Sachin Believes 2003 World Cup Final Against Australia Could've Been Different If T20 Format Existed

May 24, 2017

May 24: Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar believes the advent of Twenty20 format has changed batsmen's approach towards big scores in ODIs, something that would be of help if India were to replay the lost 2003 World Cup final against Australia in Johannesburg.

2003

A Sourav Ganguly-led India lost the 2003 World Cup final against Australia by 125 runs. Australia, led by Ricky Ponting, had scored a mammoth 359 for 2 and the Indian batters put up a dismal show to be bundled out for 234.

Asked about the loss, Tendulkar said, "I feel if we were allowed to play that match today, the players will approach that game differently."

"We were all charged up, we went out to field and right from over one, it was that big moment, unbelievably charged up. (If the) same players are given an opportunity, we will approach it (that game) differently," Tendulkar said.

The 44-year-old was speaking to reporters here today after the highlights of his upcoming biopic "Sachin: A Billion Dreams" was shown to the media.

"(Players would have approached) differently only because of introduction of T20, in those days 358 (359) looked (a) herculean task, it will be today as well but it will be closer than 2003," he said.

"We have also on number of occasions got 325-340 runs and that is because the format has changed, the rules have changed a little bit. The conditions have also changed (than) what we got there, I just feel the mindset has changed because of introduction of T20 and the calculations are different," explained the former right-handed batsman.

Meanwhile, Tendulkar also heaped praise on Raj Singh Dungarpur, the former BCCI president and chairman of selectors, saying he helped him in his early days.

"Raj bhai clearly told me focus on your exams, you are not going to West Indies (in 1989). This was during semifinals of Ranji Trophy, we were playing Delhi and I was having a net session in the morning.

"(I) clearly remember Raj bhai walking up to me and said Sachin, after this Ranji Trophy, you focus on your SSC exams. You will play for India, but you are not going to West Indies. Raj bhai has always been extremely supportive. Raj Bhai has played huge role in my life," remembered the master-blaster. He also said his children Sara and Arjun have given a thumbs up to the upcoming movie, which is set to release on May 26.

"For the world I am cricketer, but for them I am their father first, so how they react was important for me, when their reaction was positive, I said James (Erskine) has done a good job," he quipped.

The star batsman also revealed that his coach Ramakant Achrekar will watch the movie on Wednesday.

"Sir will be watching the movie tomorrow. Without him, nothing can happen," he added.

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Agencies
February 13,2020

New Delhi, Feb 13: Sanjiv Chawla, a key accused in the match-fixing scandal involving former South African cricket team captain Hansie Cronje in 2000, was extradited from the UK on Thursday, Delhi Police said.

The 50-year-old British national, accompanied by a crime branch team from London, reached IGI Airport this morning, a senior officer said.

He is likely to be taken to the crime branch office for questioning, he added.

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Agencies
March 15,2020

Chennai, Mar 15: Wicket-keeper batsman MS Dhoni has left the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) training camp following the postponement of the Indian Premier League (IPL) amidst the coronavirus scare.

The former India skipper had joined the CSK's camp earlier this month in order to practice for the upcoming IPL season.

CSK's official handle tweeted a video of Dhoni and captioned the post as: "It has become your home sir!" Keep whistling, as #Thala Dhoni bids a short adieu to #AnbuDen".

Thirty-eight-year-old Dhoni has been currently enjoying some time away from the game. He last played competitive cricket during the 2019 World Cup.

Dhoni had to face criticism for his slow batting approach during India's matches in the tournament.

Earlier this year, Dhoni did not find a place for himself in the BCCI's centrally contracted players list.

BCCI had released the list of central contract list of players for the period from October 2019 to September 2020.

On Friday, BCCI decided to postpone the IPL until April 15 as a precautionary measure against the coronavirus pandemic.

On Saturday, all the IPL franchises met in Mumbai to discuss as to how to go on with the tournament in the future.

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News Network
May 25,2020

Karachi, May 25: Pakistan head coach and chief selector Misbah-ul-Haq believes Babar Azam is destined to be a world-class player and is very close to being in the same league as India skipper Virat Kohli and Australia's Steve Smith.

"I don't like comparisons but Babar is currently very close to being in the same class as Virat Kohli, Steve Smith or Joe Root," Misbah said in an interview to Youtube channel, Cricket Baaz.

"He believes in the work ethic that if you want to better Kohli you have to work harder than him at your skills, fitness and game awareness."

The 25-year-old, who was named captain of the Pakistan T20 team ahead of the Australia series in October last year, was recently handed the reins of ODI team as well.

"Making him the T20 captain was a tester. We wanted to see how he will respond to this challenge. All of us agree that he has done a very good job and his biggest plus is that being among the worlds top players he leads by example," Misbah said.

"If you are a performer like Babar then it becomes easier for you to motivate the rest of the team and get things done.

"Even when I was made captain in 2010 my performances were here and there and I was in and out. But captaincy changed my game and mindset and I became a more hard-working and motivated cricketer."

Misbah said Babar always challenges himself and would get better as a captain with experience.

"He is in a zone of his own. He just doesn't want to be in the team. He just doesn't want to play for money. He wants to be the top performer for Pakistan. He is always pitting himself against other top batsmen like Kohli or Smith," he said.

"He loves challenges in the nets and on the field. He has really matured as a player and in time he will get better as a captain with experience."

Babar was the leading run-scorer of the T20I series against Australia last year. He also scored 210 runs, which included a hundred, at 52.50 in the Test series against the same opponents.

In the two-Test home series against Sri Lanka, Babar ended the series with 262 runs with an average of exactly 262.

Misbah feels Babar had changed as a batsman when he got runs in the Tests in Australia.

"Before that he was getting runs in tests but not consistently. In Australia and in the following tests against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh he changed," he said.

Talking about his experience as a head coach, Misbah said: "Having captained, it has helped me a lot. As captain I had to manage everything and also having played under top coaches ... I have seen closely their work ethics and how they managed things.

"It is a learning process. Having remained captain it is a big advantage for coaching because you know the players and their mood swings. You know which player will respond in a given situation,which player is feeling pressure in a scenario.

Misbah said it is not easy juggling between different roles.

"Most important thing as a coach is mentally and psychologically how you handle a group of players," the former skipper said.

"Sometimes captain and coach is different as you have to take tough decisions. Being chief selector makes it it a bit difficult but I had experience of creating and managing teams, I have been building teams since 2003. Till now it is going well."

Misbah feels in Pakistan cricket there were different parameters for judging foreign and local coaches.

"I don't know why it is like this why do we have different eye for locals and foreigners. Maybe we feel they have something special. It looks like every decision by a foreign coach is right. In contrast we tend to be very critical of local coaches no matter what decision they take," he said.

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