Sachin Tendulkar will never again be seen on the field in the blue Indian jersey. After a 23-year-long career during which he broke virtually all records worth breaking, the world's greatest ODI batsman announced his retirement from the 50-over game on Sunday.

"I have decided to retire from the one-day format of the game. I feel blessed to have fulfilled the dream of being part of a World Cup wining Indian team. The preparatory process to defend the World Cup in 2015 should begin early and in right earnest," Tendulkar said in a statement released by the BCCI. 

The board said that the Mumbai maestro had spoken to BCCI president N Srinivasan and conveyed the decision. "I would like to wish the team all the very best for the future. I am eternally grateful to all my well wishers for their unconditional support and love over the years," Tendulkar added. 

The decision came on the day when the selectors announced the ODI squad for the series against Pakistan, giving rise to speculation that Sachin was nudged by the board to call it a day. In fact, a BCCI source said Tendulkar wanted to play the series against Pakistan before bidding goodbye to the format. He changed his mind after getting feelers from the selectors that he won't be considered for the ODI team on the basis of his current form. BCCI, however, denied this and said it was Sachin's own decision. 

The source added that Tendulkar was keen for a last duel against the Pakistanis. "It's a marquee series and no player of his stature would say no to such a contest and retire on the day when the team is announced," a source close to the team told TOI. 

Sources said that two selectors — chief Sandep Patil and Roger Binny — were in constant touch with Tendulkar and discussed the issue at length with him. 

The board insisted that Sachin has been contemplating retirement from ODIs for quite some time and had last week informed those close to him about his decision. 

"It's been Sachin's decision to pick and choose his ODI series and today he has decided to announce his retirement on his own. There was no pressure from BCCI. He played cricket on his own terms and no one influenced his decision," a top BCCI official told TOI. 

Reacting to the decision, Ratnakar Shetty, the BCCI's chief administrative officer, said: "I won't say it is a shocker because he has also been thinking about this, waiting for the right time to call it a day. Today, he has expressed his desire to retire from the one-day format, and the BCCI really respects his wishes." 

A BCCI source, however, said Sachin was no longer fitting in the scheme of things in the ODIs. "One, he was picking and choosing his ODI contests which wasn't allowing the team to settle with a combination. Two, the selectors were keen to give young players more opportunities keeping the 2015 World Cup in mind," he said. 

The selectors, according to sources, want Sachin to play some Ranji Trophy games before the Test series against Australia at home. "They all respect his abilities, but what is required at this level is to keep performing no matter how big you are," another source said.

Source-TOI

Follow on is arguably the most dreaded rule in cricket—only for the team on which it is enforced though! As per this rule, a side batting second in a Test match can be forced to bat again if it falls short of 200 runs or more of the first innings total of the team batting first. 

While the international standard for imposing the follow on rule is a 200-run lead over the side batting second, this gap varies depending on the level of cricket. For instance, in a four-day game, the follow on gap is 150 runs; in a two-day game, it's 100 runs; and in a one-day (two-inning) game, it's 75-runs.

Enforcing the follow on rule is up to the discretion of the opposition captain and there are times when teams batting first don't use it. This depends on the match situation and the context of the game. For example, there are times when the opposition feels like a 200-run lead is not enough of a buffer and chooses to add a few more runs to increase the trailing team's deficit.

However, most of the times, the follow on rule is imposed, as it acts as a psychological tool against the opposition and corners them, forcing them to play out of their skins to bounce back in the Test match. This is often not possible and the side following on crumbles under the pressure of setting a competitive target.

One of the biggest wins in international test history was registered by England over Australia back in 1938, when the Poms imposed a follow on on the Aussies. The English scored a mammoth 903/7 while batting first. In response, the Aussies only managed a paltry total of 201 and were asked to follow on. They could only score 123 in their second attempt, giving England an innings and 579-run win!

Having said that, there have also been instances of sides winning after following on—although this is rare and therefore, special! One of the most famous instances of a side winning after following on was India's 171-run win over Australia at the Eden Gardens in 2001. After being bowled out for 171 while chasing Australia's first innings score of 445, VVS Laxman scored 281 runs to help India to a 657/7 in the follow on innings. Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh then helped clean up the Aussies for 212, handing India a famous win that brought an end to Australia's 16-game winning streak!

Warning: After their below par performance against England, do not expect similar heroics from Team India anytime soon.

-Picture courtesy Thinkstock-

The Who's Who

Muhammad Ali aka Cassius Clay is one of the most beloved sports figures in history. This heavyweight boxer, who was a three-time champion, managed an impressive 56 wins—including 37 knock outs—in 61 fights. 

Along with his obvious flair for boxing, Ali was known for his fast, witty and often, insightful remarks out of the ring even more than his prowess within it. Being of African American heritage, he was also a civil rights and social activist. As such, he is still idolized by millions across the globe, just like he was back in his heyday. 


Early Days

Ali was born in Louisville, Kentucky on January 17, 1942. His father, Cassius Clay Sr. was a local sign-painter, and his mother was a household maid.

A local police chief encouraged a young and excitable Ali to take up boxing at the age of 12. This coaxing led to an amatuer career that saw the young boxer win several local and national-level competitions. He registered 95 wins in 100 amatuer fights.

However, the icing on Ali's amatuer career was winning the light heavyweight gold at the 1960 Rome Olympics. Soon, he went pro, and embarked on a journey that would change the face of professional boxing forever. 


Professional Career

Ali's first professional fight was a six-round win over Tunney Hunsaker. Over the next couple of years, Ali went on to beat 19 opponents—of which he knocked out 15—and didn't lose a single bout. As his legend grew, so did his confidence, and soon Ali started correctly predicting the round in which he would finish off his opponents!

After he won 1963's "fight of the year" against Doug Jones, Ali was touted as the top contender for the heavyweight title. Finally, he got his first title shot against Sonny Liston—who was a 7-1 favorite—on February 15, 1964. In a controversial seventh round decision, Ali won by a technical knock out, and thereafter uttered his famous words: "I'm the greatest!"

At 22, Ali became the then-youngest boxer to win the heavyweight belt. Still going by Cassius Clay, he converted to Islam, and a week after winning the world title, he officially changed his name to Muhammad Ali.

However, Ali had to fight Liston again in 13 months due to the controversy surrounding his win. This was one of easiest decisions of his career, which saw him knocking out Liston in the first round itself!

Ali then went on a rampage, and he successfully defended his title against several American and international opponents. But his best fight was against Cleveland Williams in Houston in 1966. In a display of great boxing skills and footwork, Ali didn't make a single error in the three-round fight that was witnessed by over 35,000 fans in an indoor stadium. 

In 1967, Ali finally got his hands on Ernie Terrell, who had been avoiding a confrontation with him. In a 15-round beat down, Ali didn't go for the knock out, because he wanted to punish Terrell for calling him by his "slave name" Clay! It was clear to one and all that Ali was indeed the greatest!

Unfortunately, just when Ali was in the best shape of his life, he was banned from professinoal boxing for three years. His crime was that he opposed the Vietnam War, and refused to enlist in the mandatory US Army draft. He even famously stated, "I ain't got no quarrel with the Vietcong. No Vietcong ever called me N*gg*r," and refused to be party to a war he thought would further the domination of the "white slave-masters" over "dark people."

In 1970, while his case was still being appealed, Ali got a chance to fight again. After a couple of routine (and flashy) wins, Ali went all in, in the hunt for the title. This time his foe was the undefeated Joe Frazier. On March 8, 1971 at New York's Madison Square Garden, Ali was handed the first loss of his professional career. This 15-round battle lived up to all the hype and was dubbed "The Fight Of The Century." However, Ali did win a non-title rematch on January 28, 1974 against Frazier, who had by then lost the title to George Foreman.

This paved the way for "The Rumble In The Jungle"—a fight between Ali and Foreman in Kinshasa, Zaire on October 30, 1974. Coming into this bout as a heavy underdog, Ali stunned the entire world by reclaiming the heavyweight title in eight rounds. To date, this fight is considered to be one of the greatest upsets in boxing.

Despite a few close calls—most notably against Chuck Wepner—Ali continued with his winning ways. He finally, faced Frazier for the third time in the "Thrilla in Manila." Ali won a hard-fought 15-round fight in searing heat and humidity, which knocked the wind out of Frazier. 

After defending his title successfully for a couple of years, Ali finally lost to Leon Spinks in February 1978. But he retained the belt the same year on September 15. Ali retired in June 1979, and tried a comeback in 1980 against then-champion Larry Holmes. However, he lost that bout, and ended up retiring for good after his 1981 loss to Trevor Berbick. 


Personal Probe

Along with being a world-class athlete, Ali was also quite the ladies' man. He's currently married to his fourth wife, Yolanda. He has a total of nine kids, but the most famous of his offspring has to be his boxer daughter Laila Ali, who went undefeated in her 24-fight career!

A few years after his retirement, Ali developed Parkinson's syndrome, and has sadly been reduced to but a shadow of his former loquacious self!


Quirky Quotes

- "A man who views the world the same at fifty as he did at twenty has wasted thirty years of his life."

- "At home I am a nice guy: but I don't want the world to know. Humble people, I've found, don't get very far."

- "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee."

- "Hating people because of their colour is wrong. And it doesn't matter which colour does the hating. It's just plain wrong."

- "I am the astronaut of boxing. Joe Louis and Dempsey were just jet pilots. I'm in a world of my own."

- "I am the greatest, I said that even before I knew I was."

- "I figure I'll be champ for about ten years and then I'll let my brother take over — like the Kennedys down in Washington."

- "I wish people would love everybody else the way they love me. It would be a better world."

- "I'm so fast that last night I turned off the light switch in my hotel room and was in bed before the room was dark."

- "I'm the most recognized and loved man that ever lived because there weren't no satellites when Jesus and Moses were around, so people far away in the villages didn't know about them."

 
Lasting Legacy

Years after retirement, Ali is still a big part of any conversation regarding the best athlete of all time. In fact, both BBC and Sports Illustrated honored him as the greatest athlete of the 20th century. 

Several books have been written about Ali's life and even his individual fights. His story has also been told in several Hollywood films—most notably in the award-winning, Will Smith starrer Ali. 

However, Ali will always be known for his ground-breaking style in the ring and off it. He brought flash and flair to boxing, and made it a sport for the masses. And finally,  he's one of the few athletes in the world who was supremely confident in his abilities, and backed his words with one smashing performance after another. 


-Picture courtesy Reuters-

Who's Who

Arthur Ashe was a former World No. 1 tennis player, who single-handedly changed the outlook of fans all over the world. He was the first black man to win a Grand Slam, and achieved several notable milestones during his illustrious 12-year professional career. Till date, he remains the only black man to win the Wimbledon singles title. 

Apart from being a tennis champion, Ashe was also a civil rights activist, and spoke openly against racism. Having fought an uphill battle all his life, Ashe was one of the toughest characters in the world of sports.


Early Days

He was born in Richmond, Virginia on July 10, 1943. He lost his mother when he was very young, and was raised by his father. 

Ashe was fond of tennis since a very young age, and his acute interest in the sport made him move to St. Louis, Missouri, where he attended summer school. His popularity kept rising as several coaches around America became aware of his unmatched skills.

Soon he was offered a tennis scholarship to the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he won a singles and a team national championship. During this time, he was also picked for the US Davis Cup team, becoming the first black player to earn this distinction. After college, Ashe also served in the US army as a first lieutenant for two years.


Career and Major Achievements

At the age of 25, Ashe won the innaugural US Open and was also part of the Davis Cup-winning American team. He finally turned pro in 1969, and pretty soon became the biggest star on the tennis circuit. He soon became the world's top-ranked player and even won the 1970 Australian Open.

Over the next five years a major title would elude Ashe, but he made his presence felt through his activism. He openly criticized South Africa's apartheid regime, for which he was reprimanded on several occasions. He also supported the silent protests of black athletes during the 1968 Olympics.

Finally, in 1975 Ashe did his talent justice by overpowering Jimmy Connors and winning the Wimbledon singles title. But thereafter, he slowed down as his health got the better of him. He finally retired in 1980 after a heart surgery following his 1979 heart attack. 


Personal Probe

Ashe was married to Jeanne Moutoussamy and he adopted a girl with her in 1986. After his retirement, he was constantly prone to chest pains and had to undergo another bypass surgery. After falling ill again in 1988, Ashe found out that he had contracted HIV during blood transfussion while undergoing his the second heart surgery.


Quirky Quotes

-"A wise person decides slowly but abides by these decisions"

-"Clothes and manners do not make the man; but when he is made, they greatly improve his appearance."

-"I don't care who you are, you're going to choke in certain matches. You get to a point where your legs don't move and you can't take a deep breath. You start to hit the ball about a yard wide, instead of inches."

-"I have tried to keep on with my striving because this is the only hope I have of ever achieving anything worthwhile and lasting."

-"If I were to say, "God, why me?" about the bad things, then I should have said, "God, why me?" about the good things that happened in my life."

-"True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost."

-"You've got to get to the stage in life where going for it is more important than winning or losing."


Death and Legacy

On account of his deteriorating condition and appearance, Ashe finally went public with his illness in 1992. He even spent his last few months making the world aware of AIDS and founded Arthur Ashe Institute for Urban Health. He finally succumbed to pneumonia on February 6, 1993. 

Even though Ashe is long gone, his legacy lives on even today through the various fuondations and awards that have been named after him. He was also inducted in the Tennis Hall-Of-Fame, and he serves as a fine example of a man who fought adversity till his dying breath.


-Picture courtesy yuppiedilemma.com-

Simply put, Unicycle Hockey is playing hockey while being on a unicycle. Unicycle Hockey is similar to roller or inline hockey, except that each player must be mounted on a unicycle (with both feet on the pedals) to play the ball.

Unicycle Hockey was first recorded in 1925 in the film Varieté and is now under the International Unicycle Federation. 

The rules of the game are similar to that of a normal hockey game. There are five players in each team excluding the substitutes. The court used is between 35 and 45 metres in length, and 20 to 25 metres wide. It should have either beveled or rounded corners and barriers on all sides. The goals are also set back from the end walls so that play can go behind them, similarly to ice hockey.

The stick used is an ice-hockey stick and the ball is a tennis ball. The unicycles can have a maximum wheel diameter of 24 inches (61 cm), and shouldn't have any protruding features that may harm the unicycler or anyone else.

There are at least three national unicycle hockey leagues. One is in the UK, with 10 registered teams, another is in Germany, where there are 53 registered teams, and a third is in Switzerland, with approximately 20 teams. In addition to these leagues, there are individual teams in other countries, including France, Denmark, Sweden, Australia, Hong Kong, Korea and Singapore. 

Many must've not heard of Underwater Hockey, but it has been in existence since 1954 in the UK! Initially known as Octopush, it was founded by Alan Blake to keep members of Southsea Sub-Aqua Club Number 9 from abandoning the new club during the winter months when it was too cold to dive in the sea. The game was formerly played between two teams comprising of eight players (hence the name Octo) and needed players to push a puck across the pool's bottom (hence the term push).

As of today's rules and regulations, underwater hockey is played by two teams of six players and four substitutes per team. The players are equipped with diving mask, snorkel, swimfins, a stick and a glove. The glove is worn to protect a player's hands from abrasion caused by the pool's rough bottom surface. The stick is used to push the puck around. It's 35 cm. long and color coded as per the team. The puck is made up of lead to make it sink till the bottom and is covered with a type of plastic to facilitate friction in the right amount. 

The playtime of a game is 30 minutes divided into two 15 minute halves. The rules are similar to those of normal hockey which includes the fouls, penalties, etc. The goal, or 'Gulley' is three metres wide and placed at opposite ends of the pool's bottom. 

The most interesting part of the game is spectating. Either the spectators can choose to be dry and let live footage serve them as a medium, or the more adventurous kind can dive in with a snorkel and a swimfin and watch the game, underwater! The advent of technology also led to the live streaming of 2010 World Championchips. As of today, the game is widely popular in countries like UK, USA, Australia, Canada, etc. The World Championchips are held every two years and hosts under-18, Masters, and Elite level games. 

It's title is fairly self-explanatory if you think about it but read on to understand the intricacies of this rather bizarre sport better. This sport was first introduced in Finland where male competitors had to race while carrying a female teammate. The objective is simple enough—carry your woman through a special obstacle course in the fastest time possible. Hmm, anyone else think it sounds a bit like marriage? Barring the fastest time bit of course. 

Anyway, the strange sporting event was first introduced in Finland and even today major competitions with the same premise are held over here. However, US states like Wisconsin and Michigan have also joined the running and host wife carrying sporting events themselves. There are various 'carrying' techniques which include piggyback, fireman's carry or even Estonian-style (where the wife hangs upside down with her legs around her husband's shoulders while holding on to his waste). The latter most, we aren't ashamed to admit, is our favourite. 

There are far too many stories around how it originated and most are rubbished or dismissed as old wives' tales. From thieves running away with the wives fo other men from Finnish villages to the idea that a man named Rosvo-Ronkainen trained his thieves to carry large, heavy sacks while running away led to this modern day sport.

What's amusing is how far the idea has spread. From Hong Kong (in Asia it is also referred to as matukinina) to USA, believe it or not, the sport of wife carrying is actually legitimised in the sunny state of India's very own Kerala. Every year on January 1, Ecorun India hosts and event called Bhaaryasametham which roughly translates into 'with your wife' in Malayalam. Lungi-clad men running around with their sari-clad wives? This we've got to see. 

Codemasters has released the follow up to its highly popular F1 game. But the real question is whether this one is a major improvement over the 2011 version.

F1 2012 features a new Young Driver Test mode as well a tutorial that many real-life drivers have said resembles the real driving environment accurately to a great extent. This important feature allows you to really get a hang of the mechanics as well as the racing track and rules of the game. Considering this is not a simple start to finish line game, this feature becomes doubly important for novices who want to get a real hang of the game. For seasoned players, and especially ones who have broken their thumbs swerving the turns on the 2010 and 2011 versions of the game, this is an easy way of easing into the game.

The game also has a Champions Mode that features the likes of Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton, Jenson Button, Sebastian Vettel, Fernando Alonso and big daddy Michael Schumacher for you to match up against. The career mode packs in a lot of flexibility as well as time. You can keep playing this game for much longer than most other games. A full season allows you multiples races, practice sessions and all the other racing paraphernalia that F1 is known for. However, if you’re eager to show off your driving skills, you can nominate a rival in Season Challenge mode (also new) and if you win best-of-three race against him, you get his title and car. Theoretically, you can jump levels to achieve a Season Championship.

The main menu to select from various options has also been refurbished with lesser clutter than before. The gaming environment during the race too is much clearer and navigation is enhanced because of the the little kinks in the engine that have received a boost.

Racing the cars is a delight in itself. But much more satisfying is knowing that the cars actually simulate the racing environment to the tee. Handling, as such, is more difficult than with other racing games but make no mistake F1 is the ultimate racing experience out there. The sheer reality of the venture is most easy when you race the same car in the same circuit with different environments during laps. While bright sunshine will make you conscious of the steep curves along the track, rains will mean maneuvering the car in such a way that it doesn’t skid off.

It is this mix of brains and adrenalin that ultimately make this game a winner. Holders of F1 2011 may find the changes in this version cosmetic but make no mistake, F1 2012 is a delight in more ways than one, and if you’re a hardcore fan then it’s definitely worth the investment it demands.

Codemasters has really come up with a winner in F1 2012. The game is smart, beautiful and easy to handle after a point. While fans of the sport will definitely salivate over this one, we hope the wider community of sports fans will also give this game a try.

You won’t be disappointed with this one. Trust us.

Source - IANS: Austrian Felix Baumgartner has broken the record for the highest ever skydive by jumping out of a balloon 128,000 feet (39 km) above New Mexico on October 15.

The 43-year-old was also hoping to break the sound barrier during his descent - although that mark awaits confirmation. Video cameras relayed the moment Baumgartner stepped from his balloon capsule to begin his fall to Earth. It took just under 10 minutes for him to reach the desert surface below.

Only the last few thousand feet were negotiated by parachute. Once down, he fell to his knees and raised his fists in triumph. Helicopter recovery teams were on hand moments later, according to the BBC.

None of the new marks set by Baumgartner can be classed as "official" until endorsed by the Federation Aeronautique Internationale (FAI) however.

Its representative was the first to greet the skydiver on the ground. GPS data recorded on to a microcard in the Austrian's chest pack will form the basis for any height and speed claims that are made.

The researchers on the Red Bull Stratos project say it has already provided invaluable data for the development of high-performance, high-altitude parachute systems, the BBC said.

And that the lessons learned will inform the development of new ideas for emergency evacuation from vehicles such as spacecraft passing through the stratosphere.

Here's a video of the incredible human feat:

History

Bicycle Motorcross, or simply put BMX, is racing on motorcross dirt tracks with bicycles. It was started in the 1970's when kids with bicycles started emulating motorcross stars around dirt tracks in south California. The 1972 motorcycle racing documentary On Any Sunday is often credited for bringing this sport to the national masses when it's opening sequence featured kids on bicycles off-roading around a track. Availability of bicycles and their high-customization capabilities made this sport a phenomenon by the mid-1970's. By then, BMX acquired a dedicated fanbase and manufacturers started producing bicycles especially for the sport.

How It Works

A race track similar to a motorcross dirt track with obstacles, pits, dunes, etc. is strategically laid out and competitors ride around it. The track is 450m long and the races are quick and swift. The cyclists have to stick to race specification of single gear, single break rule. The bicycles are lightweight yet have a strong body to withstand the strain it has to endure during the race. 

Current Scenario

The sport has received international acclamation and has a global fan following. BMXing was eventually inculcated as an Olympic sport in 2008's Beijing Olympics which saw Māris Štrombergs of Latvia bag the men's gold and Anne-Caroline Chausson of of France winning the women's gold. This year the BMX event was also a part of the London Olympics.

Source - IANS: West Indies celebrated in "Gangnam" style their World Twenty20 triumph at the Premedasa Stadium here Sunday night.

Their celebrations knew no bounds as they broke a 33-year-long wait to lift a World Cup.

It was also West Indies' second International Cricket Council (ICC) title in eight years, having won the Champions Trophy in 2004. West Indies last won a World Cup - 50 overs format - way back in 1979.

Chris Gayle was at the centre of celebrations, dancing to "Gangnam Style".

"Gangnam Style", by South Korean rapper PSY, is a satire of life in Seoul, where people are trendy and hip.

At the Premedasa, the "Gangnam Style" symbolised the story of the Caribbean resurgence. It has been the mojo of the Caribbean side in the tournament.

Man of the Match Marlon Samuels said it was a new start to West Indies cricket.

Birthday boy Dwayne Bravo said there was a lot of belief among the teammates.

"We had the belief, we had some of the better players in our team. It was just a matter of getting our heads together," said Bravo.

Wishing Bravo, Gayle screamed: "Happy birthday Bravo. I guess we didn't disappoint."

Team manager Richie Richardson, also a former captain, was ecstatic.

"Feels good, feels good. It's been a long journey. It is very important for everybody, we've made the people back home proud. A number of them have come here, one flew in for this match only," he said.

Source - IANS: A group of tourists visiting celebrity homes were in for a surprise when soccer ace David Beckham appeared in front of them from the bushes, dressed just in his underpants.

The 37-year-old LA Galaxy star came in front of the bus, which was touring celebrities' homes in Hollywood, while he was shooting for a range of H&M underwear.

However, Beckham quickly sat in his car and sped off, reports dailystar.co.uk.

He was later back to the same place to continue the photoshoot.

If there is one person in the current Indian cricket team lineup who can do no wrong, it is Virat Kohli. Who can deny this after watching him win the match for India against Pakistan the other day at the ICC T20 World Cup. The cricketer has been a delight to watch all through this year. His power packed performance in the IPL coupled with his consistent ODI centuries and his notching up of runs at the current ICC T20 World Cup have convinced even his staunchest critics that the man is not a fluke. So much so that he was even awarded the ODI Cricketer of the Year at the ICC Awards a couple of weeks ago.

However, the question that needs to be asked is this. Has Virat Kohli made enough of a name for himself to show that he has well and truly arrived? Is he an integral cog of the team now? Looking at his achievements over the past 12 months will suggest these are redundant questions. However, let us analyse Kohli the man and Kohli the team man to arrive at a conclusion.

As an individual and as a cricketer, Kohli has proved he has the focus and the temperament to reach, and more importantly, stay at the top of the team. He has also shown willingness to adapt to different formats of the game within minimal time. In the process, he has left behind several other luminaries of the team such as Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and M S Dhoni to show that his temperament and adaptability are his most valued USPs.

Kohli has also blown away the competition to bits. This sounds incredible because only a year ago, there were a bunch of talented cricketers waiting to make their mark on the world arena. Cheteshwar Pujara was widely being hailed as the next best number three batsman to take over from Rahul Dravid. Suresh Raina was touted to fill up the boots of wristy VVS Laxman by now and Rohit Sharma was widely favoured to be the team’s big hitting batsman. Almost each of them is still trying to prove his worth to the Indian side currently. While Pujara is now looked at as a Test matches fixture, Raina has made a mark only in the shorter formats of the game. Rohit Sharma continues to flash and dazzle sometimes but his inconsistent performances have left selectors and fans leaving much more to be desired from him.

The Indian team is also going through a transition period. Much like the Australian team a few years ago, stalwarts from the team such as Ganguly, Dravid and Laxman have quit from the game, leaving a big void to be filled. Credit must be given to Kohli for keeping up the performance of the team by stepping up when he was needed the most. His golden period in the game has coincided with the time when the team needs a new star and a consistent performer. Little wonder then that various brands have now spotted him as the next big thing in Indian sports and lined up a number of products for him to endorse.

The only area where he has fallen short of expectations is in his professional conduct. Kohli is known to be fiercely aggressive and lets his heart rule on the cricket field as well. Ugly instances of him showing his middle finger to the crowd and constant swearing have become the proverbial monkey on his back. However, senior players opine that as long as he can score the runs he’s scoring and doesn’t cross the ICC Code of Conduct rulebook too many times, his natural aggression should not be curbed. Many also feel that his cricketing genius and temperament go hand-in-hand and must be accepted as such. However, this is certainly an area he can look into and improve his record.

So, are we looking at a world class player? All indications would say yes. When the great Indian middle order was working its magic across rival teams a few years ago, many of us wondered who would ever fill their boots. In Virat Kohli, we have found at least one such cricketer. May his tribe increase!

With the success of Street Cricket Champions, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) is now pleased to announce the launch of Street Cricket Champions 2 for the PSP and PS2.

This game is set to take all cricket fans to the next level of the game - with innovative batting, bowling and fielding systems, nine unique environments and a set of all Indian game play rules. Gamers can play their favourite “Dil Scoop Shot” or “Helicopter Shot” along with six variations of reverse cross bat shots. Street Cricket Champions 2 is packed with a brand new avatar of your gully cricket, and comes to life on your PSP and PS2, where you get a chance to experience a plethora of local Indian environments, from chawls to flyovers and even parking lots to rooftops. You can choose a team of five, and compete with nine local and international teams in the Exhibition, Tournament and Street League game play modes. The game also features traditional Indian street cricket rules namely the Double innings and Double wicket.

Atindriya Bose, Country Manager India, Sony Computer Entertainment said, “After the success of Street Cricket Champions, which essentially targeted the youth and family segment, Street Cricket Champions 2  has been designed to provide all around entertainment, combining an impressive game play for the entire family.” 

Street Cricket Champions 2 has been developed by Mumbai-based Trine games and is priced at Rs. 699 for both the PS2 and PSP.

If you suffer from a fair number of these symptoms, it's time to contemplate some serious help!