Sachin bags World Cup trophy once again

The owner of a city-based gold jewellery outlet had his glitterati moment when he presented a gold coated replica of the World Cup trophy to Sachin Tendulkar yesterday. T A Sharavana, owner of Sai Gold Palace and ardent cricket fan presented Tendulkar with a bat, ball, and a trophy weighing 5.1 kg made of 4.5 kg silver and 600 gm gold.

Tendulkar and other members of Mumbai Indians were in the city for the match against Royal Challengers Bangalore and obliged to meet this special fan at the hotel where the team is staying. The little master was however taken aback by the gift Sharavana offered. "I have received many gifts from fans after winning the World Cup. All reflect on their love and affection, but this is quite special," said Tendulkar.

Sharavana said, "Sachin is the golden man of cricket. The gift, through small considering his stature, is from my heart." He also celebrated India's win  by offering a holy bath to the idol of Lord Ganesha at the Dodda Ganapathi temple at Basavanagudi.
According to a beaming Sharavana, 15 goldsmiths toiled for two months to prepare the trophy.

Sharavana said, "I had pledged that I would present this special gift to Sachin after India wins the World Cup. Although several people asked me what if we lost the tournament, but I was sure that we would win, and kept the gift ready." Sharavana even convened a cricket homa at which JD (S) patriarch H D Deve Gowda offered pooja on behalf of the Indian team just before the final match. He had also taken Harbhajan Singh to the famous Shani temple in Thyagaraja Nagar when the turbanator was in the city for practice matches before the start of the World Cup tournament.

Sachin Tendulkar and India govern Wisden's Test team of the year

Selecting cricket teams is not just an exercise for academics stuck in boring lectures. The dream team of world cricketers that is the Wisden Test XI, published in this year’s Almanack, contains five Indians, two South Africans, two England bowlers (Graeme Swann and James Anderson), one Sri Lankan and one Bangladeshi, which says a deal about the world game: the countries in which cricket is healthy and the ones in which it is not.

India are No1in the International Cricket Council Test rankings as well as the World Cup holders. One of their five players in the Wisden Test XI is Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who has been their captain for a few years — and India still have not lost a Test series under him. Dhoni is joined by Virender Sehwag, VVS Laxman, Zaheer Khan and Sachin Tendulkar, who is also Wisden’s Leading Cricketer in the World.

At the other extreme: no Australian in this year’s Wisden Test XI, no Pakistani, no West Indian and no New Zealander. And this is not narrow-minded, UK-based myopia. The three selectors are the Australian Ian Chappell, the Pakistani Ramiz Raja and the West Indian Ian Bishop. The editor is simply the convenor, with no vote except a casting one in the event of a tie.

No Australian indeed. When Jacques Kallis gets too old to bowl quick, Shane Watson is set to be his successor as the only top-order Test batsman who can bowl pace. Only a couple of days ago he showed what a striker he is by hitting 15 sixes and 15 fours from the 96 balls he faced in scoring 185 in a one-day international against Bangladesh.

Still, it is a bit reminiscent of the fate of West Indies. One decade the world champions and a side packed with great cricketers, the next decade floundering without a great cricketer — or a succession strategy – in sight.

In a way the future looks brighter for Pakistan than Australia. They lost their captain Salman Butt, and their two opening Test bowlers, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Asif, after being suspended and sanctioned by the ICC.

They lost all their home venues, and the advantage that goes with them — and yet they still topped their qualifying Group A in the World Cup, and were knocked out by the holders, India, at the semi-final stage. Talented, resilient, and making the most of creative tension.

No Australian or Pakistani in the Wisden Test XI, but for the first time a Bangladeshi. One selector soberly opted for Andrew Strauss as the opening batsman to partner Sehwag, another for South Africa’s captain, Graeme Smith.

But when the third opted for Tamim Iqbal, I was swayed by the same giddy thought of both openers hitting a hundred in the opening session of the Test match against Mars, and a particular TV commentator at lunch on day one going mad and shouting: “Start the spaceship!”.

Sachin Tendulkar drives out retirement talk

He may not of made a century, but the  "Little Master" left the field with the only medal that had so far eluded him, as India beat Sri Lanka by six wickets in the final in Mumbai.

The 37-year-old could not be blamed for calling time on his prestigous 20-year international career, with many records to his name and even more trophies at his home.

But Tendulkar told CricketWorld.com, "No. This is a moment to enjoy and celebrate. It's not about what I'm going to do in the future. This is a special moment which I really want to enjoy and live it to its fullest.

"This was the reason why I started playing cricket. I wanted to achieve something, do something for the country. The process has been a long one and I've continued to enjoy my game. I don't see any reason why I need to change anything right now."

The 37-year-old said he was still "speechless" after India's success.

"I started playing cricket dreaming of lifting the trophy one day and that is where it all started," he said.

"I am speechless to be honest, to express how I feel. This is by far the best moment. This is the moment I have been waiting for, for such a long time, 21 or 22 years. It is really worth every bit of it. It is really, really special."