I worship Sachin Tendulkar: Virat Kohli

August 27, 2012

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Sachin Tendulkar sees a shadow of himself in Virat Kohli but the young Indian batsman says he literally worships the iconic cricketer and matching his feats would be nothing short of "mission impossible" for him.

Kohli is the fastest to score 1000 and then 3000 ODI runs and has been India's most prolific scorer this year with five centuries which led to many comparing him with Tendulkar.

Tendulkar himself considers Kohli a worthy challenger to his incredible record of 100 international centuries. However, Kohli said there is no comparison between him and his idol.

"I feel really blessed when people start comparing me with Sachin, but I keep myself focused on my performance, and not on such comparisons. I literally worship him, so, I don't see too much in this comparison," Kohli said.

"No cricketer has been able to score one hundred centuries like Sachin. It will be a big achievement. I don't think at all about this, because it increases pressure on you. I keep myself focused on my performance," he said during a TV show.

About his selection as vice-captain, Kohli said, it was a pleasant surprise for him and refuted suggestions that he would be eventually replacing Mahendra Singh Dhoni as skipper. "No, I don't think so. As captain, he has done a lot for Team India. I learnt a lot as a vice-captain," he said.


The Delhi batsman disagreed with Sourav Ganguly, who felt that the selectors had taken an emotional decision by rushing Yuvraj Singh into international cricket after illness.

Yuvraj, who has recovered from a rare germ cell cancer, has been included in Indian squad for the World Twenty20 beginning next month in Sri Lanka.


"I don't think it is an emotional decision. If he says he is confident and fit, then he should be given the chance. It should be a perfect comeback for him," Kohli said.

"The first match after comeback always makes one nervous. If he performs well in the World Cup, it will be a big boost for Team India. For us, the World Cup is an important tournament," he added.

Talking about his aggressive attitude on the field, Kohli said it is part of his nature.

"I had this habit from childhood. I never liked being out, whether I am out on zero or I score a ton. I get angry. Occasionally, I shout abuses, but, of late, I am trying to control my aggression, so that my behaviour doesn't go over the top. I have broken too many bats in my childhood," he said.

Kohli was also candid enough to admit that he got distracted after playing in the Indian Premier League for Royal Challengers Bangalore.

"Yes, there was a bit of distraction. We had just come from the Under-19 World Cup win. We were playing with foreign (star) players, I did not handle it (attention) well.

"I was even thrown out of the team but my coach advised me concentrate on the game and I got my focus back."



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News Network
June 20,2020

Melbourne, Jun 20: If 15 teams can be allowed to enter Australia for the T20 World Cup then fans will not be stopped from watching live action from the stadiums, Cricket Australia's interim CEO Nick Hockley said on Saturday.

Hockley replaced under-fire Kevin Roberts, who recently got the boot from Cricket Australia, which is grappling with financial woes.

Different possibilities are being worked out for the T20 World to go ahead as scheduled later this year and one of them is to host the tournament before empty stands in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

However, Hockley said crowds will be allowed, though, hosting 15 teams with players, officials and support staff is "complex" as of now, hinting that probably the ICC flagship event could be pushed back.

"The reality is, and we've got much more understanding about this in recent weeks, is crowds are most likely to come back before international travel. Our biggest challenge is getting 15 teams into the country," Hockley told cricket.com.au when asked if he would like to see the World Cup proceed without fans.

"If I compare it with the prospect of a bilateral tour, you're talking about bringing one team in and then playing individual matches. But the prospect of bringing 15 teams in and having six or seven teams in one city at the same time, it's a much more complex exercise."

When specifically asked whether crowds would be permitted by the time borders have opened to the point that 15 teams will be allowed to travel to Australia, Hockley replied in an affirmative.

"That's the current thinking, yes."

Hockley said it came as a shock when he was asked by Cricket Australia to replace Roberts.

"I've had very mixed emotions. I was very shocked to be asked. I didn't see it coming at all, so I probably haven't had time yet to process it. I feel very sad for Kev (Roberts). On the other hand, I feel this is a massive privilege to be asked, it's a massive responsibility and a massive opportunity even if it's only for the next few months," he said.

Hockey did not commit when asked if he would like to assume the role full time, but he did say that he would quit as CEO of the T20 World Cup Organising Committee.

"My approach throughout my entire career has been to focus on doing the best job I can with what I've been tasked with, and the future will look after itself. And I'll continue the same approach.

"That's (T20 World Cup) been a real priority over the last 48 hours. We're reasonably well progressed and we will be appointing an interim because you just can't do both," he said.

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News Network
February 13,2020

Feb 13: Kobe Bryant and his daughter Gianna were buried in a private funeral service in Southern California last week, multiple outlets reported late Tuesday.

Citing Kobe Bryant's death certificate, Los Angeles Fox affiliate KTTV reported the remains of the former Lakers star and his daughter were transferred to Pacific View Memorial Park and Mortuary in Corona del Mar. Kobe and Brianna were laid to rest in a private ceremony there last Friday.

According to KTTV, the death certificate cited Kobe's cause of death as "blunt trauma" sustained in a "commercial helicopter crash." It also said his death was "rapid."

Corona del Mar is a community within Newport Beach, where the Bryant family lives.

Kobe, 41, and Gianna, 13, were among nine people killed when the helicopter they were in crashed on a hillside in Calabasas, Calif., northwest of Los Angeles, on Jan. 26. Orange Coast College baseball coach John Altobelli, 56; his wife, Keri; and their daughter Alyssa, 14 -- who played on the same club basketball team as Gianna Bryant -- also were killed. Christina Mauser, a 38-year-old who was the top assistant coach of the Mamba girls basketball team, was also killed in the accident, as were Sarah Chester, 45; her daughter Payton Chester, 13; and pilot Ara Zobayan, 50.

A public memorial service for the Bryants will be held Feb. 24 at Staples Center, beginning at 10 a.m. PT.

While the date -- 2/24 -- conveniently falls between two Lakers' home games, it still could have been chosen symbolically. Gianna -- one Kobe and Vanessa' four daughters -- wore No. 2 on her basketball jersey while Kobe was No. 24 for part of his 20-year-tenure with the Lakers, and his retired jerseys -- he also wore No. 8 -- hang at Staples Center.

The Los Angeles Times reported that "entry is expected to be severely restricted" at the venue despite Staples Center's capacity of about 20,000.

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Agencies
April 12,2020

London, Apr 12: Former Formula 1 legendary driver Stirling Moss died at the age of 90 on Sunday.

"All at F1 send our heartfelt condolences to Lady Susie and Sir Stirling's family and friends," Formula 1 said in a statement.

Often referred to as the greatest driver never to win the world championship, Moss contested 66 Grands Prix from 1951 to 1961, driving for the likes of Vanwall, Maserati and Mercedes, where he famously formed a contented and ruthlessly effective partnership with lead driver Juan Manuel Fangio.

In his 10-year-long stint at the tracks, Moss took 16 wins, some of which rank among the truly iconic drives in the sport's history - his 1961 victories in Monaco and Germany in particular often held up as all-time classics.

Moss won the 1955 Mille Miglia on public roads for Mercedes at an average speed of close to 100mph, while he also competed in rallies and land-speed attempts.

Following an enforced retirement from racing (barring a brief comeback in saloon cars in the 1980s) after a major crash at Goodwood in 1962, Moss maintained a presence in Formula 1 as both a sports correspondent and an interested observer, before retiring from public life in January of 2018.

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