvs Star City+, I wore a big (non convincing) smile on my face and I said 'ok'.

When I first saw the bike, the colour gleamed in my eyes (the test vehicle we got was red in colour). The paint job was immaculate. No spots, no bubbles just bright shiny red. Then my eyes fell on the headlamp which was filled with style, smile and character (after riding it I realized a pretty decent beam for riding during the nights).

I was by then quite impressed with the styling of the bike. Pushing myself further to explore this red gleaming star, I realized how much importance Tvs had given to little things on the bike.

It has stylish honeycomb textured grills on top of the 3d emblemed embossed logo on both the side panels. The odometer is white in colour (a bit like the big daddy in their arsenal Rtr 180) with digital reading of kilometers & fuel. It also has a service indicator which informs you when your bike is due for service. The switches (also like the Rtr 180) are neat and stylish. Finally it also comes with coloured rear shock absorbers (for style) and with 5 different settings for the potholed roads and lanes of our country.

All this before I even rode the bike a single kilometer.

I started the bike and the engine meowed to life (couldn't really manage to roar with the power it has). But it was still a soothing sound.

The star comes with a 109cc, 4-stroke, EcoThrust engine. It offers boost in fuel efficiency and boasts a mileage of 86 kmpl (in the real world it might be a bit less). With 8.4 ps it has decent power to offer in its class. It also comes with a Econometer feature, which indicates if one is riding in the power mode or the economy mode. Thus helping further to enhance the mileage. With a 4 speed (constant mesh) gearbox the gear shift is so smooth that accidentally one can end up changing 2 gears at a time. It has a very comfortable sitting position and a top speed of about 90 kmph. Braking from that 90kmph might become an issue as it has drum brakes at both ends. But if you are not at 90 kmph it offers decent braking. With tyre sizes of 2.75 x 17 (front) and 3.00 x17 (rear) its give decent stability. For some odd reason Tvs chose to take out the option of Mobile charging from the current model.

All this at a price of INR 44,000 (ex delhi showroom) does sound like a deal to me.

Overall a very smooth & comfortable ride, decent power and very good styling. The star definitely will have a say in its competition.

With the star, Tvs is trying to rejuvenate their presence in the entry level competition. The styling, ride quality and pricing does make it seem hopeful but lets see what verdict the automotive world gives the bike. 

About the author:

Kunal Choksi is an automobile enthusiast. He has done his college from the Mumbai University and has also done a PGDBA in Marketing.

He likes to read, travel and loves automobiles & gadgets.

Email – kunal-choksi@hotmail.com