They were both thinking it.
Couch Talk 196 with Simon Taufel
5 years ago
Showing posts with label sachin tendulkar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sachin tendulkar. Show all posts
The Worst Test XI of 2012
It's that time of the year again. The time to celebrate the duds. This year's got a pretty good crop of talented players who had the kinds of performance issues that can't be solved by pills. Not legally, anyway.
Taufeeq Umar (246 runs at 24.6): This year was a return to mediocrity for Taufeeq, who had a pretty successful comeback year in 2011. He managed to hold onto his spot because he was competing with Imran Farhat and no one else. Still has a flashy backlift.
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| This is for his backup career as a car salesman. |
Shaun Marsh (14 runs at 3.5): While his teammates piled on the runs, Shaun Marsh was the walking wicket India didn't have to worry about. And we're grateful to him for that. The IPL did put him in the public eye, after all.
Sachin Tendulkar (357 runs at 23.8): I never imagined I'd have to do this, but this was not Sachin's year. He looked listless, and at times even out of his depth. To be fair though, he depth is very deep, if that makes any sense. Ended the year by retiring from the format that made him a superstar.
Eoin Morgan (82 runs at 13.66): Eoin "Vowels" Morgan was one of the few batsmen to audition for a lower-middle spot in the England batting order this year, and he failed miserably. Five out of the six dismissals were brought about by spin - thrice by Ajmal and twice by Rehman. Test cricket is destined to be without the most confident reverse-sweeper around.
Samit Patel (109 runs at 15.57, 4 wickets at 64.25): Morgan's failure meant that a spot opened up for Samit Patel, who could also chip in with his... spin? A true allrounder, he was awful with both bat and ball. And you can make up your own "all round -> fat" joke. That's beneath me.
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| No joke here. |
Aizaz Cheema (1 wicket at 167): Pakistan have been known to produce many quality fast bowlers. This is not one of them. If you had told me at the beginning of 2012 that Mohammed Sami would average 75 fewer runs per wicket than the next worst Pakistani bowler, I would have coughed up my appendix laughing. Which would conveniently free up space in my body for an appendix-sized pizza slice (because that's how the human body works).
Ishant Sharma (7 wickets at 75.57): These aren't the bowling figures of an unlucky bowler, they're the stats of a bloody awful bowler who has a firm grasp on one end of a very long rope. Longer than several of him put together, even. Ended the year, somehow, as India's spearhead. That's a very blunt toy spear with an "all ages" sign on it.
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| Looks threatening enough. |
Imran Tahir (17 wickets at 55.88): I could have put someone else in this spot, but there's no way that was going to happen after the tonking he got from Australia. 0-180 from 23 overs! I've always got a leggie's back, but that was unadulterated filth. The kind that sleazy hotels wouldn't even put on premium pay-per-view. All highlights are censored.
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| Rated R. |
Dishonorable mentions
Tim Bresnan (16 wickets at 55.43)
Sreesanth (0 wickets at 0) (This won't make sense, but I've never made a Worst XI list without a mention of Sreesanth. It just isn't right.)
Gifs of the day: Sachin Tendulkar
Just some of the classics. I know I'm missing a few. And by "a few" I mean several million.
Heavy page, obviously. Give it some loading time if your internet isn't tracer bullet quick.
Heavy page, obviously. Give it some loading time if your internet isn't tracer bullet quick.
BCCI to arrange retirement seminar
In a recent press release (well, a tweet), the BCCI announced that they would be holding a seminar on retirement, for cricketers who are unsure about the final phases of their career.
"No one can play forever, right? No, they can't," said a high-ranking insider somewhat nervously, answering his own rhetorical question.
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| The BCCI is hip. A hip that needs to be replaced. |
"There will be a number of guest speakers who will talk about their own experience with retirements. We have multiple retirees Mohammad Yousuf and Shahid Afridi, who is also the record holder for most failed retirements so he brings a lot to the table. We also have Ricky Ponting to tell you what he did wrong, Dravid, Laxman and Kumble for a personal touch, and a surprise guest who will announce his retirement from international cricket on stage! Hint: his name rhymes with Kadagoppan Kamesh," said Naim.
"And what about entertainment?" asked Fikshan.
"We have Saurav Ganguly doing an improvised special, called 'Things I Would Do Better if I Were Sachin Tendulkar.' Then, we will have a live musical performance from Paul McCartney."
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| This is six hours long. |
"What are you insinuating?" asked Naim angrily.
"You're obviously holding this for Sachin, right? You're clearly too afraid to drop him, and now that he's put his fate in the selectors' hands, you want to put the onus to retire back on him?"
"Preposterous!" said Naim.
"Is it?"
"PREPOSTEROUS!" he repeated.
"That sounds like exactly what a mustachioed billionaire would say when accused of plotting to kill a struggling writer who is also his daughter's lover."
"Look, we're scared, all right," said Naim bipolarly, "if Indian cricket fans were teenage girls, Sachin would be Justin Bieber. There's no way we're going against that." With those words, Naim crossed the moat, hurried back into the BCCI headquarters, and raised the drawbridge.
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| They have sharks with laser beams in that moat. |
The event will be catered by Tendulkar's restaurant, Tendulkar's.
Note: This is very obviously a work of fiction. Leave me alone, BCCI. I am moving as I write this so don't try to find me.
Emergency Meeting: IPL Captains
Note: This was first published a couple of days ago at Khelnama.
Dhoni: I’m glad you could come, Gauti.
Gambhir: Of course, this was much needed. I have to say, it was a brilliant idea to hold this meeting in a gym exclusively for Indian players. This place is abandoned, no one will find us here! Who says you’re not innovative anymore?
Dhoni: I know, right?
Gambhir: Should we get started?
Dhoni: We’re just waiting for Sachin to get here.
Gambhir: Sachin? Why not Harbh -
Sachin: I’m right here. I got here before you two. You even greeted me!
Dhoni: Okay, let’s start, then.
Gambhir: What about Jayawardene or Sehwag? Didn’t you invite them?
Dhoni: (nervously) I, er...
Gambhir: Oh, I get it. It’s because they’re the only ones who have actually won a match. They don’t need this, right?
Dhoni: Well of course. That’s why I didn’t invite them. There’s no other reason, none at all.
Gambhir: OK, so now we can get down to business. I - (doorbell rings, which is odd because this is a gym. just go with it).
Dhoni: Oh, that’s the pizza I ordered. I’ll get it. (opens the door and takes the pizza, then looks at the delivery guy). How much do I owe - Ashish? What are you doing here?
Nehra: (forlornly) No one remembers me.
Dhoni: Uh... keep the change, buddy. (shuts the door quickly).
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| He makes really good pizza in England. |
Comic: The Greats
Two of India's greatest ever batsmen retired this year - one representing the science of cricket and the other, the art.
This comic is far less insightful.
Click to enlarge.
This comic is far less insightful.
Click to enlarge.
Comic: Sachin's 100th
Congratulations... even though we lost, right on cue.
Can't really blame the batsmen if the bowlers bowled filth when Bangladesh needed 9 an over in the last 16 and then 33 in the last 3.
Click to enlarge.
Can't really blame the batsmen if the bowlers bowled filth when Bangladesh needed 9 an over in the last 16 and then 33 in the last 3.
Click to enlarge.
Limerick: Sachin
There was once a boy named Sachin
A hundred hundreds he was almost touchin'
But he just couldn't score
When they all wanted more
To his retirement they sent him rushin'.
A hundred hundreds he was almost touchin'
But he just couldn't score
When they all wanted more
To his retirement they sent him rushin'.
Australia vs India: all-consuming series preview
Fact: Australia haven't won a Test against India since the 6th of January, 2008. There have been 8 Tests between the two since then, of which 5 have been won by India, and the other 3 have been drawn. The first of these 8 matches marked the return of a little-know opener, Virender Sehwag, to the Indian Test side. Coincidence? I think not. But I also think that India should pick Ajit Agarkar once in a while, so you'd be better off not taking me seriously. Unless you also want Agarkar picked, in which case you must join the fan club. (Just kidding. This is the real link).
Anyway, I know that 6 of the last 8 Indo-Aussie Tests have been in India, and that India's immense home advantage and mid-decade rise, coupled with Australia's decline, meant that India were always favorites for those Tests.
If you compare the last team to tour there and the current one, you'll find that the batting order has improved by a great deal, simply with the addition of Gautam Gambhir at the top. There is no Ganguly, but there's the future skipper, Virat Kohli. Dravid, on that tour, was declining as a player, and was in the painful, fighting-to-score form that saw him make a 114-ball 16, but he's back to his best now. We played two spinners on that tour (which I think we should do this time too, but more on that later) - Anil Kumble, my idol, was well past his prime as a bowler, and Harbhajan Singh, my idol (haha, not really) was not far off from being past his prime. Zaheer Khan was the spearhead then, too, but the real difference was in the pace department. There was one RP Singh, who was good enough to keep Ishant Sharma on the bench. An Ishant Sharma, I might add, who would soon do to Ricky Ponting what everyone now does to Ricky Ponting (made myself laugh there). Verdict: batting is stronger, bowling weaker.
As for Australia, their openers then were a still-scoring Matthew Hayden, of whom David Warner looks a fairly similar replacement, and Phil Jaques. Remember him? Where'd he go? He averages 47 in Tests, and his last innings was a century against the West Indies. I'll just assume he beat the selectors at FIFA or something, or whatever the Aussie equivalent of a popular video game is.
The middle order was the same: Ponting, Clarke, Hussey, and then an almost off-the-wagon Symonds and an almost-retired Gilchrist. Then there were Brett Lee, Stuart Clark and Brad "the Tongue" Hogg, all of whom were as good as they had ever been, and also a less shite Mitchell Johnson. Four bowlers, so obviously balance didn't mean much then either. Verdict: Bowlers now have more potential, but less experience. I'll go with stagnant. And batting, definitely a regression.
On to the main feature, then.
Squad: MS Dhoni (capt &wk), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Abhimanyu Mithun, Rohit Sharma, Pragyan Ojha, R Vinay Kumar, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha, Zaheer Khan.
It always seems like there is no worry on the batting front for India. In Australia, this is how India's batsmen have fared:
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| I'd pick him because he looks like he might just cry if I don't. |
If you compare the last team to tour there and the current one, you'll find that the batting order has improved by a great deal, simply with the addition of Gautam Gambhir at the top. There is no Ganguly, but there's the future skipper, Virat Kohli. Dravid, on that tour, was declining as a player, and was in the painful, fighting-to-score form that saw him make a 114-ball 16, but he's back to his best now. We played two spinners on that tour (which I think we should do this time too, but more on that later) - Anil Kumble, my idol, was well past his prime as a bowler, and Harbhajan Singh, my idol (haha, not really) was not far off from being past his prime. Zaheer Khan was the spearhead then, too, but the real difference was in the pace department. There was one RP Singh, who was good enough to keep Ishant Sharma on the bench. An Ishant Sharma, I might add, who would soon do to Ricky Ponting what everyone now does to Ricky Ponting (made myself laugh there). Verdict: batting is stronger, bowling weaker.
As for Australia, their openers then were a still-scoring Matthew Hayden, of whom David Warner looks a fairly similar replacement, and Phil Jaques. Remember him? Where'd he go? He averages 47 in Tests, and his last innings was a century against the West Indies. I'll just assume he beat the selectors at FIFA or something, or whatever the Aussie equivalent of a popular video game is.
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| "Yeah, I beat Hilditch at Didgeridoo Hero. He just wouldn't get over it. It's probably my smirk." |
On to the main feature, then.
India
Squad: MS Dhoni (capt &wk), Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman, Virat Kohli, R Ashwin, Ishant Sharma, Umesh Yadav, Abhimanyu Mithun, Rohit Sharma, Pragyan Ojha, R Vinay Kumar, Ajinkya Rahane, Wriddhiman Saha, Zaheer Khan.
It always seems like there is no worry on the batting front for India. In Australia, this is how India's batsmen have fared:
- Sehwag: 7 matches, 833 runs @ 59.50, 2 hundreds.
- Dravid: 12 matches, 972 runs @ 48.60, 1 hundred (the 233).
- Sachin: 16 matches, 1522 runs @ 58.53, 6 hundreds.
- Laxman: 11 matches, 1081 runs @ 54.04, 4 hundreds.
Gambhir and Kohli have not played in Australia. It's amazes me, on seeing those stats, that we haven't won a series there. It just shows you how much better Australia have been, and that perhaps India have not batted well as a team too often. Dhoni will be a worry as always - he averages 17.62 in the 8 innings he has played in Australia, but we also know that he's a much better batsman than he was in 2008.
If Sehwag can curb his boredom, and if Sachin doesn't allow the century-monkey on his back to prevent him from playing the free, positive game we need from him, runs won't be an issue.
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| "Did he just say monkey? He did, didn't he? Screw you, man." |
There are far too many concerns with the bowling, and I won't believe a word MSD says until I've personally seen Zaheer and Ishant bowl (interesting fact: against Australia, both have a near-identical average, strike rate and economy rate). As much as Umesh Yadav surprised me against the West Indies, I don't think three quicks should be in the XI just for the sake of it. The four best bowlers are Zaheer, Ishant, Ashwin and Ojha, and that's what the combination should be. In my ideal XI, I'd do away with the extra batsmen and go with three quicks and two spinners, because if a top 5 of that caliber doesn't score enough runs, then they don't really deserve to win.
Likely XI: Sehwag, Gambhir, Tendulkar, Dravid, Laxman, Kohli, Dhoni (c)(wk), Ashwin, Ishant, Zaheer, Ojha.
Australia
XI: David Warner, Ed Cowan, Shaun Marsh, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke (capt), Michael Hussey, Brad Haddin (wk), Peter Siddle, James Pattinson, Nathan Lyon, Ben Hilfenhaus.
Luckily, I don't have to speculate much on this side, because the XI has already been announced. Phil Hughes, who seemed to have become quite the expert at Nick Cricket (that should be an actual game, I'd buy it), was finally given the boot after taking themoronic brave call to skip the BBL to focus on his game. Unfortunately, this means that he's now stuck at home watching it on the telly, since there are no other matches to play. Usman "Asian wrists" Khawaja was also left out after failing to make anything more than a good impression.
This makes way for new-crab-on-the-block, Eddie Cowan, and the graceful (in a cricket way, not a Black Swan way) Shaun Marsh. Thanks to the IPL, David Warner and Shaun Marsh will know many a member of this Indian side, thus eliminating any advantage of surprise either side may have had in this regard. As for Ed Cowan; in 2008, the domestically prolific (more than Cowan, even) and similarly left-handed Chris Rogers, also began his career at home against India. He only scored 19 runs in that Test, and was never heard from again. Some say that he moved to Sweden and now sells hot dogs (fact: not true). Anyway , Cowan already has a hundred against us, however, so he has already distinguished himself.
The batting looks heavy, even with Ponting - never underestimate his ability to want to score against India. Cap'n Clarke looks in great touch, but Hussey will be the worry for Australia, being vulnerable to good swing, good spin, a cat on rollerskates, any kind of movement, really. Pattinson is still an unknown quantity for us, so I'd watch out for him. We tackled Siddle and Hilfenhaus with ease at home, but this is their backyard, and they will want to push us off their swing as soon as possible (I ran free with that analogy). Hilfenhaus, in particular, has that lovely outswinger that Sehwag and Sachin (and to some extent, Kohli) have been known to not just flirt with, but take out to dinner and movie. It's a fine line with Hilfy though - at his pace, slight aberrations in line and length and he will be taken apart. As for spin, I'm afraid that Nathan Lyon may be in for a whipping, and not the good kind (there is no good kind of whipping). I hope that Australia has the sense not to dump him should this whipping be administered, as was done with Hauritz - this is trial by Fiendfyre (look it up) (warning: it may not be worth it).
Official-looking prediction: 1-1. I will go for a drawn series, much to my own consternation. India's bowling doesn't look like a series-winning one, and neither does Australia's.
Luckily, I don't have to speculate much on this side, because the XI has already been announced. Phil Hughes, who seemed to have become quite the expert at Nick Cricket (that should be an actual game, I'd buy it), was finally given the boot after taking the
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| No, Mark Nicholas, these are Asian wrists. |
The batting looks heavy, even with Ponting - never underestimate his ability to want to score against India. Cap'n Clarke looks in great touch, but Hussey will be the worry for Australia, being vulnerable to good swing, good spin, a cat on rollerskates, any kind of movement, really. Pattinson is still an unknown quantity for us, so I'd watch out for him. We tackled Siddle and Hilfenhaus with ease at home, but this is their backyard, and they will want to push us off their swing as soon as possible (I ran free with that analogy). Hilfenhaus, in particular, has that lovely outswinger that Sehwag and Sachin (and to some extent, Kohli) have been known to not just flirt with, but take out to dinner and movie. It's a fine line with Hilfy though - at his pace, slight aberrations in line and length and he will be taken apart. As for spin, I'm afraid that Nathan Lyon may be in for a whipping, and not the good kind (there is no good kind of whipping). I hope that Australia has the sense not to dump him should this whipping be administered, as was done with Hauritz - this is trial by Fiendfyre (look it up) (warning: it may not be worth it).
Official-looking prediction: 1-1. I will go for a drawn series, much to my own consternation. India's bowling doesn't look like a series-winning one, and neither does Australia's.
Insights: Sachin
For what it's worth, I think he's already moved on to "what's for dinner?"
Click to enlarge.
Click to enlarge.
England vs India: Halfway series review
It would be the understatement of understatements to say that the series has been full of action so far, but that doesn't stop anyone from saying it either way.
Such competitive pitches... it could have been so much more than the one-sided whipping it has turned out to be. The first session at Lord's is proof of that. And then, like Dhoni said, everything that could go wrong, did.
The tour began without Sehwag; Zaheer, Gambhir, Sachin, Yuvraj and Harbhajan filled up the sick room pretty quickly, igniting my suspicion that the physio gives them a complimentary paratha or something after each visit.
I reserve high praise for Praveen Kumar and Ishant Sharma, both of whom have bowled way too many overs than advisable. Ishant has put in 105.2 overs, still fewer than PK, who at 118.3, has bowled around twice as many overs as Harbhajan Singh. More praise, of course, for Dravid, who has scored more than twice as many runs as any other Indian batsman on this tour.
Sachin and Laxman have looked at ease without pushing on; Mukund has, as predicted, been a walking wicket - his initial struggle in the West Indies was a flashing neon sign indicating the same. Yuvraj and Raina have contributed ultimately inconsequential half-centuries. And to round up, Dhoni is having a horror series - he has done absolutely nothing right, in any department of the game. If Sachin and Warne get the fairytale scripts, Dhoni's got this tour's story from Wes Craven (Wiki it).
England, meanwhile, haven't been perfect (but very close to it). Cook and Strauss haven't got going, and Swann has been carted around in his half-fit state. They've been on the back foot one or two times, but they haven't allowed themselves to be backed into a corner - they've counter-attacked with aplomb. Mr. Anderson, Broad Jr. and Bresnan have all got a five-for to their name.
India's second practice game didn't really help them in any way. Gambhir, Sehwag, Raina and Dhoni didn't get the runs, Mukund (who isn't expected to play the third Test) hit a quick hundred. Zaheer Khan, for yet unknown reasons, bowled only three overs. Mishra, the second spinner in the squad, was expensive again, just like in the first practice game. So, don't expect any comebacks, Sehwag or no Sehwag. The two batsmen who can win a Test are the fit and in-form ones - Dravid, Sachin and Laxman. And Ojha must play.
Preferred XI: Sehwag, Gambhir, Dravid, Sachin, Laxman, Kohli, Dhoni, PK, Ishant, Ojha, Sreesanth.
Probable XI: Same, but with Raina and Mishra.
Possibility of India remaining #1 after the next two Tests: see image.
Such competitive pitches... it could have been so much more than the one-sided whipping it has turned out to be. The first session at Lord's is proof of that. And then, like Dhoni said, everything that could go wrong, did.
The tour began without Sehwag; Zaheer, Gambhir, Sachin, Yuvraj and Harbhajan filled up the sick room pretty quickly, igniting my suspicion that the physio gives them a complimentary paratha or something after each visit.
I reserve high praise for Praveen Kumar and Ishant Sharma, both of whom have bowled way too many overs than advisable. Ishant has put in 105.2 overs, still fewer than PK, who at 118.3, has bowled around twice as many overs as Harbhajan Singh. More praise, of course, for Dravid, who has scored more than twice as many runs as any other Indian batsman on this tour.
Sachin and Laxman have looked at ease without pushing on; Mukund has, as predicted, been a walking wicket - his initial struggle in the West Indies was a flashing neon sign indicating the same. Yuvraj and Raina have contributed ultimately inconsequential half-centuries. And to round up, Dhoni is having a horror series - he has done absolutely nothing right, in any department of the game. If Sachin and Warne get the fairytale scripts, Dhoni's got this tour's story from Wes Craven (Wiki it).
England, meanwhile, haven't been perfect (but very close to it). Cook and Strauss haven't got going, and Swann has been carted around in his half-fit state. They've been on the back foot one or two times, but they haven't allowed themselves to be backed into a corner - they've counter-attacked with aplomb. Mr. Anderson, Broad Jr. and Bresnan have all got a five-for to their name.
India's second practice game didn't really help them in any way. Gambhir, Sehwag, Raina and Dhoni didn't get the runs, Mukund (who isn't expected to play the third Test) hit a quick hundred. Zaheer Khan, for yet unknown reasons, bowled only three overs. Mishra, the second spinner in the squad, was expensive again, just like in the first practice game. So, don't expect any comebacks, Sehwag or no Sehwag. The two batsmen who can win a Test are the fit and in-form ones - Dravid, Sachin and Laxman. And Ojha must play.
Preferred XI: Sehwag, Gambhir, Dravid, Sachin, Laxman, Kohli, Dhoni, PK, Ishant, Ojha, Sreesanth.
Probable XI: Same, but with Raina and Mishra.
Possibility of India remaining #1 after the next two Tests: see image.
Series preview: England vs India
By this time tomorrow, the first Test will be afoot at Lord's. If you've fallen into the hype-moat surrounding this series (who hasn't, really, except for one or two continents), then surely you must believe that this will be the best, most competitive Test series since the legendary West Indies v India saga of 2011.
There's every reason to lock yourself up with a TV, laptop, carbs in any form, and another TV (for weather reports): the #1 ranking at stake, Sachin's 100th 100 (possibly first at Lord's) followed by 10,000 (give or take 17) articles about his career, WAGs in the stands, and two most enticing matchups:
1) Pie-chucker meets Pie-lover
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| They're from different backgrounds, literally |
2) Man with a sweet tooth
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| He'd trade a cow for those beans to know what the beanstalk would look like |
Anyway, playtime's over. Time to move on the technical stuff. The real nitty-gritty. Squeaky bum time. Release the kraken. Right.
India's practice game may have suffered at the hands of rain and Somersetian (Somerian? Somartian?) batsmen, but it actually answered pretty much all the questions related to selection and form. If you accept that you really shouldn't be asking about Dravid, Sachin or Laxman at this point, it's all good. Gambhir and Mukund got runs on the board in their unbeaten second-innings partnership, Raina cemented his place in the best way possible, Sreesanth bowled himself out of contention.
India doesn't have to face Willoughby and Thomas, however; England's pace attack is far superior and much improved since the last time the two teams met. Having said that, India's batsmen already have one start-of-tour batting collapse out of the way, and there won't be too many gifts from them, not even with a Sehwag-sized crater at the top of the order. Based on what I've seen, Mukund is a nervous starter, but once he's in he looks very assured. (Trivia: When was the last time India had two lefties open?)
India's bowling, like on the last English tour, looks like it could use the conditions well - Zaheer Khan is the best left-arm quick in the world at the moment, and Praveen Kumar can get prodigious swing with the new ball. Ishant Sharma just needs to bowl the way he was doing a couple of weeks ago. Harbhajan might fancy himself if he gets bouncy pitches, but this England side won't be as vulnerable to spin as it used to be, especially when they have the luxury of Swann bowling to them in the nets.
Probable XI: Gambhir, Mukund, Dravid, Tendulkar, Laxman, Raina, Dhoni (c)(wk), Harbhajan, P. Kumar, Zaheer, Ishant.
England have a superb chance to get an early lead in the series with Sehwag out. Their batsmen have been accumulating runs for a while - Cook, Trott, KP and Bell filled their boots against a toothless Lankan attack. Strauss made merry in the practice game and Prior is in good domestic form, but it won't be as easy against India. Complacency, and a lack of recent quality opposition could get in their way.
Their bowling, however, is in great shape. Jimmy "Jimmy"Anderson and Chris "freakystringbean" Tremlett will cause plenty of problems when on song. Put either under pressure, though, and... well, we'll see when Sehwag's back. Broad will be eager (and under severe, debilitating, acne-inducing pressure) to pick up wickets and stop his Test career from following his ODI career with running shoes on (What?). And Swann's there too. See what I did there? I don't.
Probable XI: Strauss (c), Cook, Trott, Pieterson, Bell, Morgan, Prior (wk), Swann, Broad, Anderson, Tremlett.
Official-looking prediction: Draw. 100th Sachin ton. Both batting sides will stumble. Mukund ton. Broad will take 2-3 wickets. Tremlett will take more. I'll be slightly wrong about something and very wrong about something else.
When Warne met Tendulkar
During the last league game featuring the Rajasthan Royals in this year’s IPL, it was not just the last sighting of Shane Warne the player; it was also the last time that he squared off against the greatest opponent of his era – Sachin Tendulkar. While the contest itself was nothing to write home about, for those who had witnessed some of the most memorable duels between these two over the last couple of decades, it was hard not to feel nostalgic about the times gone by.
The first meeting between these two legends was all one way traffic. In Warne’s first match for Australia, he took one wicket conceding 150 runs. In the same innings, Tendulkar, all of 19 years, scored an unbeaten century to draw first blood in the personal rivalry which would capture the imagination of a generation of cricket watchers.
