Tag Futebol

ESPNcricinfo previews the first ODI between Pakistan and Sri Lanka in Dubai

The Preview by Abhishek Purohit10-Nov-2011

Match Facts

Pakistan v Sri Lanka, November 11, Dubai
Start time 1500 (1100 GMT)Will they be smiling together again?•AFP

Big Picture

The leadership of a national side has probably never changed hands between characters as contrasting as Shahid Afridi and Misbah-ul-Haq. When impassive replaces expressive, when calm replaces frenetic, chaos is a likely outcome. It could have happened only in Pakistan, and only Pakistan could have moved on as if nothing had happened. It helped that when Misbah was appointed limited-overs captain, he had been in charge of the Test side for some time. It helped that Pakistan had low-profile series against Ireland and Zimbabwe that eased him into the role. What also helped, probably the most, was that Afridi went into one of his retirements so that the heat generated by his removal did not singe the team.Afridi is back now. Sri Lanka are no Ireland or Zimbabwe. Don’t go by the listless unit that turned up for the Test series. They are World Cup finalists and a proud limited-overs side. This five-match series will be a dual test for Misbah the leader. His approach in Tests has been to let things happen while retaining control and pushing matters only when absolutely needed, a bit like his batting style. How will he handle a mercurial, and immensely popular, former captain and key ODI bowler? How will he control the flow against world-class opposition in a format short on time?What Misbah has inherited from Afridi is a solid group that retained its sanity amid all the drama unfolding off the field over the past 15 months. It is a side that made the semi-final of the World Cup 2011 and has won its previous four bilateral ODI series. Misbah has the side to continue his captaincy run of being unbeaten in a series. What he makes of the additional baggage will determine whether that run continues against an opposition that has stalled in ODIs of late.Sri Lanka have regressed in Tests but the impact of losing Muttiah Muralitharan has been softer in the shorter format. They have recently lost 2-3 to both England away and Australia at home. While the absence of Muralitharan continues to hurt them in Tests, the batting has crumbled too often of late, with their three losses against Australia coming after the batsmen managed 191, 208 and 132.The Test series loss to Pakistan has brought a stern outburst from the chairman of selectors, Duleep Mendis, who said that the repeated batting failures had something to do with the mental approach. “Something is not right there and it is the coaches who have to address it,” he said. Geoff Marsh has barely settled into the job of head coach. How soon can he rectify the batting, which will have to come good to set up games on the flat pitches in the UAE. Even a 3-2 series win will not be enough for Sri Lanka to hold on to the No. 2 ICC one-day ranking. To add another shade of interest, both sides will be playing under the new rules for the first time.

Form guide (completed games, most recent first)

Pakistan: WWWWW
Sri Lanka: WLWLL

In the spotlight

This is Shahid Afridi‘s format. This was Afridi’s team. With his dozen-a-minute expressions and frenzied hand-waving on the field, he had successfully managed to hold together a team that many expected to fall apart. And then, the leadership was rudely yanked from under his feet after a series win in the West Indies, sending him into bitterness and temporary retirement. He has said that he has no problems playing under Misbah, having “played under a lot of captains, like around 11 or 12.” But he is no ordinary player; he is the dethroned captain and was the heartbeat of his side during the World Cup. To say that his performance – and his interaction with Misbah – will be watched, is to state the obvious.Sri Lanka would not have missed Muralitharan so much had Lasith Malinga been available all the time. He isn’t, but whenever he is, they become a different side, capable of stunning turnarounds. Malinga was nearly unplayable during the recent Champions League T20, and played a major role in both their wins against Australia. Pakistan have played him much better though. He averages 47.66 against them against a career average of 25.03. The last time he played them, he took five wickets. Pakistan will be on guard against the yorkers. Will they be able to avoid them?

Team news

Pakistan have gone for Sarfraz Ahmed as the wicketkeeper in place of Adnan Akmal. Sarfraz’s last game for Pakistan was in February 2010 but his domestic batting performances have led to his inclusion. The keeping is another issue, but Pakistan are certainly missing Kamran Akmal the batsman. What will Sarfraz make of this opportunity? Also returning is allrounder Abdul Razzaq whose last match was the World Cup 2011 semi-final against India.Pakistan: (possible) 1 Imran Farhat 2 Mohammad Hafeez 3 Younis Khan 4 Asad Shafiq/Umar Akmal 5 Misbah-ul-Haq (capt.) 6 Abdul Razzaq 7 Shahid Afridi 8 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk) 9 Umar Gul 10 Saeed Ajmal 11 Junaid KhanSri Lanka will be happy to go back to their prolific ODI opening combination of Upul Tharanga and Tillakaratne Dilshan after the indifferent starts during the Tests. Promising wicketkeeper-batsman Dinesh Chandimal played the first three ODIs against Australia as a specialist batsman before being dropped. He is back in the squad now but will Sangakkara continue to don the keeping gloves?Sri Lanka: (possible) 1 Upul Tharanga 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan (capt) 3 Kumar Sangakkara (wk) 4 Dinesh Chandimal 5 Mahela Jayawardene 6 Angelo Mathews 7 Thisara Perera / Kosala Kulasekara 8 Jeevan Mendis 9 Suraj Randiv 10 Lasith Malinga 11 Suranga Lakmal / Dilhara Fernando

Stats & Trivia

• Sri Lanka have beaten Pakistan in their previous two bilateral ODI series, both in 2009
• Misbah-ul-Haq averaged 51.69 in 21 games under Shahid Afridi. He averages 94.50 in his short stint of six matches so far

Quotes

“It is time for our younger players to stand up and be counted and become those great players, Kumar [Sangakkara] had a fantastic series but we really need to get a couple of our younger players to really stand up and play well for us and to be the next Sangakkara or Jayawardene.”

“Sri Lanka have got an edge on us in the fielding department, we really have to work hard on that, especially in the shorter forms.”
Pakistan interim coach

The West Indies Cricket Board has moved to strengthen the roots of the game in the region with a historic US$360,000 grant programme

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Jan-2011The West Indies Cricket Board has moved to strengthen the roots of the game in the region with a historic US$360,000 grant programme which is aimed at supporting club cricket across the Caribbean.The Grassroots Cricket Support Facility will make available US$90,000 to clubs in four periods between March 2011 and December 2012. Clubs and local cricket organisations can apply to the WICB for a grant of up to US$5,000 each. The grants will be issued to clubs to aid in one of three areas, namely: infrastructure development, strengthening training programmes and procurement of gear and equipment.”This is one of the most important initiatives the WICB will undertake to help strengthen cricket at the grassroots level,” said WICB chief executive Ernest Hilaire. “We are focussing on the clubs throughout the region who have expressed how difficult it is to organize and sustain cricket and we are lending a hand in a tangible way. West Indies cricket needs club cricket to be strong and we need to assist and give meaningful support.”Veteran cricket administrator and writer Tony Becca has been prominent in lamenting for years that club cricket is in dire need of a shoulder to lean on and this programme is one way in which we believe we can help to build and strengthen West Indies cricket from the ground up.”We want to have partnerships with clubs all across the region because these are where West Indies players come from and we have to not only recognise that but demonstrate to the clubs that the WICB is serious about assisting them as they execute their programmes and activities which benefit all of West Indies cricket.”

A summary of the fourth round of matches in New Zealand’s domestic one-day competition

Cricinfo staff23-Dec-2009Graham Napier produced the kind of innings which made him a bankable limited-overs name last summer, clubbing an unbeaten 73 from just 29 balls to get Central Districts home by three wickets over Northern Districts in Palmerston North. Napier walked to the middle in the 42nd over with CD’s score at 219 for 7, chasing 301 for victory, and larruped five sixes in an astonishing innings to take them home with 15 deliveries to spare at Fitzherbert Park.Napier’s whirlwind knock turned the match around amazingly. His half-century needed 20 balls – second in New Zealand’s domestic one-day half-century after Peter McGlashan did it in 19 balls against Auckland in 2007-08 – and he put on an unbeaten 87 in 38 balls with George Worker (27 not out).ND had a solid total to defend after teenager Kane Williamson made a career-best unbeaten 107. His second 50-over hundred encompassed 106 balls and featured seven fours and three sixes. Aiding ND were the opener Anton Devcich (54) and McGlashan (53). Williamson then turned his arm over for figures of 3 for 48, which included snapping a 57-run stand for the third wicket between Tim Weston and Peter Ingram. Williamson added Ingram (59) by beating him in flight and winning a leg-before appeal and then got rid of Jacob Oram for 35, but Napier’s assault turned the tide.At Colin Maiden Park, Auckland beat Wellington by 81 runs. Key to this win were the internationals Daryl Tuffey and Ravi Bopara as Auckland, after posting 230, dismissed the opposition for 149.Bopara continued his impressive run of form with 43 and wrapped up the Wellington tail to finish with figures of 3 for 34 off seven overs. Tuffey claimed 3 for 12 off eight overs, which included getting rid of the openers Matthew Bell and Cameron Merchant. From 61 for 5, Wellington were boosted temporarily by Stewart Rhodes (36) and Luke Woodcock (34) in the middle order, but the house collapsed in the 42nd over. Michael Bates and Roneel Hira chimed in with two wickets each.Auckland’s total was set up by Andrew de Boorder (57), Reece Young (41) and Bopara’s 68-ball effort. The match also witnessed the return of Lou Vincent, but he made just six opening the batting for Auckland. Of the Wellington bowlers, Jeetan Patel and Andy McKay were the most successful, taking three wickets each.

Madhav Mantri, the former India wicketkeeper, has died aged 92 in Mumbai after a heart attack

Amol Karhadkar23-May-2014

Madhav Mantri, the former India wicketkeeper, has died following a heart attack at a private clinic in Mumbai on Friday. He was 92.Mantri played four Tests for India in the 1950s, and though he couldn’t quite establish himself in the national team, he was a consistent performer for a dominant Bombay side on the domestic circuit. He captained Bombay to three Ranji titles, and scored 2976 runs at an average of 53.14, besides taking 69 catches and 23 stumpings.He was admitted to hospital on May 1 after suffering a mild heart attack, and died after another heart attack early on Friday morning.Mantri, who was Sunil Gavaskar’s uncle, was a national selector from 1964 to 1968 and the Mumbai Cricket Association president from 1988 to 1992. He was also manager of the Indian team on the England tour of 1990, and served as BCCI treasurer between 1990 and 1992.The BCCI called Mantri’s demise a big loss to Indian cricket. “Indian cricket will be indebted to him,” BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel said. “Several cricketers, from Sunil Gavaskar to Sachin Tendulkar, had the privilege of being guided by him in their formative years.”The Mumbai Cricket Association also paid tribute. “He may have looked diminutive, but Madhav Mantri was well and truly one of the giants of Mumbai and Indian cricket,” Sharad Pawar, the MCA president, said. “The game of cricket and cricket administration were dearer to him than anything else.”Pawar also praised Mantri’s cricketing insights. “A visionary, he was among the earliest cricketing gurus in India to recognise and emphasise the importance of fielding, at a time when this department of the game was not valued as much as batting and bowling.”

أعلن الألماني ماتياس يايسله المدير الفني لـ الأهلي السعودي، تشكيل فريقه أمام الطائي في المباراة التي ستنطلق بعد قليل ضمن منافسات الدوري السعودي “دوري روشن”.

ويلاقي الأهلي نظيره الطائي في المباراة التي تقام على استاد الأمير عبدالله الفيصل، في إطار منافسات الجولة الرابعة من الدوري السعودي.

طالع أيضًا.. القنوات الناقلة لمباراة الأهلي والطائي في الدوري السعودي

ويتواجد الأهلي في المركز الرابع بجدول ترتيب الدوري السعودي، برصيد 9 نقاط، فيما يأتي الطائي في المركز الثالث عشر ويملك 3 نقاط. تشكيل الأهلي أمام الطائي:

حراسة المرمى: إدواردو ميندي.

خط الدفاع: ايزجان أليوسكي، ميريح ديميرال، ايجور ايبانيز، بسام الحريجي

خط الوسط: سميحان النابت، فرانك كيسي، محمد المجحد.

خط الهجوم: روبرتو فيرمينو، آلان ماكسيمين، رياض محرز.

Pat Cummins will finally make his long-awaited return to Australian domestic cricket for Perth Scorchers against Adelaide Strikers at the WACA on Thursday after Cricket Australia cleared the injury-prone fast bowler

Alex Malcolm14-Jan-2014

Pat Cummins will finally make his long-awaited return to Australian domestic cricket, for Perth Scorchers against Adelaide Strikers at the WACA on Thursday, after Cricket Australia cleared the injury-prone fast bowler.The Scorchers wanted Cummins to play against his former franchise Sydney Sixers last Friday but CA decided that he needed another grade fixture before returning to the professional ranks.Cummins’ body has been a source of consternation for CA since he made his Test debut as an 18-year old against South Africa, at the Wanderers, in 2011. He has broken down repeatedly with stress injuries to his back, feet, and ribs.He has not played a T20 since the 2012 Champions League in South Africa where he helped the Sixers to the title. Cummins played two first-class fixtures and one 50-over match for Australia A in South Africa during August before again breaking down again with rib and back injuries.”It’s been a long time coming,” Cummins said. “Hopefully on Thursday I get a run and it will be good to be back for the boys.”Cummins has played grade cricket in both Sydney and Perth this summer. He appeared as a batsman only before Christmas in Sydney, scoring a century for Penrith against Sutherland.Since joining the Scorchers for the BBL season Cummins has represented Perth Cricket Club in the WACA first grade competition. He made 75 and bowled five overs in his first appearance. Last Saturday he returned the figures of 6-3-8-0 in another 50-over fixture.”Playing grade games were really important for me and playing them, particularly the second one, I do feel a lot more confident going into the game,” Cummins said. “The first week was a little bit scratchy and then really happy with how I went on the weekend.”Outside of that I have been bowling in the nets every couple of days for the last five or six weeks. I feel really confident with where my body is at and I feel like it’s coming out okay so hopefully I will let loose in the game.”Cummins has been working back to full pace over a carefully managed six-week period. Both Cummins and the Scorchers were keen to expedite his return but after discussions with CA they decided to stay the course given the fragility he has shown in the past.”We mapped out a plan about six months ago and that plan had me coming back for this game,” Cummins said. “So it was four, five, six weeks bowling in the nets, a couple of grade games.”Everything was feeling good, so we asked a couple of questions, but in the end, we all decided it was best to stick to the plan.”His inclusion is a huge boost for the Scorchers who sit second on the table following their Super Over win against the Sixers.

MatériaMais Notícias

Desde o início da negociação pela renovação no Santos o volante Diego Pituca afirmou que gostaria de ser mantido no Peixe. E demorou aproximadamente nove meses para o acordo ser assinado e seu vínculo prolongado até abril de 2023. Por que? O LANCE! te explica.

A reportagem apurou que um dos principais empecilhos para o negócio avançar foi o vazamento de informações durante a negociação. Acontecia da seguinte forma: o presidente José Carlos Peres era procurado pela imprensa e o dirigente contava sua versão do negócio. Na sequência, o empresário de Pituca, Adalberto Almeida, procurado por jornalistas, defendia seu acordo. Com a exposição, a dupla se desentendeu, gerou mal estar e não chegou a um denominador comum.

Tanto que em fevereiro deste ano Adalberto deu entrevista decretando que camisa 21 não renovaria mais com o Santos. Justamente por conta do impasse e dificuldade para conversar com Peres sem que os moldes contratuais vazassem na imprensa.

Outro fator que ajudou a levar a negociação a nove meses foi “os sumiços” de Peres. O presidente é normalmente muito requisitado no clube e atuou forte no mercado nos últimos meses para reforçar o time. Isso fez Peres adiar a definição, alterar o acordo, os valores e marcar e desmarcar reuniões.

Adalberto Almeida, explicou que foi necessário um termo de confidencialidade para que ambas as partes não pudessem falar da renovação com quaisquer outros envolvidos além de: Peres, Diego Pituca e Adalberto.

“A gente tentou outras vezes e não deu certo. Tivemos que firmar um termo de confidencialidade entre mim, Pituca e Peres, para que a situação se resolvesse. As coisas não evoluíam de outro jeito. Tive que abafar o caso com a imprensa para tentar finalizar de vez isso. Graças a Deus deu certo!”, disse ao L!.

Entretanto, o cartola crê que a situação não prejudicou a negociação em nenhum momento e elogiou o posicionamento do jogador de 26 anos ao longo do processo de renovação, exaltando seu “caráter irrepreensível”.

RelacionadasSantosSampaoli dá chance e Sasha revela surpresa no Santos: ‘Não esperava’Santos04/05/2019SantosMomo, Sashumba, Deusíssimo: Santos é ‘homenageado’ em MaceióSantos04/05/2019SantosSantos cogita mandar jogo decisivo da Copa do Brasil no PacaembuSantos04/05/2019

“Demorou por divergências naturais em uma negociação e que foram solucionadas uma a uma durante estes meses. Não houve prejuízo em ambas as partes. O importante é que Pituca continua conosco por mais quatro temporadas. Vale ressaltar o excepcional caráter e profissionalismo de Diego Pituca, que mesmo diante da difícil negociação se manteve sereno, correto e trabalhador. De caráter irrepreensível, mantendo-se firme em relação ao seu brilhante futebol! O Santos está muito feliz!”, afirmou Peres em contato com o L!

Até o técnico Jorge Sampaoli teve dedo na renovação de Pituca. O jogador revelou na última semana que assim que chegou ao Santos o argentino o chamou para conversar sobre seu contrato e prometeu ajudá-lo.

Ufa! Foram nove meses de negociação, mas Diego Pituca é do Santos até abril de 2023. A multa rescisória para o mercado interno será de R$ 50 milhões, enquanto para o externo, 50 milhões de euros (em torno de R$ 221 mi).

MS Dhoni was satisfied by how his bowlers made a comeback from the pasting in Johannesburg and in the first half of this match, but his batsmen left him disappointed this time

Sidharth Monga in Durban08-Dec-20130:00

Top-order batting lacked execution – Dhoni

Well you can consider this as a one-off series – Dhoni•Getty Images

MS Dhoni was satisfied by how his bowlers made a comeback from the pasting in Johannesburg and in the first half of this match, but his batsmen left him disappointed this time. And before you realise, the series is already gone.India’s bowlers leaked 358 at the Wanderers but performed relatively better at Kingsmead to keep South Africa to 280 for 6, after the openers had added 194 in 35 overs.”If you talk about this particular game, I think the kind of shots we played, a few of them were on, but the execution was not great to some extent as they went to the fielders,” Dhoni said. “But compared to the last game, the bowlers did a fantastic job, especially in the middle overs. Overall, I was very happy with the bowling performance because 280 on this wicket was decent. The wicket was on the flatter side, there wasn’t much for the fast bowlers, but I was disappointed with the batting.”When asked about the short ball – Ajinkya Rahane was stuck against the bouncers from Dale Steyn and a couple of batsmen fell to short deliveries – Dhoni said there was no such weakness. “I don’t think it was the short ball,” Dhoni said. “It was more to do with shot selection, the shot execution. This wicket was on the flatter side, and pace was down for the fast bowlers.”Also when we go outside people talk about the short-pitched bowling, because they know in the subcontinent we are not really used to this kind of bowling, but what we have seen is that you play a few shots and it pays off, then the opposition are in trouble as to where they need to bowl, and that’s what really happened in the Champions Trophy. Also at times, when you play those big shots and it doesn’t pay off and you end up losing quite a few wickets. That is something we will have to accept because it becomes part and parcel of cricket.”Dhoni said this performance is a one-off. “Well you can consider this as a one-off series,” Dhoni said. “Yes we didn’t bat really well but it can happen. Especially when you come outside and you see that the middle order is not performing, you may get a bit exposed if you lose early wickets at the top. [In] the last few series our middle order to some extent was a bit of a bother. In this series we lost the top three maybe quite early and our middle order was exposed to some extent. So if you assess that, maybe because of that we haven’t been able to perform to our potential, especially in the batting department.”Dhoni said his team still stood a chance to salvage this tour. “It is part and parcel of any series that you play,” Dhoni said. “You win quite a few and you lose quite a few. What’s important is that you keep learning, and the bowlers learnt from the first game and bowled better in this game. I think as a batting unit also we need to learn quite a few things, and keep going onto the field.”

N Srinivasan has been at the centre of a legal battle between the BCCI and the Cricket Association of Bihar•Associated Press

May 28, 2013 – IPL governing council appoints a three-member commission comprising two former high court judges – Justice T Jayaram Chouta and Justice R Balasubramaniam – and BCCI secretary Sanjay Jagdale [who later resigns] to investigate the alleged corruption in the IPLJune 21 – Cricket Association of Bihar files a petition with the Bombay High Court raising several issues of conflict of interest, and the manner in which the probe panel was constitutedJuly 28 – Panel finds “no wrongdoing” by IPL ownersJuly 30 – Bombay High Court calls BCCI’s probe panel “illegal” in the manner of its setting-up, saying that the entire process needs to be reinvestigatedAugust 5 – BCCI files a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court against the Bombay High Court’s rulingAugust 28 – Cricket Association of Bihar files its own SLP in the Supreme Court against the Bombay High Court verdict of July 30, contending that the HC could have suggested a fresh mechanism to look into the corruption allegationsSeptember 12 – Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the case but runs out of time on that daySeptember 25 – CAB files a fresh plea before the Supreme Court seeking to restrain Srinivasan from contesting the BCCI elections on September 29 and being a member of any board committee, pending the verdict on the earlier SLP filed by Verma in July. The court agrees to hear the matter on September 27September 27 – The Supreme Court allows Srinivasan to contest elections at the AGM on September 29 but says that, if he wins, he cannot take charge until the court reaches its verdict on cases related to him and the BCCI.October 7 – The Supreme Court suggests a new three-member panel investigate the allegations of corruption in the IPL afresh, adding that N Srinivasan should continue to abstain from discharging his duties as BCCI president until the court says otherwise.October 8 – The Supreme Court allows N Srinivasan to resume his duties as BCCI president, provided he does not handle any matters relating to the IPL. The court also names retired judge Mukul Mudgal as the head of a three-man probe panel to inquire into allegations of corruptions in the tournament and assigns it a four-month deadline to complete its investigation.December 19 – N Srinivasan appears before the Mudgal committee appointed to investigate corruption in the IPL. The committee also meets with Sundar Raman, the IPL CEO, and Gurunath Meiyappan as part of a series of interviews.2014
February 10 – The court-appointed committee submits its report which proves Gurunath Meiyappan was a team official of Chennai Super Kings and indulged in betting and passing on information during IPL 2013. The probe committee also submits a sealed envelope which, it says, contains information about people who could be indulging in “sporting fraud”.March 25 – A two-judge bench of the Supreme Court of India recommends N Srinivasan step down as BCCI president with the aim of a fair investigation into corruption in the IPL. Justice AK Patnaik remarks: “Mr Srinivasan should step down or else we’ll be forced to pass an order.” Referring to the findings of the sealed report, Patnaik states that the allegations are so serious, they can only be investigated properly by an external agency. The court gives the BCCI and N Srinivasan two days to respond.March 27 – The Supreme Court proposes sweeping changes to the BCCI, including replacing N Srinivasan with Sunil Gavaskar or a “seasoned or respected cricketer” and suspending Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals from the IPL. The court also proposes that employees of India Cements, the company headed by N Srinivasan and which owns Super Kings, be barred from the BCCI set-up. Arguing on behalf of the CAB, Harish Salve brings up MS Dhoni’s response to the Mudgal committee on Gurunath Meiyappan’s role in Super Kings and says that in denying any knowledge of Gurunath’s role in Super Kings, “the Indian cricket captain has been indulging in corrupt conduct”.March 28 – The Supreme Court says Sunil Gavaskar is to head the BCCI in respect of its IPL functions, and Shivlal Yadav, a senior vice-president with the board, is to carry out other duties. The court also rules that the IPL 2014 could continue with all teams participating.

Yuvraj Singh paid tribute to Sachin Tendulkar, and admitted it would be hard to watch him leave the game

ESPNcricinfo staff11-Oct-2013

India batsman Yuvraj Singh hopes to play alongside Sachin Tendulkar one last time, but said that he would definitely go to watch Tendulkar’s 200th Test if he wasn’t in the squad for the home series against West Indies. On the day Tendulkar announced his decision to retire, Yuvraj had made a comeback, making a match-winning 77 off 35 balls in the Twenty20 international against Australia in Rajkot.Yuvraj made his ODI debut in 2000, when Tendulkar’s career was already more than ten-years old, and thanked him for the guidance given throughout his career.”I don’t know if I am going to have the opportunity to play with him, but if I am not playing, I will definitely come and watch,” an emotional Yuvraj said, following the game against Australia. “He never showed that he is the great Sachin Tendulkar. He was always trying to be chirpy with the youngsters, although we were a bit reluctant to go up to him. Personally, he’s always guided me on and off the field about the things in my life, specially the World Cup journey, so it’s been very special. It’s tough for me to see him go.”It’s been amazing to play with him for so many years. He is one of the greatest players to have played the game and I don’t know what to say, there are so many things to say about Sachin. Probably the best Indian cricketer to have ever played, I would say. He was an ambassador of cricket around the world. It’s going to be an emotional time for the whole of India.”Calling Tendulkar a “next-to-impossible” batsman to replace, Yuvraj said he admired many facets of his team-mate’s technique. “Lots of things – the way he hits the ball, the way he is always still. He is technically, I think, the best batsman I have seen in my career. And how he has been smart all these years to know what bowlers are going to bowl at him. He’s always been one or two steps ahead, that’s why he’s been so consistent all these years.”He ended the press conference by saying, “Yuvi is back my friend.” He would hope to be back in time to bat with Tendulkar, for one last time.