END OF AN ERA

To me & millions of Indians, Sachin Tendulkar is a hero,an inspiration, an idol,superman to be precise.He has given the people of India a hero to look upon.No matter how grave the situation is in the country,when Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar bats the nation watches.We have been awestruck time & again by the little master.It might rarely happen elsewhere that when Sachin bats the nation comes to a standstill.The joy & smile he brings on the faces of people even after 24 years is overwhelming.His humility,modesty & the way he has handled the adulation for so long is commendable.Little Master,Master Blaster,Little Champion or Tendlya what ever one might call him to us Indians he remains our hero,our superman.The feats that Sachin has achieved over the due course of his career are legendary & outstanding.He has seen & done it all.Yes we did have heroes & idols like Lata Mangeshkar,Amitabh Bachchan,Sunil Gavaskar,Bhagat Singh,Sardar Vallabhai Patel,Mahatma Gandhi,Sarojini Naidu,Kapil Dev besides others but with Sachin Tendulkar people could see an enigma in the making.The people of India finally had a champion who would tall stand(even though he was short in stature)to the mightiest of fast bowlers,immense pressure,scrutiny by media,criticism from various sections.Sachin captured the imagination of the public who were looking for a hero,an inspiration and he did that.It is difficult to assess the kind of pressure he had to cope up with, when people were expecting a century from him everytime he went out to bat.Every time Sachin went out to bat,devotees expected their "God" to score a century & Tendulkar didn't disappoint them to an extent.He carried the burden of the team solely on his shoulder for over two decades,never once complained about lack of team talent,assistance or anything else.He is like an old warrior who refuses to give up,who refuses to budge down,refuses to slow down.His will to play & win matches for the team is jubiliant.He also took up captaincy when he was asked to do so,not once but twice.When in swansong people shower their love & praises on the Little Champion & when he doesn't perform well the same people criticise him  but he never complained.Playing for India was all he wanted as a child.A dream fulfilled as the Little Master went on to have one of the most successful cricketing careers in the game of cricket.Besides his achivements, his modesty & humility are known across the globe.The likes of Roger Federer,Michael Schumacher,Usian Bolt,Don Bradman,Sushil Kumar,Andy Murray,Boris Becker,Martina Navratilova,Amitabh Bachchan are not only fans of his cricketing talent but also the way in which he handles public pressure,scrutiny,criticism,expectation of a billion people.His attitude of playing the game in the fair way,respecting the opposition team & players most importantly his love & passion for the game is endearing.When the team fails or the nation fails,Sachin quitely did his job,he always let his bat do the talking.He always brought cheers & joy across when ever he came out to bat.If the Americans had Michael Jordan,F1 had Schumi,Football had Pele & Maradonna,Boxing had Muhammad Ali,Baseball had Babe Ruth ,Tennis had John Mcenroe,the cricketing world was priveleged to have "Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar".His courage,his heroics with the bat & ball,his discipline,his focus,dedication & respect for the game he loved & fans that adored him is bravado.His child like enthusiasm & approach for the game is still talked about.He has always played throughout injuries,which defines his gritty character.His ability to dominate,be in control of his innings,shape up the course of the match is oustanding.Yes he is not perfect he isn't the same dominant cricketer that he was before but it is a fact that he gave all that he could for the nation.He has his share of criticism & rightly so no one is perfect,not even Tendulkar but the thing is we are happy to see Tendulkar happy & doing well.Yes one could also argue with the fact that he wasn't a match winner,got out under crucial circumstances or didn't sail through the victoey for India.One of the reasons being lack of support for Sachin at the other end,he was always the "Last Man Standing".It is right to fault him that when the heat was really on he lost his wicket.Yes he isn't that big of a match winner or dominates the game the way Brian Lara,Ricky Ponting,Jacques Kalllis & others did  .But the thing is Sachin was always under pressure to perform & rightly so because he was Sachin Tendulkar.That is how big his contribution has been to game of cricket & the team.He is the real "Ratna" or "Gem" of the nation.It is a treat to watch Sachin bat & even better is when he scores a hundred & looks upto the heavens and waves his bat in the memory of his father,followed by God & his fans.It is funny to see that even though Sachin doesn't bat or bowls people still chant his name.

He is childhood hero,he still is one & would remain one throughout my life.I like to refer him as "The Master".His contribution to Indian Cricket has been astounding.The man holds a horrendous record of 69 International Cricketing Records..haha..difficult to name all of them.He has bought pride & glory for the country.The madness with which he is worshipped is incredible.Yes the Master Blaster is retiring but he is retiring after giving the nation & public a heroic service for 24 glorious years.He is not bigger than the sport but he is what that completes the sport.People have went on to quote that,Cricket is my religion & Tendulkar is my God.It is difficult to measure Sachin's greatness.He has the ability to lift the nation from any crisis or depression.He is a living legend,having carried the hopes of the nation of a billion people is no joke.A very fine batsman & an even gentle & nice human being.Amidst the love he gets,the fame,money & support he has remanined the same Tendlya we saw bat when he scored his first International Century against England @ Old Trafford,1990.A simple,shy,reserved character whose passion for the game he loved is commendable.Sunil Gavaskar summed it up perfectly,he said,"India's fortune will depend on many runs the Little Master score".As the Master bids adieu ,farewell to the game of cricket for the final time i can only say thank you for the memories Sachin,#respect.The SRT straight drive is surely going to be missed.I can go on & on & on about the Master,he is perhaps one of the greatest cricketers & athletes ever to have ever played the game of cricket.The chants of Saaaacchiiinnn......Saaaaccchhiinnn are surely going to be missed.Its is definately end of an era,end of an illustrious hall of fame career,perhaps one of the greatest ever in any sport.#ThankyouSachin for the memories,you are a hero,or as MS Dhoni summed it up the true "Mr.India".Jai Hind

My Sachin Moments

As the glittering hall of fame career of Sachin Tendulkar comes to an end it is time to rewind on his most famous memories that he has bestowed upon us.Here is a list of my most memorable Sachin moments:

1.Sandstorm Innings,Sharjah,1998

The Master Blaster  was at his imperial best in the two innings he played against the mighty Aussies in Sharjah. Little Master scored two back to back hundreds with scores of 143 in the semi final & 134 in the final to win it for India.It is unarguably one of the finest dsiplay of dominant batting one could witness.The memory stays intact with all of his fans & the nation.The sixes that he hit of Moody,Kasprowicz,Warne & Fleming were amazing.Both innings played under immense pressure as India had to chase a total in excess of 270 both the times.Sachin was on a different zone during this period,he dominated the game of cricket in the 1990's like no cricketer  did.

2.Demolishing Pakistani Attack.World Cup,2003

The six that Sachin hit of Shoaib Akhtar's ball in the group match, in the 2003 World Cup remains one of the most memorable sight for a cricket fan.He cut him hard over backward point,the ball travelled a long distance & went for a huge six.The crowd at Centurion Park erupted in a frenzy.Fans in the stadium went mad.Sachin demolished the likes of Wasim Akram,Waqar Younis,Abdur Razzaq,Shahid Afridi & particularly Shoaib Akhtar as India beat Pakistan in the match.

3.Six of Andrew Caddick,World Cup,2003

India Vs England it was in the group match,Sachin was batting & Andrew Caddick was bowling.Caddick bowled a bouncer & Sachin pulled him for a wild six.Yes the bowl sailed out of the stadium.It was a massive massive six.Tony Greig's commentary on that particular shot made it even more memorable.

4.Rivalry vs Warne

Two of the greatest cricketers ever, went head to head several times in the prime of their careers.It was a joy to watch Sachin bat against the Wizard of Spin,Shane Warne.Tendulkar dominated Warne like no other batsman did,eventually always got the better of Warne.His best shots against Warne were the inside out ,hitting sixes & fours right over Warne's head,dancing down the track & hitting him for boundaries.It was the most exciting battle in cricket.Sachin gave us plenty of memorable moments during his duel with Warne.

5.29th,30th,34th,35th&50th Test Tons

I made a point to point out these particular hundreds of Sachin for the simple reason:

29th Test Ton against West Indies-equalled Sir Don Bradman's record of 29 test tons

30th test ton against England at Leeds broke the Don's record

34th test ton against Bangladesh, equalled the previous world record of 34 test hundreds by Sunil Gavaskar

35th test ton against Sri Lanka at New Delhi,The Master finally broke Sunil Gavaskar's record of 34 test tons 

50th Test ton-Perhaps the most memorable hundred for Sachin & his fans.To score 50 test hundreds is a gigantic feat.None could dream,achieve or think that it was even humanly possible to scale 50 test hundreds.These tons have been memorable not just to me but millions of his fans.

6.Winning the World Cup,2011

This was perhaps the last chance the Master had to cherish his unfulfilled dream of winning the most prized possession in cricket,every cricketers dream,to win the cricket World Cup.The Master after playing for almost two decades & losing in the 2003 World Cup Final had his moment under the sun.India finally won the cricket world cup after 1983.Sachin batted beautifully throughout the tournament,he was the second highest run getter in the tournament.A very emotional moment for the master as well as his fans.

7.103* vs England @ Chennai,2008

One of his best innings in test match cricket.The match was played in the aftermath of the 26/11 attacks that took place in Mumbai.The Indian team was to chase 387 on the last day.Sehwag,Yuvraj & Tendlya did it for Team India.For those who criticise that Sachin didn't perform under pressure,this was The Master's answer to his critics.Indian won the nail biting contest in a thrilling manner,Tendulkar score a magnificent hundred.One of his best innings & surely a memorable moment for his fans.Tendulkar scoring a hundred & India winning.

8.200* vs South Africa @ Gwalior,2010

I will quote Ravi Shastri's commentary here,"First man to score 200 & he is the Superman from India".It was one of the most defining moments for Sachin as a cricketer as no cricketer had ever scored 200 in an ODI.Sachin scoring the 200 made us even more proud for our hero.It was an amazing & memorable moment for Sachin fans.

9.Heroics in T20 Cricket

The Master Blaster people knew was back & back with a bang.Few could belive Sachin could play dominating cricket yet again.The fours & sixes he hit was a treat for the fans.Vintage Sachin in action yet again thrashed bowling attacks in the IPL.He was  the highest run getter in IPL  for a brief period & also won the IPL,Champions League & did the unbelievable, scoring a ton in T20 cricket.It was fabulous watching Master bat the way he used to bat in the prime of his career.

10.Retirement from International Cricket

Carrying the hopes of a billion people for nearly 24 years,bringing smile & joy on the faces of countless people,Sachin Tendulkar quitting from International Cricket after his last test against the West Indies is a sad day for cricket.But for his biggest fans "Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar" would always remain their hero,idol,inspiration.Hail the God of Cricket #ThankYouSachin for the memories you have given us over the years.

GREATEST COMMENTATORS OF THE GAME OF CRICKET:

Cricket is a game watched by millions around the globe.Fans either watch it live in the stadium or watch it live on the television.But what brings alive the game of cricket on television is the cricket commentary,commentated by the greats of game & other individuals.Being an ardent fan myself & following the game of cricket for long now,i feel cricket without commentary on tv would be dull & unentertaining.The commentators by their unique style speak,discuss,debate,elaborate & even enlighten the audiences & fans with their expertise,voice,sense of humour & analysis.Their contribution is of supreme significance.So here is my list of the  10 greatest  cricket commentators of all time:

1.Bill Lawry

Former Australia batsman & captain is by far the most entertaining cricket commentator i have ever listened to.I still remember waking up at 5 in the morning because the Australian matches were broadcasted early in the morning in India,just to listen pre match analysis by Bill Lawry & Richie Benaud,it was a lesson in cricket for me.I had pay to listen to Bill Lawry & Richie Benaud when they spoke,such was their greatness when they spoke.His knowledge of the game,his reactions,his impromptu response to crazy match situations & his fairness towards the game of cricket makes him my most favourite cricket commentator of all time.

2.Richie Benaud

Many would rate Richie Benaud as the finest cricket commentators of all time.His immense knowledge of the game of cricket stands out.Richie Benaud,himself being a successful member of the Australian Cricket Team,is also the most respected & famous cricket commentators around.His robotic voice was legendary to say the least,his observation of every player,every team,every situation,they way he described it,gave his opinion,it was an absolute honour to listen to Richie Benaud.

3.Harsha Bhogle

He is a cricket fan's delight when to comes to listening quality,unbiased,witty yet incredible commentary.Harsha Bhogle is a rarity.His knowledge of the game considering the fact that he never played professional cricket is outstanding.His opinion & thoughts on the game of cricket is amazing.The thing with Harsha Bhogle is one can never get bored of him,the more he speaks the more do people want to listen to him.He has a real connect with the television audience.He is time & again voted as  the favourite commentator by the fans.

4.Ravi Shastri

One of the most popular & successful cricket commentators in recent times, Ravi Shastri or "Shaz" as people may refer him in the commentary world is excellent when he speaks in his trademark fashion.His style,the way he speaks it is incredible.He is witty ,has an amazing sense of humour & speaks fiercely.Himself being an accomplished all round cricketer,Shastri is a real treat for the tv audience.He isn't afraid & speaks his mind.

5.Tony Greig

Along with Richie Benaud & Bill Lawry if there has been a crickter who has been covering the game of cricket for so long,then it has to be Tony Greig.Unfortunately he succumbed to cancer earlier this year of cancer & died but he had a distinguishing career as a cricket commentator.His voice was instantly recognisable with the fans,especially when the Little Master,"Sachin Tendulkar"used to come out to bat.His cricketing skills were terrific coupled with his knowledge of the game & outstanding voice & biased free opinion contributed his success as a  great cricket commentator.

6.Ian Chappel

He can be rightly named as the"Guru" of cricket.A ferocious captain of the Australian Cricket team & a fine batsman,Ian Chappel is also one of the most recognisable cricket commentators in modern day.His knowledge of the game of cricket is incredible,it is like an ocean,deep.He is a cricket expert in real sense.Being a student of the game of cricket i can proudly say the youngsters have & can learn a lot from him.His observation,analytical abilities & description of the game is phenomenal.Like Shastri,Ian Chappel too is fierce & speaks his mind out.

7.Sunil Gavaskar

One of the all time cricketing greats,Sunil Gavaskar has been a veteran of cricket commentating since two decades now.Gavaskar,like Ian Chappel is a student of the game,his obersvations,analysis & opinion on the game of cricket have been terrific.I always made a point listeining to cricketing pundits like Sunil Gavaskar,Richie Benaud,Ian Chappel & Ravi Shastri especially for their immense knowledge of the game of cricket.Masterclass,one could say. Gavaskar, though has been accused a bit of being biased towards the BCCI nonetheleast he is one fine cricketing brain to listen to.

8.Navjot Singh Sidhu

If there is anyone & i mean it any one with such a great sense of humour,proverbs,impeccable hold of grammar & vocabulary in English at same time in Hindi & is incredibly entertaining to listen to it has to be Sherry Paaji.It is always a joy to listen to Sidhu.The way he describes the match, ball by ball,situation by his proverbs,thoughts & his antics they are a thorough treat for the tv audience.Loved by all,Sidhu's hold on language & his understanding of the game is incredible.What is even better is his analysis & the way he describes it.One can die with laughter when Sidhu holds the mike at the same time one can also learn alot about the game & life when Navjot Singh Sidhu speaks,pure class.

9.Danny Morrison

One of the  most entertaining commentators in recent times,Danny Morrison is insanely funny yet charismatic.His witty nature instantly connects with the audience & he can make people laugh anytime as per his will with his antics..one could actually say lol that was insanely funny Danny :D

10.Nasser Hussain

A thorough gentleman on and of the cricket pitch,Nasser Hussain has gained popularity as a successful cricket commentator.The former England Captain has a simple approach,his simple yet fluent style suits him well & his anaylsis & opinion of the game are outstanding.He speaks like a thorough gentleman,someone one would like to listen to.Speaks his mind,is unbiased & fair in his judgement.Nassau pinpoints terrific detail about the game which leads fair discussions & debates.

With curtains finally falling on the 23 year old illustrious career of the Master Blaster, its time to rewind on his best career knocks of all time in Test Cricket:

1.136 vs Pakistan @ Chennai,1999

This has to be perhaps the  greatest of innings that that Little Master played.Yes India did lose the match in the end by 13 runs but if it wasn't for  the heroics of Tendulkar that India could never put up a fighting performance against the formidable Pakistani side & most importantly Saqlain Mushtaq,the man tormented India throughout the series.Sachin fought immense back pain & pressure to help India chase 271 but he fell short as India lost the match by mere 13 runs.One of master's most clutch performances.

2.241 vs Australia @ Sydney,2004

The fourth test match of the series & yes Sydney Cricket Ground it was as people would build it "Sachin Cricket Ground".It had been a quite series for the Master coupled with super bad umpiring decisions.But the Master wasn't done yet.People save their best for last but Tendulkar reserves it against the mighty Aussies.His determination,his will,his discipline was exemplary.Tendulkar didn't hit a single ball on the off side or the covers as he was repeatedly getting out on balls bowled to him on the off stump.Patience Personified to be precise to describe this innings of the Master.

3.193 vs England @ Headingley,2002

One of the Master's most brutal & dominating knocks that cricket fans have ever witnessed.India batting first scored a gigantic total of 628-8 dec in the first innings aided by tons from Ganguly,Dravid & Tendulkar who eventually won the match for India & helped to level the series at 1-1.Sachin scored a magnificent yet fluent 193 a knock which included 19 fours & 3 huge six.One specific six he hit of Andrew Caddick,he came down half pitch & hit it for a huge six.It was billed as "Home Run" by Geoff Boycott.

4.103 vs England @ Chennai,2008

The match was played in the backdrop on the 26/11 attacks that stormed Mumbai.With 387 left to chase in the fourth innings Sehwag,Yuvraj & Sachin sealed the victory for Team India.The Master notably played a masterclass innings of 103 not out under immense pressure & limited time to seal the victory for Indian Team.Sachin once again proved  that his hundreds are not limited to matches ending in draws or losses but also victories.He noted his this knock as one of his best ever.

5.146 vs South Africa @ Cape Town,2010

Sachin scored an impressive 146 against the mighty bowling attack of the Proteas.Dale Steyn the best bowler in world cricket too had a tough time bowling against the master.Steyn along with Morne Morkel were on the receiving end this time as the Master Blaster terrorised the South African Bowling around the park.One of the Master's finest

6.114 vs Australia @ Perth,1992

Even after two decades after playing that knock the Aussies are still surprised as to how a shaky 20 year old could play an innings of such character & valour.The Aussie  bowling attack comprising of Craig McDermott,Merv Hughes,P Reifell & MR Whitney were in the prime of their bowling prowess but Tendulkar stormed the occassion & staked his claim as a rising young superstar.

7.116 vs Australia @ Melbourne,1999

Team India were going through their worst,it was a lull for both the team as well as the then Captain Sachin Tendulkar.The problem was Team  India's over dependence on the Master.In the second test match of the series though Tendulkar gave all that he could possibly have.Out of team total 212 the master scored 116 impressive runs against the mighty bowling attack of Fleming,McGrath,Lee & Warne.An innings played under tremendous pressure but under a losing cause nevertheless the Master once again proved his metal with consistent performances against top bowling attacks.

8.117 vs West Indies @ Trinidad & Tobago,2002

India finally won a test match in the carribean & it was worth the wait.Unlike the original "Little Master",Sunil Gavaskar,Sachin Tendulkar had to wait before he could win a match here against the West Indies.It was an important innings which shaped the way for India to win the match.

9.119 vs England @ Manchester,1991

Sachin's first century & what a fighting innings it was.Thriving under pressure has always been with him since his debut & he is still going strong carrying the hopes of nation of a billion people on his shoulders.Sachin's fighting knock helped India save the match.The world witnessed a young 17 year old marking his entry with a bang.Very few would have predicted that this young lad would go on to become one of the greatest batsman in the history of cricket.

10.155 vs Australia @ Chennai,1998

The series dubbed as the" Warne vs Tendulkar" duel lived upto its impressive heights.Tendulkar was on a different zone in this series.People started identifying Tendulkar with Sir Viv Richards who was originally called the Master Blaster.Sachin slammed Warne for huge sixes  as well as hitting him inside out & various cover drives of Kasprowicz & Peter Reifell..It was a treat to watch vintage Tendulkar in action, destroying bowlers at his will.Mark Taylor,the Australian Captain back then had famously stated in the post match presentation that they didn't lose to a team called India but to a man called Sachin Tendulkar.

Honourable mention:

160 vs New Zealand @ Hamilton,2009

169 vs South Africa @ Cape town,1997

177 vs Australia @ Bangalore,1998

148 vs Australia @ Sydney,1992

LEANDER PAES:DEFYING AGE

By winning  the US Open Doubles Title for  a record third time, at the age of 40,Leander Paes has rightly proved that age is just a number.Paes along with his doubles partner Radek Stapneak defeated the second seeded pair of  Alexander Peya & Bruno Soares in the finals to clinch the US Open.Leander & Stapneak played great tennis throughout the tournament,even defeating the deadly duo of Mike & Bob Bryan in the semis.In a career spanning well over two decades in the International Circuit,Leander Paes has widely been considered as one of the greatest doubles/mixed doubles player ever to play the game of tennis.For people who truly aren't aware about his heroics, he has also won a Bronze Medal for India at the 1996 Olympics held in Atlanta.He won the bronze medal in a singles match, quite suprising as he is generally a very good doubles/mixed doubles player than in the singles..Among the 14 Grand Slam titles that he has won,8 have been won by him in doubles competition & 6 in mixed doubles.He also won his sole ATP singles title at Newport.Besides he has given many legendary performances in Davis Cup ties for India.His career was also highlighted by beating the then reigning tennis champion and all time great Pete Samprass in staright sets 6-3,6-4 at New Haven ATP.Paes has also won 53 ATP Career titles,making him one of the most successful doubles player ever.He has been the only tennis player ever to play in six olympics.He has already won the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna Award,India's highest sporting honour besides he was also awarded the Arjuna Award & the coveted Padma Shri.It has been  an illustrious career to say the least for Paes,yes he lost quite some finals but he won many too.He put India on centrestage when it came to tennis.It was after when the likes, legends Ramesh Krishnan & Vijay Amritraj retired,it took some time & bang Leander Paes stormed on the scene.Paes had his share of controversies though,his infamous feud with fellow compatriot & doubles partner Mahesh Bhupathi.Paes & Bhupathi were a deadly duo who won 3 grand slam doubles title together,besides being runner-up in 3 slams.Both had a public spat,their feud was known to everyone.things became quite ugly with both of them hitting out at each other in the media.The famous "Indian Express" that had an impressive 303-103 win loss record went their seperate ways.For reasons best known to them they split & it actually robbed them of winning many more grand slam titles together.Though they went on to play together again in Davis Cup & Olympics for the sake of the nation,but it wasn't their best stuff together..Apart from his feud with Bhupathi,Paes has enjoyed a very clean & successful career.Playing tennis when one is 40 is difficult but what is  even more difficult & great is winning at the age of 40.His fitness levels & enthusiasm have left everyone spellbound.Kudos to Leander,the guy has always given his heart out whenever he plays,a thorough champion & a wonderful mascot for India.Leander Paes by all means is a champion and one of a kind athlete,no wonder he is defying age.

After naming my All Time India XI(Best) in ODI & Test respectively,i thought why not name an all time Flop India XI of all time(just 4 fun);)

OPENERS:

Sadagopan Ramesh

Shiv Sunder Das

MIDDLE ORDER:

Vinod Kambli

Rohit Sharma(Captain Undoubtedly)

Sanjay Bangar

Deep Das Gupta

Dinesh Mongia(all rounder)

Ajay Ratra(wicket keeper)

BOWLERS:

Ashok Dinda

Laxmipathy Balaji

Piyush Chawla

12th Man:

Harbhajan Singh

SHANE WARNE:KING OF SPIN

Rarely has the game of cricket seen a performer like Shane Warne.Perhaps one of the greatest bowlers that the game of cricket has ever seen,Shane Warne with his spin bowling changed the face of cricket viewed by the general public.Not only did he make leg spin a cult among his playing days but also constantly surprised people with his jaw dropping bowling,charisma & occasional wonders with the bat.

No leg spinner in the history of the game has been as good & lethal as a performer like Shane Warne has been.Although few leg spinners like Anil Kumble,Richie Benaud,B Chandrashekhar,Abdul Qadir & Jim Laker come close but none can match the level of performance that Shane Warne has set everytime he played for Australia.In the year 2000 he was among five crickters selected as the Wisden Crickteres of the century,a feat which cultivated his status to being an absolute legend.In a career spanning well over 15 years Shane Warne took over 1000 International wickets.Be it Test Matches or ODI'S the king of spin tormented batsman from all teams no matter how great the batsman was.In 145 test matches Warney captured a mammoth 708 test wickets @ bowling  average of 25.41 with 10-10wicket hauls & 37 times he captured 5 or more wicket in an innings with 8-71 being his best performance against against England in Brisbane.Richie Benaud had once famously said that Shane Warne is to bowling what Sachin Tendulkar is to batting.Shane Warne has enjoyed success against every team but against India he had to face a hard time as the Indian batsman were such good players of spin bowling.The Warne-Tendulkar duel or rivalry was fast catching up as one of the most exciting moments in cricket.The Master of batting vs The Wizard of Spin.After retiring from International Cricket, Warne was signed as the captian for The Rajasthan Royals in the inaugral Indian Premier League for a base price of 450,000$,little did people knew  that Warne would lead the Royals to victory in the very first edition of the IPL.Warne even after retirement from International Cricket, showed splendid moments of fine bowling in the IPL & astute leadership for which he was widely appreciated as he helped nurtured the young talent in the team.He also played in the Big Bash for the Melboune Stars.A true gentlemen that he was, he always publicly acknowledged great performers & their performances.He tormented batsman at his will his leg spin bowling,it was magical to see Warne bowling.What truly sealed Warne's position as an all time great bowler was his constant mind games with the batsman,winning matches on numerous accounts for Australia single handedly,the quality of leg spin was certainly legendary,it was hard to believe that someone could turn the cricket ball so much.The ball that Shane Warne bowled to Mike Gatting in the 1993 Ashes Series was termed as "Ball of the Century".Mike Gatting was considered to be one of the very few good players of spin bowling in the English cricket team at that time but Gatting was totally bamboozled by the delivery that Warne bowled at him.He was  the highest wicket taker in his very first series with 34 wickets in 6 test matches.The English have always bore the brunt of Warne's genuises with the cricket ball with the the legend capturing 195 wickets in 36 test matches against them.Warne toyed with batsman from teams like South Africa,Pakistan,New Zealand & Sri Lanka.Bowling in the rough, destroying top batsman at will & getting into their minds, Warne was a real class.In the ODI circuit too he was successful but didn't play long due to  failed drug test just before the 2003 world cup owing to which he later retired from one day cricket,still in 194 ODI Warne captured 293 wickets.He was also the highest wicket taker in the 1999 ICC Cricket World Cup with 20 wickets & was also named man of the match in successive matches in the semi-finals against the Proteas & in the final against Pakistan where he completely destroyed the Pakistani batting with 4-33 in the finals.Shane Warne was also handy with the bat as he managed to score 3000+ test runs with 99 being his highest test score.The Magician that he was with his craft of leg spin bowling Shane Warne became widely considered as one the greatest players to ever play the game of cricket.

His career had few controversies like the Failed Dope Test before the 2003 world cup,accepting money from a bookie just before the match for providing pitch & weather information besides also his feuds with Arjuna Ranatunga,Steve Waugh & Adam Gilchrist.Very few batsman have dominated Warne,Sachin being an exception the only batsman who could play Shane Warne so well be it inside out or playing shots when the ball was balled in the rough to him.I believe he is not just the greatest bowler of all time but also for his stupendous performances over the years as one of the greatest cricketers of all time.It is widely believed that Shane Warne was the greatest captain Australia never had,he was a gambler he used to play poker & his mind could pull off genuises that only few could execute.Crowds loved Shane Warne some even coming to see a match just to see Warne bowl those majestic spell of spin bowling.He has won 17 man of the match awards in tests quite a rare feat for a leg spinner.On countless occassions, Shane Warne has done the impossible,bowled the odd ball & castled batsman around their legs many a times.He too, was a character on the cricket pitch always in the scheme of things besides being a great slip filder too.He was also a part of 92 test matches that the Aussies won with him in the team.Almost all of the cricketing greats including Brian Lara & Sachin Tendulkar have said that Warne is one of the greatest bowlers they have faced and is an all time great.A thorough legend that he is,it is his craft of leg spin bowling which truly made people,cricketing pundits & cricketers of his generation realise how great of a bowler Shane Warne is.

KEVIN PIETERSEN: ONE OF GAME'S GREATEST BATSMAN

Kevin Pietersen has been one of the most enigmatic & charismatic cricketers of the modern era.Dominant & competitive on the field yet controversial.Kevin Pietersen or KP as he is fondly called is a South African born English batsman who after playing domestic cricket in South Africa voiced his displeasure at the quota system that existed in the South African National Team & left to play for the England Cricket team.Kevin Pietersen has been one of the dominant batsman that the game of cricket has seen in the last decade or so.

Only Matthew Hayden & Ricky Ponting come close to KP'S dominance on the field.Kevin Pietersen made his test match debut against the formidable Aussie side in 2005 captained by Ricky Ponting & immediatlely made headlines with his heroics with the bat & the Mowhawk haircut that he sported.With an impressive debut series against the Aussies whereby he scored 473 runs @ an more than impressive average of 52.55 he was named the man of the series for his effort which included a series clinching 158. The succes on the tours of Zimbabwe,South Africa & the Ashes immediately made KP a huge hit with the fans.KP is the fastest batsman to reach the milestone of 1000 & 2000 runs in ODI cricket emulating the all time great Sir Viv Richards.In the Test arena too,KP was adamant on breaking more records & being an all time great as he had the second highest run total from first 25 tests only behind another legend Sir Donald Bradman,in terms of days he was also the fastest to 4000,5000& 7000 test runs.Although Kevin Pietersen's career hasn't been short of controversies.His eccentric personality combined by his enigma has landed him in a soup many a times in a career.First he had a fallout with the England Cricket Team National Coach Peter Moores,he also resigned from the captaincy after a short stint & also announced his retirement from the ODI arena though he would retract later & continue to play for England.He also had a famous fallout with England & Wales Cricket Board,Captain Andrew Strauss & teamates owing to which he was widely criticised which put his hall of fame career in jeopardy.It all became soon  sorted as England coach Andy Flower sorted out things within the team the issue of KP included.He has been one of the most loved cricketers round the globe.According to a survey out of all the successful international cricketers,the cricketer that the Indian Public loved & wanted to watch play the most in the IPL was Kevin Pietersen.KP was majestic with the bat in the T20 world cup help in the west indies in 2010 & for his heroics he was also named the man of the series.He has constantly thrashed teams like India,Pakistan,South Africa,Australia & New Zealand.In 98 tests KP has amassed over 7775 runs batting at no.4 position with 23 hundreds & 31 half centuries @ an average of 48.74 & in the ODI circuit he has scored 4369 runs in 132 ODI'S @ an average of 41.60 with 9 centuries & 24 half centuries,both records being impressive.An intimidating batsman KP likes to dominate the bowling & at times even come as far as on the half crease to hit a shot,not many batsman besides Matthew Hayden have done that.KP has been widely considered been one of the most feared batsman in recent times in International Cricket.He has regularly thrashed the Indian bowling attack at his will by scoring 6 impressive big hundreds against them including 2 double tons. His highest test score being 227 against the Aussies in their own backyard at the Adeilade Oval which won the match convincingly for England.

His famous yet controversial shot "Switch Hit" through which he scored huge sixes to many fast & spin bowlers was soon banned by the ICC owing to the legality of the shot.He loves hitting the big shots especially huge sixes & dominating the bowlers at his will owing to which he is widely considered as a dominant batsman.He has been an out and out performer for the England Cricket Team.Many cricketing legends & cricketing pundits have already hailed KP as one of the most dominant yet complete batsman that we have seen playing the game of cricket.KP is always in the news be it his attitude,his tattoos,his personality,his on field heroics he is a controversial yet enigmatic character but a character that wins matches for England on his own.Fans love him,fellow cricketers respect his game & cricketing pundits have always named KP as Engalnd's greatest Modern Era Batsman.KP has always been  a difficult character to understand but a performer,no one can deny his greatness.The aura of KP has made him a huge hit with fans & cricketing legends. As a self confessed Kevin Pietersen fan i feel he has all the shots in the book, is an all time great & a great character to watch be it the IPL or any form of cricket.KP has always stated in interviews that he intends to be one of the game's greatest batsman & score 10000 test runs @ an average of 50+ to be in the league of all time greats only a confident person would say that in public.His career has had the share of  lows &  highs but it hasn't stopped KP from being the kind of character he is the kind of crickter he is to countinue as performer at the highest level.His attitude is quite similar to that of Boxing Legend Muhammad Ali,strive to be the best,fierce attitude yet charming personality & unmatched performance with the bat.Kevin Pietersen for his majestic ability with the bat & his superman heroics owing to which the England team has become a success should be credited as one of the game's greatest batsman  ever if not the greatest.

INDIAN CINEMA'S FINEST ACTORS:JHAKAAS ANIL KAPOOR

Perhaps one of the  finest actors that the Indian Film Fraternity has ever produced. Anil Kapoor surely remains one of its most verstaile & greatest of actors in the last 35 years.In a career spanning well over 3 decades the he has done it all in Hindi Cinema as well as Internationally.Anil Kapoor who made his debut with a small role in Humare Tumhare in 1979 went on to do many blockbuster commercial as well as  critical successes like Woh Saat Din,Meri Jung,Ishwar,Mashaal,Mr.India,Karma,Ram Lakhan,Parinda,Lamhe,Tezaab,Virasat,Pukar,Welcome,No Entry,My Wife's Murder,Slumdog Millionare besides acting in hit TV series 24.

A struggler in his initial days, Anil Kapoor started doing small roles and even ventured into  Kannada & Telegu Films as he was not getting movies in the Bombay Film Industry as it was then fondly known as.It was after he acted in Woh Saat Din that people got to notice his talent..He gave a stupendous performance in Woh Saat D alongside Nasserudin Shah which by many is still widely remembered and recognised as one of the greatest performance by an actor till date.The word Jhakaas has become synonymous with him.He was undoubtedly the biggest star of the mid 80's & early 90's and continues to remian a big star favourite among the masses.His comic performance in Chameli ki Shaadi was applauded..He gave legendary performances in movies like Meri Jung that gave him the angry young man image,Tezaab which won him his first Filmfare award for best actor,Mashaal alongside the legendary Dilip Sahab for which he won the Best Actor in a supporting role besides also  commercial blockbusters like Ram Lakhan,Parinda,Beta,Khel,Kishen Kanhaiya,Janbaaz & last but not the least the role for which he is most remembered for the potrayal of Arun Verma in the cult film Mr.India.Anil Kapoor was the rising and one of the biggest stars at that time.Besides he also gave some brilliant & unorthodox performances in movies like Ishwar,Lamhe,Virasat,1942 A love Story which showcased his versatality as an actor.Almost every movie that he acted in during that time became a huge hit.Tezaab was a huge sensation with the masses & Beta too,which made him a fan favourite.He simply ruled the Hindi Film Industry at one point of time even outdid the great Amitabh Bachchan..He had his share of lows that after pumping all his money for Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja,it bombed at the box office miserably thus hitting his star value at that time.Few actors bounce back from failures like Anil Kapoor has.After the failure of Roop Ki Rani Choron Ka Raja he did 1942-A Love Story & Laadla,two very different characters and two very different films.He has time and again reinvented himself.His performance in the cult classic Virasat still remains in the minds of people and is still widely talked about as one of his greatest ever.

He has won every award,worked with every filmmaker,his is a class actor with a lot of versatality & passion for excellence his his craft.He won the prestigious National Award for his portrayal of an Army Officer in Pukar.His role as the Chief Minster of Maharashtra in the iconic movie Nayak is still a hit with the public.His comic act in movies like Biwi no.1,Deewana Mastana,Khel,Kishen Kanhaiya,No Entry,Welcome are simply superb.His tenacity to constantly reinvent himself & do character role elevated his status among his fans.In the last couple of years he has again been the "Dark Knight" or the "Lambi Race ka Ghoda" he has surged ahead of his contemporaries by doing movies like Slumdog Millionare,Shootout At Wadala & his bravo act in the magnificent season 8 of the hit TV sitcom 24,it generated rave reviews for Anil Kapoor globally and he has thus become one of the most widely recognied actors from the Indian Film Industry overseas.Slumdog Millionare gave him the recognition,appreciation & accolades that he truly deserved.A personal favourite he is thoroughly underrated should have been given more due but nonetheless he is getting his share  now..Arjun Kapoor,also an actor, his niece has described that watching Anil Kapoor on a set on a given day is a lesson in cinema .He might not be as big as a star as SRK or Amitabh Bachchan is but he for sure is one of the greatest actors that we have ever seen act.... Kudos to the man.Surely one of Hindi Cinema's finest ever.

ALAN SHEARER:MASTERCLASS

One of the game's finest & purest strikers Alan Shearer has won it all & done it all in the game of football.One of the most successful players in the Premier League History Shearer has won the the coveted winners medal by winning the English Premier League with Blackburn Rovers though he felt short of accomplishing the same feat with the club the spent most time of his glorious career with Newcastle United.Alan Shearer has been the record goalscorer in the EPL history with 260 goals & 422 in all competitions.He was thus awarded the Football Writers Association Player of the year in 1994 & the PFA player of the year award in 1995.Shearer had a goal to game ratio at 0.667 throughout his career which is mighty impressive besides he also won the golden boot in the EPL a record 3 times only behind another great Theiry Henry.Shearer has amassed many a records in the Premier League history owing to which he became one of the top players in tha game at that time.Alan Shearer a fan favourite thus was also a regular in the England National Squad.Shearer who was a centre forward was insanely strong with brute power,ferocious speed & the heading ability owing to which he scored so many goals.

In his  illustrious career spanning over 18 years he played for top clubs like Southampton,Blackburn Rovers & Newcastle United.His career had a few controversies though like his aggresive style of play & him being charged for misconduct by the FA besides his  feud with United Legend Roy KeaneHe was offered a record offer to either join Manchester United or Newcastle United, but he chose the latter for 15m pounds & didn't win a single championship throughout his playing days in Newcastle United.Alan Shearer had some of his most destructive & majestic years when he played with the Magpies.He could never really win a trophy at the club he used to hero worship since his childhood but he even managed the club for a single season when the team was in shambles but couldn't do much as Newcastle were relegated to tier-2.The 10 glorious years he spent at St.James Park are still remembered by his loyal fans.Many of the game's great have named him in their elusive all time great sqaud,he is even listed in FIFA 100,as one of the 100 greatest players ever to play the game of football.A personal favourite player of mine i always respected Alan Shearer,he was always a hero & a legend to me..My personal favourite Alan Shearer goal remains the goal he scored against Manchester United in 2004 at St.James Park,it was perhaps one of his many great goals.Personal Favourite Moment includes the time when he reitred he went to the bench and then came again & scored against Celtic Glasgow in his testimonial match where he scored a penalty also the Euro competition held in 1996 where he was the top scorer with 5 goals.It is quite hard to sum up Alan Shearer's genius & his maverick abilities in words but he surely will remain as one of the game's greatest players to have ever played the game.Alan Shearer#respect#foreverNewcastleFC

All Time World Test XI

After announcing my All Time ODI XI there's an even more complicated task at hand and that is to name the all time Test World XI.If Cricket has survived & if it has managed to win so many fans all around the world then Test Cricket has to be the answer.Test Cricket is widely recognised as the purest form or the platform whereby a cricketer's cricketing skills are seriously put to 5 days of gruel test.Being an avid follower of the game since my childhood,have followed nuances & insights of the game no ordinary fan would have thought of.It is almost impossible to name one All Time XI so have decided upon 3 All Time Team,that is,First All Time,Second All Time & Third All Time:

FIRST ALL TIME TEAM:

OPENERS:

Sunil Gavaskar

Sir Jack Hobbs

MIDDLE ORDER:

Sir Donald Bradman(Captain)
Sachin Tendulkar
Brian Lara
Sir Garfield Sobers(all rounder)

Adam Gilchrist(wicket keeper)

BOWLERS:

Shane Warne
Curtly Ambrose

Glen McGrath

Wasim Akram

12thMan:

Michael Holding/Ian Botham

SECOND ALL TIME TEAM:

OPENERS:

Wally Hammond

Kumar Sangakara(wicket keeper)

MIDDLE ORDER:

Rahul Dravid
Sir Vivian  Richards

Jacques Kallis(all rounder)

Steve Waugh

Imran Khan(Captain)

BOWLERS:

Shaun Pollock

Anil Kumble

Richard Hadlee

Muttiah Murlitharan

12th Man:

Michael Hussey/Dennis Lillee

ALL TIME THIRD TEAM:

OPENERS:

Matthew Hayden

Virender Sehwag

MIDDLE ORDER:

Ricky Ponting(Captain)

Kevin Pietersen

Mahela Jayawardene

Kapil Dev(all rounder)

Alec Stewart(wicket keeper)

BOWLERS:

Waqar Younis

Courtney Walsh

Malcomm Marshall

BS Chandrashekhar

12thMan:

Allan Donald/VVS Laxman

All Time World ODI XI

Cricket since its inception by the English has seen the game evolved over the years.The ODI format has been a successful one like the Test Format.It has witnessed some of the greatest of batsman in Tendulkar & Ponting and bowlers like McGrath & Akram.It is quite an impossible feat to name all the greats in one elusive team so have decided upon 3 teams,that is,All Time First Team,All Time Second Team,All Time Third Team:

ALL TIME FIRST TEAM:

OPENERS:

Adam Gilchrist (Wicket Keeper)

Sachin Tendulkar

MIDDLE ORDER:

Sourav Ganguly(Captain)

Viv Richards

Jacques Kallis(all rounder)
Michael Bevan
MS Dhoni

BOWLERS:

Shane Warne

Wasim Akram
Muttiah Muralitharan

Glen McGrath

12th Man:

Chaminda Vaas/Michael Hussey

SECOND ALL TIME TEAM:

OPENERS:

Kumar Sangakara(wicket keeper)

Mark Waugh

MIDDLE ORDER:

Rahul Dravid

Brian Lara
Ricky Ponting

Yuvraj Singh

Chris Cairns
Kapil Dev(All Rounder)

BOWLERS:

Waqar Younis

Shaun Pollock

Brett Lee

12th Man:

Inzamam Ul Haq/Saqlain Mushtaq

ALL TIME THIRD TEAM:

OPENERS:

Sanath Jayasuria

Matthew Hayden

MIDDLE ORDER:

Virat Kohli

Kevin Pietersen

AB De Velliers(wicket keeper)

Mahela Jayawardene(Captain)

Andrew Flintoff(all rounder)

BOWLERS:

Daniel Vettori

Darren Gough

Javagal Srinath

Shane Bond

12th Man:

Damein Martyn/Shoaib Akhtar

All Time Team India XI(ODI):

Having won the World Cup twice in 1983 & 2011 & also having won the World Championship Of Cricket in 1985 held in Australia,Team India has produced some oustanding players in the shorter format of the game that is the 50 over format.Tendulkar,Ganguly,Dhoni,Yuvraj are some of its most iconic players

An all time Team India XI ODI could easily give any all time team a run for it's money.Here's my pick for the All time Team India XI (ODI):

OPENERS:

Sachin Tendulkar

Sourav Ganguly(Captain)

MIDDLE ORDER:

Rahul Dravid

Mohammed Azharuddin

Ajay Jadeja

Yuvraj Singh/Virat Kohli

Kapil Dev

MS Dhoni(Vice Captain/Wicket Keeper)

Bowlers:

Anil Kumble

Zaheer Khan

Javagal Srinath

12th Man

Maninder Singh

All Time Team India XI{Test}

Indian Cricket has produced some of the finest players that the game has ever seen be it Gavaskar,Tendulkar,Kapil DEv,Dravid,Ganguly so many of them.It is quite a difficult task to handpick an all time India XI but here's the thing if it were to happen Team India would look almost invincible.Here's my pick for the all time Team India XI Test squad:

Openers:

Sunil Gavaskar

Virendra Sehwag

Middle Order:

Rahul Dravid

Sachin Tendulkar

Sourav Ganguly(Captain)

VVS Laxman

MS Dhoni(wicket keeper)

Kapil Dev(All Rounder)

Bowlers:

Anil Kumble

Zaheer Khan

Javagal Srinath

12th Man:

Gundapa Vishwanath/BS Chandrashekhar

It's a Bird,It's a Plane,Nope its Usian Bolt

Usian "Lightning" Bolt has to be one of the greatest of athletes & sportsmen that anyone could ever witness.Bolt hasn't broken but shattered many of the records be it the 100m,4x100m relay & 200m.He has won it all be it the Olympic Gold Medal or theWorld Championship.The kind of athlete that he is it has become almost impossible even for the likes of Yohan Blake,Tyson Gay,Justin Gatlin,Asafa Powell & others to stop him. Bolt has charmed the likes of everyone with his signature move after winning the race,people really love Usian Bolt.Reigning World & Olympic Champion Bolt has surpassed the likes of Carl Lewis & Michael Johnson with his phenomenal display of speed on the track.Gold Medals in the 2008 & 2012 summer olympics coupled his heroic win and made him a fan favourite.

His credentials include the 100m in staggering 9.58s & the 200m record at 19.19s.Bolt has always preferred the 200m more than the 100m race as it suits him more because of the slow start he takes but then strikes of with sheer pace.Bolt burst onto the scene after 2008 Beijing Olympics where he shattered the world record for 100 & 200m.Magnificent athelte that he is  Bolt has thus dominated the field of athletics like anyone has ever done before.At 6'5 @ 210 lbs with insane shoulders & huge arms Bolt is surely a magnetic personality.With 6 Olympic Gold Medals & 8 World Championships Gold Bolt is surely one of the most dominant & decorated athletes that we have ever seen.His rise to prominence has really made us awestruck by his onfield greatness every time we see him run.Bolt recently concluded Moscow world Championships in 100m,200m& 4x100m relay & became tied with all time great Carl Lewis with most gold medals in world championships.Even the likes of Prince Harry was bowled over by the charm & athletic genius that Bolt posseses.Bolt is a beast on the track, he likes to dominate at the same time he wants the world to know that he wants to be the greatest athlete & sportsmen that one has ever seen.He is a phenomenal athlete,his genius cannot be described,laughing assasin to be precise.Time and again Usian Bolt has entertained all of us by his sheer brilliance & oustanding superman heroics on the field.How often do we see an athlete slowing down just before the finish line not because he is tired but because he is excited,fiercly competitive & wants to win at any cost even though it cost him a couple of more seconds.The Legend of Usian Bolt is epic.He is a cult with the fans.His attitude towards domination & his quest & obsession of winning has surely made him one of the greatest athletes that we have ever seen.

BATMAN-MOST ICONIC COMIC CHARACTER

Perhaps one of the most legendary & iconic comic characters ever created till date.It was created by Bob Kane & Bill Finger,had it not been for them we would have surely missed out the legend of Nolan's movie on the Dark Knight.Being an ardent follower of the Batman right from my childhood,Batman The Animated Series was the first show whereby i saw my hero for the first time.The memory still remains intact with me,fighting over with my family to watch the show twice a day on Cartoon Network.

There have been many legendary comic characters till date like The Man of Steel-Superman,The Spiderman,Wolverine,He-Man,Hulk,Iron Man besides many more, but what makes The Batman stand out from the rest is is sheer human abilities.He isn't born special but overcame many of his adversities to become one with Vengence,no super powers whatsoever.The thing that makes his legend even more cult is his sheer Bad-Ass attitude towards the bad guys. It's phenomenal to watch.I must admit i am 22 right now & i am righting this as a sheer fan of his(self proclaimed biggest fan of his:D).His cars,his gadgets,his attitude,no-nonsense approach,his sheer presence as showcased in Christopher Nolan's movie is iconic.Trust me i have watched The Batman trilogy more than anyone i know of & it still gives me goosebumps.Other comic characters are great in their own way but the Batman's legend is such it cannot be defined.His duels with the Ras-al-Ghul,Bane,Poison Ivy,The Riddler,The Mad Hatter,Two Face,Scarecrow&his biggest nemesis ,The Joker have been more than iconic.The Batman has always enjoyed cult status among its fans & rightly so.You call him whatever u might want to-The Dark Knight,The Caped Crusader,Watchful Protector.

The World's Greatest Detective he is what he is called.The Batman trilogy by Nolan further boosted the waning state of Batman movies in the past which were not quite upto the marks.Who can forget the iconic DC Comics which showcased Batman to the world audience.May 27,1939 & mind you still counting the Legend of the Dark Knight still goes strong..His chemistry with the Joker is absolutely fantastic

With no super powers,inhuman strength,skilfull training & zeal to overturn the fortunes of Gotham City & to instill fear in the minds of Criminals the Batman for sure made us a huge fan of his.I am a fan of him since i was a kid & i will always remain so,even more when i listen to the Batman theme by Hans Zimmer or Shirley Walker.The Batman may be a fictional character but he will always remain the one i idiolised & dreamt of following his principles.It may sound as if i am writing a fan letter to my childhood hero but he indeed is a Hero.An iconic character with phenomenal skills,brute strength,a mind that even the likes of Sherlock Holmes & Alfred Hitchcock would have envied..The Batmobile,Batpod & plenty of his gadgets made us shell shocked & touched our childlike enthusiasm time & again.As intimidating he was to his enemies he was & will always be a cool,bad-ass,detective,hero to his fans.Here's to the greatest comic character ever that i know of The Batman.

MS Dhoni-Greatest ODI Batsman ever?

With the recent triumph in the tri-series held in West Indies & also winning  the final edition of the champions trophy Mahendra Singh Dhoni has time & again proved all of us of his superman abilities with the cricket bat as well as sheer brilliance while donning the captain's hat.The guy from Ranchi has really conquered ODI cricket to say the least,a format which he enjoys more than Test Cricket.Dhoni who was a football enthusiast in his school days was a goalkeeper for his team.While growing up he idolised Amitabh Bachchan,Lata Mangeshkar,Adam Gilchrist & the man he would help cherish his dream of winning the ultimate trophy of his illustrious hall of hame career,the Master Blaster himself Sachin Tendulkar.

ODI Cricket has seen many mavericks with the bat lyk Sir Viv Richards,Sachin Tendulkar,Saurav Ganguly,Mark Waugh,Michael Bevan,Saeed Anwar,Ricky Ponting & Brian Lara besides many others but Dhoni has surely booked a place for himself in the list of the game's greatest ever.It is unfair to compare MS Dhoni with Sir Viv or Sachin or any other player for the matter of fact but it can be said that Dhoni has been one of ODI cricket's finest ever.His amazing display of powerful shots besides calmness while playing under pressure is that of profound significance.He has been one of the greatest finishers the game has ever seen.The man has won it all u name it ICC T20 World cup,ICC Champions Trophy,ICC Cricket World Cup,Tri Series win down under against the Aussies besides also help India be the World no.1 Team in both the ODI as well as the Test Format.He had his share of quite large amount of criticism some people even questioning his place in the squad,his unorthodox batting style his captaincy but he has time & again proved his metal with the bat.In 200 ODI innings he has amassed 7358  runs @ an astounding average of 51.45 with 57 not outs besides scoring 8 Hundreds & 48 Half Centuries.He bats quite lower down the order, sometimes even promotes himself up the order.He performs when it matters the most,crunch time.He is clutch when the teams needs to chase.He has time & again won the match for the Indian Team especially his innings of 183* against Sri Lanka @ Jaipur,148 against Pak @ Vizag,impeccable 91 in the world cup finals,or for the matter of fact his most recent knock of 45 in the finals against Sri Lanka,he won the match with India needing 15 of the very last over.He has amassed bowlers like Mohammed Sami,Brett Lee,Malinga,Dale Steyn,James Anderson for plenty.He has been an impact player,he has won countless matches for the team.Personally i feel he will one day go down as the  one of the greatest ODI batsman of all time.People might disagree they may say it has to be Sir Viv Or Sachin but i feel the impact that Dhoni has,the matches he has won when the chips are down,a complete match winner.That's what matters,winning.Take a bow MS Dhoni your a thorough legend perhaps one of the most dominant & greatest ever#respect.

RAHUL DRAVID :TIMELESS WONDER

Perhaps one of the greatest batsman the game of cricket has ever seen.Thorough gentlemen as most of his peers described him as.Dravid always played the game in the way it should have been played the fair way.Dravid  who was born in Indore but later moved to Bangalore,Karnataka.His father worked in the company that used to make jams which earned him the nickname "Jammy".A genuinely nice guy rare to be found in modern day cricket.

Dravid made his Ranji Trophy debut in February 1991 against Maharashtra at Pune.He had the privelege of playing alongside legends like Anil Kumble & Javagal Srinath in his playing days for Karnataka.He also had the privilege of playing alongside Kumble & Srinath while he represented India.He made his test debut for the Indian team along with Sourav Ganguly at Lord's Cricket Ground against England in June 1996.His ODI debut was against Sri Lanka in Singapore in the Singer Cup.Dravid narrowly missed out on a century on a century on debut when he played his first test  for India at the "Mecca of Cricket,Lord's".Dravid batted for more than 6 hours & scored 95 valuable runs.Batting  at no.3 position was what Dravid liked & he made that of his own.Many people had rubbished him solely as a test player but to his critics surprise Rahul Dravid went on to  score over 10000 ODI runs & represented India in over 300 one day matches.Infact Rahul Dravid was the highest run getter of the 1999 Cricket World Cup held in England.His strokeplay,his shots,his elegance,his class & most importantly keeping calm under pressure  were his traits which made him a  legend.Dravid  also known as "the Wall" a term described  for his rock solid defence,his sound technique & his ability to play long & sound innings.Looking at his talent & sheer determination he was made the vice captain during Ganguly's captaincy.Dravid played a total of 344 One Day Internationals & 164 test matches for India.He scored 10,899 ODI runs at an average of nearly 40.Then in his arena,that is test cricket he scored 13,288 runs at a more than impressive average of 52.31 with 4 man of the series awards & 11 man of the match awards his highest test score being 270 against Pakistan at Rawalpindi.That was a monumental innings.It is difficult to measure Dravid's  contribution to Indian Cricket.He has given it all in a career spanning almost 16 years.He was always the silent guardian for the Indian Cricket Team..He was never really credited enough as much as he deserved to be for his credentials which frankly he didn't care.His critics & the media often wrote of him as the man who lived in Tendulkar's shadow which franklly wasn't true.Yes Tendulkar is one of the greatest batsman ever to play the game but so has been  Dravid.His contribution are immeasurable.Rahul Dravid has  been a match winner for India in not only tests but also odi's.He was also the captain of the Indian Cricket Team that won away test series in England & West Indies.It was during his captaincy that India made the record for most successive run chases.He was sound,he was classy,yes he was Rahul Dravid.It is unfair to comapre Tendulkar & Dravid.It's a fact that Rahul Dravid has always been an impact player.He has saved & won more matches for India than anybody probably has.Yes his critics might argue that Tendulkar had to cope up with a lot of pressure but so did Dravid.He was never really given his due like Tendulkar was.Not trying to take anything away from Tendulkar he is surely the game's finest but in my mind Rahul Dravid is up there with him.In the ranks of the game greats Sir Don Bradman,Sir Viv Richards,Sunil Gavaskar,Sachin Tendulkar,Jacques Kallis,Allan Border,Ricky Ponting,Steve Waugh,Brian Lara.His timing,his placement,his cover drive were all marvellous.He was incredible in his defence against the fast bowlers.When it mattered he didn't hesitate to hit the boundaries and sixes as well.He was also the wicket keeper for India for many years.Many people might not be aware but Rahul Dravid has scored the second fastest 50 for India in ODI.He has been the best player of the hook & pull shot for India.He holds the world record for most number of catches in test cricket @ 210.He has been one of the most prolific run scorers in matches for India overseas as well as at home.He has 5 double centuries in tests.He has scored 36 test hundreds with 63 half centuries.He has heralded the chase for India & has won & saved matches for India on numerous occasion.In December 2011 Rahul Dravid became the first Non-Australian Cricketer to address the  Bradman Oration in Canberra.Dravid along with Glen McGrath were honoured at the seventh Bradman function in Sydney,a rare accomplishment for an Indian.His famous knock of 233 in the first innings & valiant 72 not out in the second innings for India at Adeilade was perhaps one of his best ever, as it helped India to win a test in Australia after nearly 23 years.Dravid scored 602 runs in the four match series.He & Tendulkar share the record of the highest partnership in ODI cricket.They scored 376 runs against the Kiwis at Hyderabad,it was also tha match whereby he recorded his highets ODI score of 153.Rahul Dravid has broken various records over the years but he has always kept the Indian Flag flying high.One of his astounding accomplishments include the 2011 test series against England in their own backyard.The entire Indian Team struggled,India even lost the test series 4-0 but Rahul Dravid was always the last man standing for India .He scored 461 runs at an average of 76.83 with 3 hundreds.He accounted for over 26% of India's runs in the series & was named the man of the series. Dravid was a player always respected by the opposition the most .He was widely admired for his play in  the series that marked India losing 4 tests in a row.It is regarded as one of his greatest performances ever & the finest  by any batsman till date.He retirerd form all forms of cricket in March 2012.It has been a privelege to see Dravid bat.His class, his valour, his simple approach has won the hearts of many including his critics.He was also awarded the Padma Shri,the Padma Bhushan as well as the Arjuna Award.One of the game's greats & a through gentleman.

KOBE INJURED

This has to be the most devastating day for the lives of the laker nation & the lakers fan,The Black Mamba himself,Kobe Bryant injured.What started as a season fullfilled with expectations & championship hopes from the lakers finally came to an end probably.Forget winning the championship, the lakers without Kobe even if manage to qualify for the playoffs won't make it deep through the post season.Kobe has always given his heart out for the lakers.He takes pride in playing,he takes pride nd winning for this organistaion.Kobe Bryant who was the 13th overall pick in the  1996 NBA Draft by Charlotte Hornets was later traded to the Los Angelos Lakers where the "Black Mamba"as he is fondly called has spent 17 seasons winning 5 championship rings & breaking various records and winning many accolades.Endless criticism hasn't deterred the man yet.

The 2012-13 season was expected to start on a high note with the Lakers making trade for All Stars Dwight Howard & Steve Nash.But it didnt happen.The Lakers struggled despite a more than impressive roster.Kobe Bryant fought valiantly all season long, did all that he could to keep the lakers in the playoff hunt & even guaranteed back in February that he will make sure the lakers make the playoffs.The numbers that he has been putting up of late have awestruck the entire basketball universe.At 35 years of age Kobe is averaging almost 38.6 minutues per game,27.3 points per game & career high in assists @ 6 dims per game.He has given fans the privelage of some of the greatest performances ever in the history of the game.It is impossible to name which was his best but he truly gave his heart & soul.His grit,competitivness & strive to be the best are some his qualitites that even his detractors can't deny.The game hasn't seen a player with the kind of toughness & motiavtion,also the will power to succeed & excel at the top level like Bryant has.Back in December 2012 he became the youngest player ever to reach 30000 regular season points.Whoa mind boggling stat this is.Scoring as per his will during  crunch time like he did this season aganist so many teams.His performance against Portland a couple of days back was historic 47 points he had on the night to go along with 8 rebounds,5 assists,3 steals,4 blocks playing the entire match without a break.On Saturday of course in tha make or break game against  the Golden  State Warriors he was doing one simple thing."Kobe being Kobe".Twice he got badly injured but he came back with the hope to see lakers winning & keeping their playoff hopes alive.The Lakers managed to win the game but lost a warrior to a career threatening injury.Kobe might have tore his Achilles Tendon an injury which has halted the career of many successful sportsmen.His fans could see it Kobe was so disappointed could almost sense that he was shattered like many of us to see him limping of the court.Sad day for the basketball fraternity.Kobe is himself frustated & he has already stated that this is his worst injury till date.We lost a chance to see Bryant in the playoffs where he is more than amazing.Like his million of fans who idolise him he too is my idol & i sincerely pray that he gets well soon.His career isn't in jeopardy.The level of disappointment felt by Bryant alone cannot be described.Just when it seemed near just when he thought the lakers could control their destiny the unfortunate event of Bryant being severly injured happened.This won't stop Kobe.He in my mind is my hero & one of the greatest ever to play the game of basketball.Hope some kind of miracle surfaces & we get a chance to see Bryant back in the playoffs if they manage to qualify.#respect4Kobe.

But i know Kobe will bounce back,he has always been a fighter, he never backs down.Hoping Kobe Bryant recovers well & soon enough

LIFE

Such a heavy topic isn't it?Life..I feel the same.Hehe.My heart tells me life is something which u can't describe & something which u can describe all day long.Different people have different versions of life.Their approach,thinking,maneuver,ideology it is all so distinct.I know for the fact that many people including my family & friends would tell me after reading my blog, gosh Atul your so philosophical please show  us some mercy!I can't stop laughing after that i m still laughing..haha!I feel each of us is different we all have our own ideologies towards dealing with life.There is so much to say it is quite a deep topic actually,it is life after all.

Life is a beautiful struggle.Some make the most of it some don't,some live it some don't.Life is actually quite tough & easy at the same time it is our approach  towards life or thnking.For the fact i know any one can speak a lot about life.Everyone has his or her own story so do I nothing different.Some are optimistic,some pessimists while some are realists.Some are good while some are bad.I chose being hopefully hopeful & being an ever optimist ya many people don't lyk that stuff they would say theorotical thinking  doesnt work neither does being philosophical but it certainly does.I hav always disliked the realists & pessimists.I frankly don't knw what to write here but my heart says so however boring it might be.God & Destiny are two of those things which control our life.Life is seriously tough & brutal for some people at the same time easy & beautiful for others.Life will break u ,make u,bring u down,put u up,knock u down,make u stand the other day,make u cry laugh for reasons unknown to us.I feel life is a philosophy in itself.Yes it is indeed beautiful to understand life itself is a big accomlishment.A famous dialouge from the hit Aamir Khan movie-"behti hui lehron ke saath toh koi bhi ter leta hai lekin sacha insan wohi hai jo lehron ko cheerkar aage badta hai!"The true meaning of life is as u see it.Today wnt be a good day it wont be able to bring the world of happiness for u it might probably break ur heart & would knock u down of your kness everytime but u see that's where u can see the beauty of life.Life always gives us an oppurtunityLife is incomplete without highs and lows.Life always gives u second chance.Life always has a tomorrow.It is easy to say don't take life seriously or ur problems d same way but it is quite a tough thing to do but if u manage it to do so nothing can stop u from being happy then.

Tomorrow you claim what is rightfully yours as they say it.What is life without pain,life without struggle,life without heartbreaks & solitude,yes easier said than done.Sadness creates music in your lyf.It might all same to easy right we all want a life without any obstacles but frankly that isn't the way it works.It is when we are knocked out when we feel of giving up when it all seems lost that God finally enters our life .I feel tough times come with a sole reason to test  ourselves and get tougher coz dats d way life functions ryt?When the going gets tough the tough gets going.What is life without hope,dreams,faith,love nothing.Javed  Akhtar Sahab's lines r really worth listening Dil Aakhir tu kyun rota hai ,yeh jo ghere sanate hai waqt ne sabhi ko hi bate hai thoda ghum hai sabka hissa thodi dhoop hai sabka hissa aaknh teri bekar ji nam hai har pal ek naya mausam hai kyun aise tu pal khota hai dil aakhir tu kyun rota hai!It is rightly said that count your garden by the flowers that grow and not by the leaves that fall.The most important thing is to live life to enjoy it to embrace it with whateva might be in store for u.

We all live only once after all.Nothing is more important than to be happy & trust u being happy isn't tough we can make ourselves happy after all we all are responsible for our own happiness.We have to learn to adapt to every season of life.Things won't happen like we expect them to be,we will keep on losing & losing till we tell ourselves what are we really living here for?It is all planned this way because by breaking us is the only way by which  God can make us.One of the biggest risk one could take is live the life of ur dream i know its tough but it doesnt matter.We must be hurt in order to fail,in order to know & lose in order to gain because some lessons in life are best learned through pain.Miracles happen dey certainly do.We must never give up or call it quits beacause we always have a chance tomorrow some lucky people always have.I never thought i would get a chance or for the matter of fact that i would live.Endless pain & struggle over the years made me quite a disgusting person actually one who wouldn't appreciate life,one who wouldn't seek happiness in all the small things in life.After fighting relentlessly for over 3 years i finally managed to beat death yes i did.I beat physical & mental illness.It had destroyed my completely.I used to pity myself.I was on the wrong trackI thought i wouldn't make it.I went to over 3 hospitlals and over 8 doctors no one could do anything..My world had changed everything looked so tough i was so unhappy i thought i would never survive.I had lost hope but just as i lost hope, God i can say entered my life.I knew that very moment my moment of crisis had served a purpose.It was to make me tough accept the good with the bad,be happy no matter what,restored my faith in God.When i could finally breathe easy after a month after being acutely ill i saw the ray of hope again.It didn't take long i knew life itself knocks u down & then helps u pick urself up.It thought me tough times come to make u tough it arrive to make u wise.It takes only s second for things to get better and it does.Tough times arrive to value little things in life.I was miserable i hav no shame to accept that but for the matter of fact i also survived learned the true meaning of life,learnt that u r solely responsible for ur own happiness.Life is drama it is quite a thrilling adventure i can say.It is beautiful indeed it is.It can get ugly at times but there's a saying everything gets well in the end & if it doesnt it isn't the end.

So people like Shah Rukh Khan said in the movie Kal Ho Na Ho "Jiyo Gayo Muskaro Kya pata kal ho na ho..hehe..It is true actaully.I cannot teach someone who to live his life but i can surely that never loose hope never lose faith,dream big,laugh more cry less because today is the youngest u would be.Being happy is all that matters.Accept joy & sorrows,fall in love,bring a smile on someone's face,do good to others do what makes u happy because u nly live once.Have a beautiful life ahead guys don't give up don't look back coz ders a silver lining ahead listen to your heart & keep moving forward.We all have been in tough situations before and will  alwasys be but we would also get the chance to be happy again.I want to end by quoting famous lines by the Legendary Javed Akhtar Sahab from the movie Mr.India-Zindagi ki yahi reet hai haar ke baad hi jeet ha thode aasun hai thodi hasi aaj ghum hai toh kal hai khushi:)

God Bless everyone