New Delhi: An online poll conducted by Cricket Australia has led to former cricketer Sachin Tendulkar being pronounced as the best test player of the 21st century.

The 'Master Blaster' received an impressive 23 percent of the votes, in a poll in which more than 16,000 fans participated.

Veteran Sri Lankan batsman Kumar Sangakkara bagged the second spot, while Australian duo Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting came third and fourth. Former South African all-rounder Jacques Kallis claimed the fifth spot.
Tendulkar amassed 15921 runs at an average of 53.78 in Test cricket, including 51 centuries, in his illustrious 24 years career.

New Delhi: Batting greats Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and V V S Laxman were on Monday inducted into the BCCI’s newly constituted Cricket Advisory Committee to guide the board and the national team on various “progressive steps” needed to tackle future challenges.

“President of the BCCI, Jagmohan Dalmiya, has nominated Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and V V S Laxman as esteemed members of the Cricket Advisory Committee of the BCCI, with immediate effect,” BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said in a statement.

“These legendary cricketers have accepted the invitation to be part of this committee, which will advise the BCCI on various progressive steps which are needed to be taken, that will enable Indian Cricket to be better prepared for the challenges of the future,” the board statement added.

Spelling out their role in the committee, the BCCI said the three legends’ guidance will be sought in preparing the national team for gruelling overseas assignments besides strengthening the domestic structure. “Areas of immediate focus will be to provide guidance to our national team as we set out to enhance our performance on overseas engagements, provide direction to improve our talent  and take steps to strengthen domestic cricket to better prepare our players to handle the rigours of International Cricket,” the BCCI stated.

While there had been lot of speculation regarding Ganguly’s appointment as chief coach or Team Director, his appointment in advisory panel might mean that either Ravi Shastri will continue in his current role or a new chief coach and support staff will be taking charge. According to sources, the cricketers can seek technical advise from the trio and the Board wants batsmen to speak to Tendulkar before any tough match.

Badiyadka: Kerala Cricket Association has planned for Cricket ground in Manya Mundodi in Badiyadka. Industrial Minister P.K.Kumli Kutti laid the foundation stone and said “it was the dream for several years now and has come true. The god of cricket Sachin Tendulkar has achieved it with dedication. Cricket players like Sachin must serve the nation through this ground”.

He added that Kassargod is lagging behind; through the developments like this the district should get acclamation.

ICA control board vice president K.C.Mathew said “fully fledged cricket ground will be made in districts by K.C.A. the ground constructed with 3.50 crore will be used for not only cricket but for other sports too”.  He also talked about the importance of cricket to live a healthy life and wished that the ground which was started on the day of Sachin’s birthday should achieve huge success.

Kasargod MLA N. Nellikunnu, Manjeshwara MLA P.B.Abdul Razak, C.T.Ahmad Ali, Cherkala Abdulla, ZP president T P Shyamala Devi, Badiyadka Panchayat president Sudha Jayaram, Soprts council president Achyuta Master, congress committee president and others were present.

Mumbai: If sources to be believed Sara, daughter of ace cricketer Sachin Tendulkar will soon show her talents on celluloid.

Yes! You read it right. Sara Tendulkar is all set to make her bollywood entry this year. Seventeen year old Sara is studying in Dheerubhai International School in Mumbai and very much thrilled to face the camera.

Buzz is that she will be paired opposite handsome hunk Shahid Kapoor. Kapoor who is busy with his movie ‘Udta Punjab’ will start shooting for the movie with Sara after wrapping the former one.

Father Tendulkar is very much excited with his daughter’s bollywood debut and is often seen in bollywood parties with Sara.

Rumour is that Sara is dating with TV star Himanshu Kohli.

Mumbai: It was just over 16 months ago that Tendulkar stepped out of cricket's arc-lights by bidding adieu to the game. His emotional farewell at the Wankhede Stadium here at the conclusion of the 2013 India-West Indies Test series is still fresh in his admirers' mind.

 Though the batting maestro has ended his on-field journey, he continues to attract attention with his insights and comments about the game that he adorned for nearly a quarter century.

Tendulkar, whose autobiography 'Playing It My Way' was released to tremendous response in November last year, was the Brand Ambassador of the ICC World Cup held in the Antipodes in February-March.

Now a co-owner of Indian Super League football franchise Kerala Blasters, cricket's most prolific run maker and compiler of a staggering 100 international hundreds will be in Mumbai to celebrate his birthday, a day before MI's next home game against Sun Risers Hyderabad at the Wankhede Stadium.

Saturday's match has been earmarked for Reliance Foundation's Education For All initiative and is expected to be watched by Tendulkar and 28,000 children for whom the game has been earmarked.

Dubai: Being a brand ambassador of ICC World Cup 2015, Sachin Tendulkar says he cannot afford to root for India - though it didn’t deter him from showing his heart is in the right place. “I will only say that the defending champions are ready to defend,” the legend said here on Monday.

The Master Blaster, who was unveiled as the brand ambassador of UAE-based Aster DM Healthcare with fanfare at a city hotel, was Down Under to watch India’s opening group league game against Pakistan on February 15. The ‘Men in Blue’ have since then been on a hot streak in the tournament - winning seven matches on the trot as they square off against hosts and favourites Australia in the second semi-final in Sydney on Thursday.

While the assembled media at the press conference were denied an opportunity to field questions, Tendulkar took a trip down down memory lane to speak about his Man of the Tournament performance in 2003 World Cup for being the topscorer with 673 runs. “Unlike this edition, we did not start well in South Africa but then bounced back to win a number of matches on the trot. After the final loss (to Australia), I was so disappointed that I had stuffed in the golden bat presented to me for being the player of the tournament in the coffin without even realising that it was gold-plated.

“It was only after my friends asked for the bat on arrival in Mumbai that I realised it was actually a gold bat,” recalled Tendulkar. It finally took him six World Cups and 22 years to realise a cherished dream when he was chaired by teammates after regaining the World Cup in Mumbai four years ago.

The launch of Tendulkar’s latest brand ambassador role started with short videos on the growth of Aster Group, a leading healthcare provider with 150 outlets in the UAE (the latest one being launched in Abu Dhabi later in the day) and the cricketer himself. Striking the right chord, Tendulkar congratulated the UAE squad which qualified for the 50-overs World Cup but headed home after a first round exit. “My greatest joy is to see the sport globalised over a period of time. The more countries take to playing cricket, it will lead to the birth of new generation of cricketers,” he said.

When the official presenter reminded him of the famous ‘Desert Storm’ innings in Sharjah in 1998, Tendulkar opened up immediately. “Yes, I was thinking about it when I landed here yesterday (Sunday). I had never seen anything like a sand storm before and being of a much lighter frame then, I was standing closer to Adam Gilchrist to ensure that I don’t get blown away,” he said with a chuckle.

“We had lost four-five overs because of the interruption and our target was revised. It was a must-win game for us to make the final and we finally won the trophy. Let me add on a subtle note that something similar may happen in a few days from now,” Tendulkar said.

Commenting on the partnership between Tendulkar and the healthcare group, Dr Azad Moopen, Chairman and Managing Director of Aster DM Healthcare said: “Tendulkar will be a part of our Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives, helping to spread the message and reach out to public with socially relevant clauses.”

The group, meanwhile, pledged to spend Dh1 million in India over a period of two years over a number of charitable causes as well as awareness drives on road safety.

New Delhi: A special jersey which batting great Sachin Tendulkar donned for his farewell 200th Test has fetched a whopping Rs.6 lakhs during a gala auction hosted by Christie's at the imposing Umaid Bhawan Palace here.

Shiv Raj Singh, son of the host of the second edition of the Jodhpur One World Retreat, the erstwhile ruler of Jodhpur Gaj Singh II, bid for this jersey last night.

Tendulkar had retired from international cricket after playing his 200th Test against West Indies at Mumbai in November, 2013.

Besides Tendulkars jersey, a painting by Paresh Maity fetched Rs. 7.5 lac.

Among others, the auction list included hospitality offers like Royal Salute Scottish Serenade (Scotland), Escape to Cape Town (at La Quartier Francaise), a day on the set of Downtown Abbey (Yorkshire, UK), the great Pheasant Shoot (Yorkshire, UK), Royal Rendezvous (at Ahichhatragarh Fort, Nagaur), Holland & Holland's Closed Door Dinner (at Mayfair Gunroom in UK).

The proceeds from the charity event will go to the Indian Head Injury Foundation, set by Singh for spreading awareness and mustering resources for people suffering from head and brain injury, in a follow up of a fatal head injury sustained by Shiv Raj Singh in 2005.

The glitterati included personalities like Pawan and Rahul Munjal (Hero Group), Shivender Singh (Fortis Hospital), K P Singh (DLF Group) and many other along with Gaj Singh himself and his daughter Shiv Ranjani, who bid generously for the auction.

Close to Rs. 80 lacs were raised in the auction.

"This money will help in achieving the objective of this initiative and will go a long way in ensuring that suffering caused by head and brain injury could be addressed in effective manner," said Singh.

Mumbai: Cricketing legend and Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar has written to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, drawing his attention to the "physical and mental toll on citizens" over toll tax.


"I am deeply concerned about the present state of affairs concerning the operations of toll gates around the city of Mumbai," Sachin said in a detailed two-pager on his Rajya Sabha letterhead. The letter was sent to Fadnavis on February 20 and was made public on Friday.

"I would sincerely request you to kindly reconsider the model of operations to reduce the physical and mental toll on citizens who travel in and out of Mumbai," the letter signed by Sachin said.

He urged the Chief Minister to ensure that motorists have an easier time navigating the country`s commercial capital.