Figuratively, he may have "touched the sky with glory" innumerable times. This time, he will literally do it in the most potent supersonic fighter jet in the country's air combat fleet.
From a master-blaster on the cricketing field, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar smoothly made the transition to an "air warrior" on Friday when he was conferred with the honorary rank of Group Captain by Air Chief Marshal P V Naik in the presence of the over 90-year-old Marshal of the Air Force Arjan Singh.
And the next thing on the agenda of Group Captain Tendulkar, who as a teenager was fascinated by the Tom Cruise-starrer 'Top Gun', is a spin on the twin-seater Sukhoi-30MKI "air dominance" fighter.
"We all want, at some stage, to 'touch the sky with glory'," said Tendulkar, referring to the IAF motto, which epitomises his own life as an iconic cricketer. Tendulkar got his rank, with epaulettes and all on his smart new blue uniform, equivalent to a colonel in the Army, on Friday. After the Sukhoi sortie, "We will also pin the 'wings' on him," said ACM Naik.
Amid all the talk of integrity, dedication and discipline of armed forces, the match-fixing scandal currently rocking the cricketing world was bound to come up. "Integrity is extremely important... we need a clean image. I am sure the ICC will take all the correct steps to ensure this. My job is to stick to cricket and worry about scoring more runs," said Tendulkar.
Asked if mind-boggling sums being offered in T-20 leagues like IPL were making young cricketers more vulnerable to the lure of lucre, Tendulkar said, "The priorities have to be right. The priority is to play cricket in the cleanest way and in the right spirit. When I started playing cricket, it was not about money... If I make more money and less runs, I won't be able to sleep at night." What next for the batting maestro? A Bharat Ratna? "It's the biggest honour. It's the dream of every Indian. Who will not like to get Bharat Ratna," replied Tendulkar.
But that is something for the future. As of now, Tendulkar is thrilled with his new Group Captain rank. "This is a special day. I am extremely proud to be a member of the IAF family," he said. He is also looking forward to the Sukhoi sortie, even though the joyride he had undertaken in an Impala jet trainer of the South African Air Force in 1996 had proved to be "a frightening experience".
" There was restricted space (in the cockpit)... Then, there were instructions about how to eject," he joked.
But he can rest assured that IAF will take all care to ensure he is comfortable in the fourth-generation Sukhoi, with the pilot eschewing hair-raising combat manoeuvres and sticking to a simple cruising flight of just around 1,000-kmph or Mach 1.Read more...
Courtesy: www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com
September 4, 2010
August 28, 2010
Sri Lanka win tri-series final
Sri Lanka v India, tri-series final, Dambulla
August 28, 2010
These two have binged on each other since July 2008, but what promises to be the one for the road went Sri Lanka's way, ending a run of losses in big home matches for Sri Lanka. On the best batting track of the tournament, still not quite a flat belter, Tillakaratne Dilshan's risk-free yet urgent century, and Kumar Sangakkara's delightful half-century, set a target never achieved under Dambulla lights. When Virender Sehwag left the rest of the side - 288 runs between them before the start of the final - with 262 to get, it was all but over. The flame flickered for longer than expected, but not nearly long enough.
Umpiring decisions and manic appealing dominated the chase, but couldn't alter the expected result. Dinesh Karthik was given out caught off the thigh pad. Virender Sehwag's plumb lbw was not given, but he ran himself out off the same ball. Yuvraj Singh got away with a caught-behind before having scored a run, but was given out off one he didn't seem to have edged - 26 runs later. MS Dhoni survived a close lbw call when on 12, but ran out of partners as the required run-rate mounted. Read more...
Brief Score:
Sri Lanka 299 for 8 (Dilshan 110, Sangakkara 71, Munaf 2-43) beat India 225 (Dhoni 67, Perera 3-36, Randiv 3-40) by 74 runs
Courtesy: cricinfo.com
Sehwag, seamers lead India into final
India v New Zealand, tri-series, 6th ODI, Dambulla
August 25, 2010
A combination of belligerent hitting by Virender Sehwag and potent seam bowling helped India storm into the final of the tri-series against Sri Lanka with a comprehensive thrashing of New Zealand in the last league game. On a day when a majority of the specialist batsmen on both sides batted with two left feet in bowler-friendly conditions, Sehwag found a way to carve out an aggressive century, scoring more than what all 11 New Zealanders managed between them. The target of 224 was soon out of New Zealand's reach after their top order crumbled against a four-pronged seam attack, a bowling combination you wouldn't associate with Indian sides, especially in the subcontinent.
By the end of the night, you could imagine batsmen queuing up outside Sehwag's door for the inside story on how he managed to dominate everything thrown at him. It was as though he was batting on another surface. Sehwag was unfazed by the early movement and nip off the wicket, which made the seamers potent. He played in a style known only to him and, with the final in three days' time, his innings today will undoubtedly be analysed in detail. Read more...
Brief Score:
India 223 (Sehwag 110, Southee 4-49, McCullum 3-35) beat New Zealand 118 (Mills 52, Praveen 3-34, Patel 3-21) by 105 runs
Courtesy: cricinfo.com
Brief Score:
India 223 (Sehwag 110, Southee 4-49, McCullum 3-35) beat New Zealand 118 (Mills 52, Praveen 3-34, Patel 3-21) by 105 runs
Courtesy: cricinfo.com
August 22, 2010
Perera five-for takes Sri Lanka to final
Sri Lanka v New Zealand, tri-series, 5th ODI, Dambulla
August 22, 2010
Sri Lanka came into the game needing to win to stay alive in the tournament. Their captain had made some prickly comments - "We don't try and hide behind the press or hide behind our board" - on the eve of the game. One of their players was coming back from a ban and another had lost his match fee the previous time these two teams faced. One expected this game to be spicy. One anticipated some heat in the middle. One thought there would be a great fight. However, India succumbed so meekly that Sri Lanka waltzed through to the tri-series final without breaking into a sweat. India, after slipping to their worst defeat in terms of balls remaining, face New Zealand on Wednesday in a knockout.
The Sri Lankan seamers, led by Thisara Perera, owned the first half of the game as India were shot out for 103. What stood out was Sri Lanka's discipline in executing their plan to perfection. What surprised you was how easily India fell into the individual traps. And the chase was over in a blink. Read more...
Brief Score:
Sri Lanka 104 for 2 (Dilshan 35, Jayawardene 33) beat India 103 (Yuvraj 38, Perera 5-28) by eight wickets
Curtesy: cricinfo.com
August 22, 2010
Sri Lanka came into the game needing to win to stay alive in the tournament. Their captain had made some prickly comments - "We don't try and hide behind the press or hide behind our board" - on the eve of the game. One of their players was coming back from a ban and another had lost his match fee the previous time these two teams faced. One expected this game to be spicy. One anticipated some heat in the middle. One thought there would be a great fight. However, India succumbed so meekly that Sri Lanka waltzed through to the tri-series final without breaking into a sweat. India, after slipping to their worst defeat in terms of balls remaining, face New Zealand on Wednesday in a knockout.
The Sri Lankan seamers, led by Thisara Perera, owned the first half of the game as India were shot out for 103. What stood out was Sri Lanka's discipline in executing their plan to perfection. What surprised you was how easily India fell into the individual traps. And the chase was over in a blink. Read more...
Brief Score:
Sri Lanka 104 for 2 (Dilshan 35, Jayawardene 33) beat India 103 (Yuvraj 38, Perera 5-28) by eight wickets
Curtesy: cricinfo.com
Airtel wins BCCI series sponsorship rights
Leading telco Bharti Airtel has won the BCCI's series sponsorship rights to international cricket matches played in India for the period of 2010-2013, with a bid amount of Rs 33.3 million per Test/ODI/Twenty20.
Airtel beat back bids from rival telco Idea Cellular, as well as mobile handset companies Micromax and Karbonn Mobiles in securing the rights. The base price for the sponsorship rights was Rs 20 million per match.
India is scheduled to host about 50 international fixtures between September 2010 and March 2013.
"Bharti Airtel has won the Series Sponsorship Rights for the period of 2010-2013 with a bid amount of ` 3.33 crores per Test/ODI/T20 International," BCCI Secretary N. Srinivasan said in a statement.
Commented Bharti Airtel Head - Brand & Media Mohit Beotra, "It gives us great pleasure to confirm that Bharti Airtel has won the Series Sponsorship Rights for the period of 2010 till 2013. Cricket is a game that the Indian masses and millions of sports lovers in other parts of the world are extremely passionate about.
"We believe that cricket as a sport truly represents the zeal and vigour that today's youth stands for, and are hence looking forward to Airtel's long term association with the game. Infact, keeping in mind the affinity of India and South Asia towards both cricket and Bollywood - we have identified these as key areas that Airtel as a brand will continue to associate with, in the future."
Earlier, the BCCI had invited bids from corporates for India's home series sponsorship rights in a bid to deal directly with sponsors instead of dealing with sports marketing companies following which 10 entities had bought the ITT document. However, only four entities namely Airtel, Idea, Micromax and Karbonn Mobiles had submitted the bid document at the end of the deadline 19 August. Each party had to submit its bid with a cheque of Rs 100 million.
Airtel is also locked in a five year commitment with Champions League as its title sponsor besides being one of the sponsors of Karnataka Premier League. The brand was in past also sponsoring the Indian national football team. It also has a mobile content deal with leading EPL club Manchester-United. Furthermore, the telco sponsors Delhi's elite race event, Delhi Half Marathon since past two years.
Recently, Airtel was pipped by Sahara Group for the Indian teams shirt sponsorship rights.
Courtesy: sportzpower.com
Airtel beat back bids from rival telco Idea Cellular, as well as mobile handset companies Micromax and Karbonn Mobiles in securing the rights. The base price for the sponsorship rights was Rs 20 million per match.
India is scheduled to host about 50 international fixtures between September 2010 and March 2013.
"Bharti Airtel has won the Series Sponsorship Rights for the period of 2010-2013 with a bid amount of ` 3.33 crores per Test/ODI/T20 International," BCCI Secretary N. Srinivasan said in a statement.
Commented Bharti Airtel Head - Brand & Media Mohit Beotra, "It gives us great pleasure to confirm that Bharti Airtel has won the Series Sponsorship Rights for the period of 2010 till 2013. Cricket is a game that the Indian masses and millions of sports lovers in other parts of the world are extremely passionate about.
"We believe that cricket as a sport truly represents the zeal and vigour that today's youth stands for, and are hence looking forward to Airtel's long term association with the game. Infact, keeping in mind the affinity of India and South Asia towards both cricket and Bollywood - we have identified these as key areas that Airtel as a brand will continue to associate with, in the future."
Earlier, the BCCI had invited bids from corporates for India's home series sponsorship rights in a bid to deal directly with sponsors instead of dealing with sports marketing companies following which 10 entities had bought the ITT document. However, only four entities namely Airtel, Idea, Micromax and Karbonn Mobiles had submitted the bid document at the end of the deadline 19 August. Each party had to submit its bid with a cheque of Rs 100 million.
Airtel is also locked in a five year commitment with Champions League as its title sponsor besides being one of the sponsors of Karnataka Premier League. The brand was in past also sponsoring the Indian national football team. It also has a mobile content deal with leading EPL club Manchester-United. Furthermore, the telco sponsors Delhi's elite race event, Delhi Half Marathon since past two years.
Recently, Airtel was pipped by Sahara Group for the Indian teams shirt sponsorship rights.
Courtesy: sportzpower.com
Reserve day washed out too
Sri Lanka v New Zealand, tri-series, 4th ODI, Dambulla
August 20, 2010
And then there were two. Until yesterday, not a single game had been washed out in Dambulla. In two days, heavy rains forced the abandonment of the fourth ODI of the tri-series and the subsequent reserve day. It was an interesting tussle between the teams before the rains arrived in the 44th over.
Even as Scott Styris and Jacob Oram provided glimpses of that noble New Zealand tradition, dibbly-dobbly bowling, Mahela Jayawardene and Chamara Silva batted sensibly to make sure Sri Lanka didn't lose their way after a fiery-but-short-lived start from Tillakaratne Dilshan. It was an innings of three distinct parts: Dilshan led them to 61 for 1 in the first 10, only 70 runs came in the next 20 for the loss of Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara and then Jayawardene and Silva added 72 off 84 in a partnership both urgent and stable. Read mre...
Match abandoned after 43.4 overs Sri Lanka 203 for 3 (Jayawardene 59*, Silva 41*, Styris 2-36) v New Zealand
Courtesy: cricinfo.com
August 20, 2010
And then there were two. Until yesterday, not a single game had been washed out in Dambulla. In two days, heavy rains forced the abandonment of the fourth ODI of the tri-series and the subsequent reserve day. It was an interesting tussle between the teams before the rains arrived in the 44th over.
Even as Scott Styris and Jacob Oram provided glimpses of that noble New Zealand tradition, dibbly-dobbly bowling, Mahela Jayawardene and Chamara Silva batted sensibly to make sure Sri Lanka didn't lose their way after a fiery-but-short-lived start from Tillakaratne Dilshan. It was an innings of three distinct parts: Dilshan led them to 61 for 1 in the first 10, only 70 runs came in the next 20 for the loss of Dilshan and Kumar Sangakkara and then Jayawardene and Silva added 72 off 84 in a partnership both urgent and stable. Read mre...
Match abandoned after 43.4 overs Sri Lanka 203 for 3 (Jayawardene 59*, Silva 41*, Styris 2-36) v New Zealand
Courtesy: cricinfo.com
Bowlers, Sehwag seal bonus-point win for India
Sri Lanka v New Zealand, tri-series, 3rd ODI, Dambulla
August 16, 2010
India's bowlers and Virender Sehwag led the recovery from a dispiriting defeat against New Zealand, helping their team overpower Sri Lanka and secure a bonus point to leave each of the three sides with a win at the end of the first round of matches. MS Dhoni's luckless run at the toss continued, but Kumar Sangakkara's decision to bat gave India first use of favourable conditions on a breezy, overcast Dambulla day and their bowlers cashed in. Sehwag then followed up with a steady innings that released the pressure created by early wickets and steered India to what was, in the end, a comfortable win.
The ease with which India completed their win was in contrast to the struggle at the start of the innings, when batsmen found it difficult to negotiate the swing and movement their own seamers had troubled the hosts with. Dinesh Karthik's edginess at the crease gradually developed into visible frustration and the one delivery he could have dispatched with ease, he slashed straight to third man. India's two competitors for a middle-order slot, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, followed in successive overs and it appeared the Sri Lankan seamers had set up a low-scoring thriller. Read more...
Brief Score:
India 171 for 4 (Sehwag 99*) beat Sri Lanka 170 (Dilshan 45, Ojha 3-36) by six wickets
Courtesy: cricinfo.com
August 16, 2010
India's bowlers and Virender Sehwag led the recovery from a dispiriting defeat against New Zealand, helping their team overpower Sri Lanka and secure a bonus point to leave each of the three sides with a win at the end of the first round of matches. MS Dhoni's luckless run at the toss continued, but Kumar Sangakkara's decision to bat gave India first use of favourable conditions on a breezy, overcast Dambulla day and their bowlers cashed in. Sehwag then followed up with a steady innings that released the pressure created by early wickets and steered India to what was, in the end, a comfortable win.
The ease with which India completed their win was in contrast to the struggle at the start of the innings, when batsmen found it difficult to negotiate the swing and movement their own seamers had troubled the hosts with. Dinesh Karthik's edginess at the crease gradually developed into visible frustration and the one delivery he could have dispatched with ease, he slashed straight to third man. India's two competitors for a middle-order slot, Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, followed in successive overs and it appeared the Sri Lankan seamers had set up a low-scoring thriller. Read more...
Brief Score:
India 171 for 4 (Sehwag 99*) beat Sri Lanka 170 (Dilshan 45, Ojha 3-36) by six wickets
Courtesy: cricinfo.com
August 14, 2010
Malinga, Mathews set up comfortable win
Sri Lanka v New Zealand, tri-series, 2nd ODI, Dambulla
August 13, 2010
When he lost the toss, Kumar Sangakkara said a team that couldn't overcome the tall order of chasing under the low Dambulla floodlights was not a good team. They were big words all right, but ones his side backed up.
On a helpful pitch, Lasith Malinga was too good, Angelo Mathews canny, and New Zealand were dismissed for 192. After Tillakaratne Dilshan fell early in the chase, Upul Tharanga provided Sangakkara solid support in a partnership that set up the base for a shot at a bonus point. It helps if the captain himself scores a 48 as stylish as it was solid on a tricky pitch. Amid falling wickets, Sri Lanka played positive, innovative cricket, but couldn't make the target inside 40 overs and secure the bonus point. Read more...
Brief Score:
Sri Lanka 195 for 7 (Tharanga 70, Sangakkara 48, Mills 4-41) beat New Zealand 192 (Watling 55, Malinga 3-35, Mathews 3-36) by three wickets
Courtesy: cricinfo.com
August 13, 2010
When he lost the toss, Kumar Sangakkara said a team that couldn't overcome the tall order of chasing under the low Dambulla floodlights was not a good team. They were big words all right, but ones his side backed up.
On a helpful pitch, Lasith Malinga was too good, Angelo Mathews canny, and New Zealand were dismissed for 192. After Tillakaratne Dilshan fell early in the chase, Upul Tharanga provided Sangakkara solid support in a partnership that set up the base for a shot at a bonus point. It helps if the captain himself scores a 48 as stylish as it was solid on a tricky pitch. Amid falling wickets, Sri Lanka played positive, innovative cricket, but couldn't make the target inside 40 overs and secure the bonus point. Read more...
Brief Score:
Sri Lanka 195 for 7 (Tharanga 70, Sangakkara 48, Mills 4-41) beat New Zealand 192 (Watling 55, Malinga 3-35, Mathews 3-36) by three wickets
Courtesy: cricinfo.com
Listless India crumble to 200-run defeat
India v New Zealand, tri-series, 1st ODI, Dambulla
August 10, 2010
New Zealand's plan of loading their side with seamers paid off as they bullied an alarmingly reckless Indian top order under lights to seal a 200-run rout and gain a bonus point. Ross Taylor and Scott Styris played risk-free yet attacking cricket to lift New Zealand from 28 for 3 to 288 before their bowlers let the conditions do the work for them as India's technically inept batsmen crumbled without a fight to their fifth lowest score in ODIs, and fourth heaviest defeat batting second. Read more...
Brief Score:
New Zealand 288 (Taylor 95, Styris 89, Nehra 4-47, Praveen 3-43) beat India 88 (Tuffey 3-34, Oram 2-16, Mills 2-26) by 200 runs
Courtesy: cricinfo.com
August 10, 2010
New Zealand's plan of loading their side with seamers paid off as they bullied an alarmingly reckless Indian top order under lights to seal a 200-run rout and gain a bonus point. Ross Taylor and Scott Styris played risk-free yet attacking cricket to lift New Zealand from 28 for 3 to 288 before their bowlers let the conditions do the work for them as India's technically inept batsmen crumbled without a fight to their fifth lowest score in ODIs, and fourth heaviest defeat batting second. Read more...
Brief Score:
New Zealand 288 (Taylor 95, Styris 89, Nehra 4-47, Praveen 3-43) beat India 88 (Tuffey 3-34, Oram 2-16, Mills 2-26) by 200 runs
Courtesy: cricinfo.com
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