Quicks fire Australia to 122-run win

Australia 333 & 240 (Hussey 89, Ponting 60, Yadav 4-70) beat India 282 & 169 (Pattinson 4-53, Siddle 3-42) by 122 runs

James Pattinson and Peter Siddle took six wickets each in the Test © Getty Images

Australia's fast men obliterated India with bowling of sustained hostility and direction to deliver a handsome 122-run victory to the hosts, on day four of the first Test at the MCG.

James Pattinson, Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle made a fearful mess of India's batting, sharing nine wickets between them to bring a swift conclusion to a match that had fluctuated often over the course of the previous three days. In doing so they finished with the ball what had started with the bat - Australia's tail deflated India in the morning by stretching the target to 292.

Pattinson's contribution on his home ground was telling, first stroking an unbeaten 37 then firing out Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman while also softening up Sachin Tendulkar for Siddle, who claimed him with his first ball after relieving the younger Victorian. The end arrived 70 minutes after tea, Australia claiming a 1-0 series lead in their quest to regain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

The result was a vindication of Australia's team selection and the full length pursued by the team's pacemen under the guidance of the bowling coach Craig McDermott. The captain Michael Clarke and the coach Mickey Arthur will now focus their efforts on ensuring the heights reached on day four in Melbourne are not undone by a poor follow-up in Sydney, as has been the pattern in recent Tests.

By contrast India's surrender exhumed the batting shortcomings exposed by the unhappy tour of England earlier this year. The difference at the MCG was that Australia had to counter a far stronger visiting bowling attack, on a well-prepared pitch that remained lively throughout the Test. It was watched by a 189,347 spectators, the most for a Test between Australia and India in this country.

In the morning, Michael Hussey had added only 10 to his overnight 79 before receiving a blistering delivery from Zaheer Khan, but Pattinson and Hilfenhaus frustrated India's bowlers with a stand of 43 that took the total to 240. Pattinson's unbeaten 37 was his highest first-class score, and there are sure to be better days with the bat if he retains the technique demonstrated here.

Hilfenhaus proved a worthy ally, playing one or two sparkling strokes of his own. The visitors slipped all too easily into run-saving mode against the hosts' last pair until Hilfenhaus edged Ishant Sharma into the slips. The last team to achieve a fourth-innings target of such dimensions was South Africa's 4 for 297 to beat Australia in 1953.

Resuming with a lead of 230, Hussey and Pattinson began soundly, finding gaps here and there, and occasionally stepping out to attack bowling of high calibre. Pattinson's good-morning cover drive to Umesh Yadav was the equal of anything managed by a batsman in this match.

Hussey was fortunate to go past 80, flicking at a Yadav delivery that swung down the legside and getting the merest of touches - as revealed by Hotspot. Zaheer persisted, however, and soon he found a dastardly delivery that pranced at Hussey and moved away, clipping the outside edge on the way to MS Dhoni. An outstanding ball to conclude an outstanding innings.

Pattinson leant into another consummate cover drive from Yadav, but on 15 he did not control a hook and offered up a swirling chance. Running in from fine leg but never sure of himself, Zaheer dropped it. From there each run accrued was painful for the visitors, the partnership assuming unsavoury proportions for India and making it past the drinks break. R Ashwin was introduced as Dhoni searched for the wicket, but it was ultimately collected by Ishant.

Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir began the chase carefully, Sehwag even offering a rare forward defensive blade to Hilfenhaus. But he could not contain himself totally, and Hussey was delighted to grasp a sharp chance from a sliced forcing stroke as the interval beckoned.

Gambhir's angled bat outside off stump remains a source of considerable encouragement for bowlers taking the ball across him, and Siddle completed an unhappy match for the opener soon after lunch when a snick was held neatly by Ricky Ponting.

Dravid and Tendulkar had provided the greatest resistance in the first innings, and in the second wanted to assume similar roles as Dravid dug in while Tendulkar was busy, scoring with pleasing freedom. But their union was to be split by Pattinson, who found a ripping delivery to seam between Dravid's bat and pad, and have middle stump leaning at a drunken angle. Victim of two princely deliveries, Dravid was bowled in each innings for only the fourth time in his long career.

Laxman completed a Test that returned three runs in 36 balls when he flicked heedlessly at Pattinson and presented a catch forward of square leg, Ed Cowan's first in Tests. Australians with long memories held their collective breath while the umpires checked for a possible no-ball, but Pattinson's foot had seemingly landed millimetres within the legal zone. So rarely has Laxman been dismissed so softly against Australia.

By now the Australians had inexorable momentum behind them, and Hilfenhaus pinned Virat Kohli lbw first ball. Bat, pad and ball were all in close proximity, and Kohli lingered at the wicket upon his dismissal. However replays offered precious little evidence of an edge, even if India deigned to employ the DRS that might have saved him.

Aghast at the chaos all around him, Tendulkar had been stretched by Pattinson's speed, hostility and movement. Siddle relieved his younger club and state team-mate, and first ball gained the wicket Pattinson had so strived for. As dictated by team planners, the ball was full and moving wider, Tendulkar's square drive was airy, and Hussey's hands safe. At 6 for 81, evening flights to Sydney were being booked en masse, but Dhoni and R Ashwin picked off a few runs before the interval.

Ashwin's 30 gave him a more respectable batting contribution for the match than many of the rest, but he failed to ride Siddle's bouncer, which skimmed off the wicket to produce a skier and a simple catch for Cowan moving around from short leg. Pattinson returned to the attack and became embroiled in a brief sledging match with Zaheer, the bowler striking a boundary over point and a steepling six over long on before squeezing another catch to Cowan under the helmet.

Dhoni's will to frustrate Australia ebbed away, and an unbecoming heave at Pattinson resulted in a drag onto the stumps. Ishant and Umesh Yadav resisted briefly, but Clarke called Nathan Lyon into the attack and Yadav obliged by swinging into the deep. David Warner held a smart catch to begin rich and deserved celebrations. © ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Dravid, Tendulkar lead strong reply

India 3 for 214 (Tendulkar 73, Dravid 68*, Sehwag 67) trail Australia 333 (Cowan 68, Ponting 62, Zaheer 4-77) by 119 runs

Sachin Tendulkar looked good for that elusive 100th international ton, till he was bowled by Peter Siddle in the final over of the day © Getty Images

Sachin Tendulkar was foiled yet again in his pursuit of a 100th international century, as Peter Siddle atoned in the final over for an earlier no-ball that reprieved Rahul Dravid, on another absorbing day of the first Test between Australia and India at the MCG.

Driven largely by Tendulkar's stand of 117 with Dravid, India reached a threatening 3 for 214 in reply to Australia's 333, but cursed the loss of Tendulkar for 73 on the stroke of stumps. Only a handful of overs had passed since Dravid had been bowled by Siddle and handed another start after Marais Erasmus' check revealed a front-foot transgression.

Australia's fielders gnashed their teeth over the incident and had struggled in the field, as catches went down and the captain Michael Clarke's resources were stretched by the absence of a fifth bowler. But Tendulkar's exit gave them cause for some hope for the third morning.

Tendulkar's serene innings in Dravid's company had wrestled the day India's way, following a second session speckled with incident. That period of play was capped when James Pattinson splayed the stumps of Virender Sehwag, whose streaky but entertaining 67 took him past 8000 Test runs. Sehwag gave two clear chances and another near enough to it, making merry until Pattinson was rewarded for a sustained and hostile spell in the lead-up to the tea interval. The bowler had earlier crossed swords with Sehwag in an ill-tempered confrontation over the matter of right of way while running between the wickets.

Pattinson stood clearly above the rest as the most demanding member of Australia's attack, showing a fiery countenance as well as speed and movement, but the limitations of the rest were exposed on a pitch now friendly to batsmen. Siddle was punished early before his late rally, and Ben Hilfenhaus used the new ball with intelligence, disposing of Gautam Gambhir, but later faded.

He, Hilfenhaus and Pattinson had all hung around in the morning to build the hosts' total. Zaheer Khan claimed Brad Haddin and Siddle to return deserved figures of 4 for 77, while R Ashwin accounted for Hilfenhaus and the last man Nathan Lyon. Umesh Yadav did not add to his three wickets on the first day, while Ishant Sharma will bowl far worse for better returns than his 0 for 48 in 24 exacting overs.

Siddle and Haddin resumed against a refreshed India on a brilliantly warm and sunny day, and were not long in facing difficulty. Zaheer gained swing one way and seam the other in the day's second over with the still-new ball, and Haddin was bereft. He edged one delivery to the third man fence, either side of failing to cover, then snicked another low to gully where Virender Sehwag held it.

Haddin asked Sehwag if the catch had carried, and there was a further delay as the umpires checked for a possible no-ball, but eventually Australia's wicketkeeper was marching off, before many at the MCG had even settled into their seats. Siddle and Pattinson resisted momentarily, before Zaheer found another precise delivery to catch Siddle's edge as he pushed from the crease.

Hilfenhaus announced himself with a slap to the cover fence. He added a hairy edge over the slip cordon and an improbably commanding lofted drive down the ground, both off Zaheer, to push the total past 300. The impressively upright and correct Pattinson followed up by punching Ishant Sharma splendidly down the ground, helping his confidence but also indicating that the surface was becoming rather more pleasant for batting than at any stage of day one.

Smart stats Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar have put together 20 century stands in Tests, which is the most, four more than the next best. Dravid has been involved in 88 century stands in Tests, and Tendulkar in 84. Those are the two highest in Tests; Ricky Ponting is next with 82. Virender Sehwag became the 23rd batsman, and the fifth Indian, to go past 8000 Test runs. This was Sehwag's 53rd fifty-plus score, of which only eight have come at a strike rate of less than 70. Tendulkar has gone 18 innings without a century in international cricket, but he has seven fifties during this period. Australia's total of 333 is only the eighth time a team has posted a triple Nelson score in the first innings of a Test. The last time a team won a Test with this total was way back in 1906.

The duo reached drinks together, adding a pesky 27 in all before the introduction of Ashwin brought a Hilfenhaus heave to long on. Pattinson connected with a handful of further decent blows before Lyon was bowled around his pads. Sehwag and Gambhir negotiated a brief spell before lunch. Ed Cowan, Australia's debutant and top scorer on day one, was unable to field for a time due to back soreness, his place taken by Daniel Christian.

When the players returned, Sehwag and Gambhir struggled initially against the seam and swing of Hilfenhaus and Pattinson. A Sehwag edge off Pattinson burst through the hands of Michael Hussey in the gully - a chance that should have been held. Tempers were raised when Pattinson and Sehwag passed closely beside one another as the batsman took a run, resulting in a heated exchange that also drew in Siddle and had Sehwag pointing the senior bowler back to his fielding post.

The confrontation deflected momentary attention from Gambhir, whose best touch has been missing for most of 2011. Here he scratched around for three runs in 23 balls, the last of which was a shortish, seaming delivery from Hilfenhaus that Gambhir edged forlornly behind with an open face. Dravid arrived with the ball still new and Sehwag not yet into stride.

Quietly, the pair established themselves, offering due deference to some wholehearted bowling and accumulating runs in ones and twos before any great flurry of boundaries could be sought. The 15th over was reached before Sehwag opened up, twice stroking Siddle to the offside boundary, then repeating the trick by crashing Lyon to the sightscreen off successive balls to pass 50 from a sedate - by his standards - 59 balls. The next delivery brought a miscue and a quarter-chance to long on, where David Warner may or may not have reached the ball before it touched the turf.

Pattinson drew another chance from Sehwag's flailing bat when an edge behind was turfed unattractively by Brad Haddin, and it appeared India would reach the interval without further loss. But Pattinson's fire and persistence were justly rewarded in the moments before tea, with another freewheeling driving resulting in an inside edge that tilted middle stump.

Tendulkar made it to the middle accompanied by his requisite ovation, and caused Australian hearts to leap when an inside edge to his second ball slipped centimetres from the grasp of short leg. Tea came and went with Pattinson's electricity still in the air, but on their return Tendulkar and Dravid set out with intent to control the innings.

The first ball of the evening was flashed high over the slips and the rope for six by Tendulkar, not permitting Siddle a moment to gather himself. The next flowed through midwicket for three, and Tendulkar's course was set. He maintained a rollicking pace for most of the next two hours, taking particular toll on Siddle, and defusing Lyon.

At the other end Dravid fought himself as much as the bowlers, not locating the fluency of his England efforts, but nonetheless providing the foil Tendulkar required to blunt Australia's bowlers. Michael Clarke shuffled his quartet as best he could, but the pacemen's spells became briefer and briefer, forcing the use of Hussey and even David Warner's under-ripe legspin.

The century partnership was the 20th between Tendulkar and Dravid in Tests, a milestone befitting Test cricket's most prolific batting partnership. It appeared to have ended shortly after when Siddle brought one back between the latter's bat and pad. The roar of a crowd of 52,858 was redoubled, however, when replays showed that Siddle had overstepped.

Siddle's next delivery went close to perforating Dravid's defence again, and the bowler's pace did not flag as he pushed himself to make amends. For perhaps the first time in his innings Tendulkar became a little tentative, mindful of the close, and he was not decisive enough in his push down the track to prevent an in-ducker from bursting through to disturb the stumps. The nightwatchman Ishant Sharma survived the final three balls, but his presence has provided Australia a path into India's batting when the Test resumes. © ESPN EMEA Ltd

Cowan, Yadav shine on see-saw day

Australia 6 for 277 (Cowan 68, Ponting 62, Yadav 3-96) v India

Umesh Yadav claimed Australia's first three wickets © Getty Images

Australia's batsmen scrambled to 6 for 277 against a shrewd and opportunistic India on day one of the Boxing Day Test, and would not have progressed that far without a meritorious debut from Ed Cowan in front of 70,068 spectators at the MCG.

Losing Michael Hussey to a decision that would have been reversed with the aid of technology - Cowan also had reason to query his exit - the hosts were still some way short of a substantial total by the close. Brad Haddin and Peter Siddle were established however, and their contributions will be critical when play resumes.

Cowan's 68, in 294 minutes and 177 balls, was no more or less than he had promised to deliver as a circumspect, organised opening bat. But its influence on proceedings was lessened by the others' failure to bat around him, save for an innings of 62 from Ricky Ponting that alternated between edgy and elegant.

India's captain MS Dhoni rotated his bowlers expertly, recovering from the hour after lunch when Ponting and Cowan had threatened to carry the day. India's refusal to accept the DRS also allowed the visitors to place pressure on the umpires Marais Erasmus and Ian Gould in the time-honoured style, achieving the desired result in the final session.

Zaheer Khan turned the day India's way with the removal of Michael Clarke and Hussey to successive, reverse-swinging balls, after Umesh Yadav demonstrated his knack for speed and wickets with a trio either side of a profligate post-lunch spell. R Ashwin accounted for Cowan in the following over and gained appreciable turn at times to suggest he will be a threat across this series.

Opening up after Clarke won a quite ambiguous toss, Cowan and David Warner walked to the middle under overcast skies to a surface the offered the promise of early seam to augment the swing offered by the atmosphere. First strike was taken by the debutant, and Cowan responded by playing out Zaheer's well-directed opening over with plenty of nerves but just as much good sense. His first run arrived in the second over with a tap wide of mid on, before Warner commenced with a streaky inside edge to the fine-leg boundary.

From this inauspicious beginning Warner was quickly into stride, cuffing a handful of boundaries in between sensible pushes and nudges around the ground's vast expanses. Zaheer moved the ball and Ishant Sharma bounced it, but Australia's openers negotiated their opening spells with as much confidence as could be expected. The introduction of Yadav prompted Cowan to unfurl one glorious straight drive amid his otherwise abstemious defence, and Warner followed up in the same over by biffing the bowler through cover then hooking uproariously into the crowd.

A brief rain delay broke the rhythm of the stand, and when the players returned Warner perished immediately, attempting to repeat his hook at Yadav and gloving gently behind to Dhoni. Yadav had his tail up, firing down his deliveries with plenty of speed, and had Marsh struck on the pad first up. Having played only one Twenty20 innings since his return to fitness after a painful back complaint that afflicted him in South Africa, Marsh did not look at ease, and to his seventh ball he walked too late into a drive and sliced it to gully.

Smart stats Ed Cowan's 68 is the highest score by an Australian opener in his debut Test innings since Wayne Phillips' 159 against Pakistan in 1983. During this period, Michael Slater is the only other opener to score a half-century in his first innings. Ricky Ponting's 62 is his third half-century in his last five Test innings. It's also his fifth half-century at No.4, but he has never scored more than 78 batting at that slot. Ponting is third in the all-time list of run-getters in Tests at the MCG, behind Don Bradman (1671) and Steve Waugh (1284). Ponting currently has 1278. Michael Hussey's duck is his 12th in Tests since the beginning of 2008, which is as many as Chris Martin's tally during this period. Only Mitchell Johnson (14) has more. Australia's average second-wicket partnership in Tests in 2011 is 22.06, which is the lowest among all teams this year. The 113-run stand between Cowan and Ponting is Australia's second-highest for the third wicket against India at the MCG, next to only the 169-run stand between Bradman and Lindsay Hassett in 1948.

Suddenly 0 for 46 had become two for the same score, and Ponting's arrival brought a crowd response that suggested both appreciation and trepidation for Australia's former captain. Off his second ball Ponting swivelled to hook a short ball, but was struck a stunning blow to the jaw. Ponting was still alert enough to side-foot the rebound away from his stumps, but it was another reminder of how his command over the bouncer has slipped ever since West Indies' Kemar Roach pinned him on the arm at Perth in 2009.

Through it all Cowan maintained his composure, cracking Ishant through the covers with some flourish to add a second boundary after taking a blow to the body from Yadav, and Ponting gradually began to find a little more equilibrium. He slipped over while pulling at Zaheer, but the ungainly follow-through was less important than the sight of the ball skimming to the backward square-leg boundary.

Resumption was delayed by further showers, and when it arrived India's bowlers lapsed in line, length and attitude. Cowan was granted the chance to gather momentum with a handful of boundaries, one a chancy cut over gully but the rest pleasingly fluent, and Ponting also took advantage of some wayward stuff from Yadav in particular. Swiftly the 50-run stand and the Australian 100 were raised, in a union between a Tasmanian living in Sydney (Ponting) and a New South Welshman renewed in Hobart (Cowan).

Some of Ponting's strokes were reprised from the pages of his regal best, one back foot punch off the toes from Ishant more than enough to get the crowd cooing. They were on their feet soon after as his half-century was raised, via a rather more ungainly slog sweep for three. The rain delayed the tea break and Cowan took his time to reach his own 50, but a nudge into the offside brought it in 120 new-ball-blunting balls.

Yadav returned to the attack for a spell near the interval, and found something approaching the vim of his morning burst. Ponting was unnerved by his first ball, rearing off a length, and dismissed by the third, which swerved away on a line just close enough to off stump for an uncertain batsman. VVS Laxman held the nick, the union was broken at 113, and Ponting's interminable wait for another Test century continued.

Clarke offered useful company to Cowan for a time, the pair adding 46 either side of the interval. India responded by tightening up, and only four runs had been accrued from three overs when Zaheer beat Clarke's outside edge with a delivery that zipped away, then forced a cuff onto the stumps from the next when the batsman shaped to cut far too close to his body.

The sin of Clarke's dismissal for 31 was compounded next ball, Hussey fending at a short-pitcher from Zaheer that passed close to, but did not appear to touch, bat or glove on the way through to Dhoni. The umpire Erasmus intuited an edge and raised his finger, and with no DRS recourse Hussey had to go.

While Haddin averted the hat-trick, Cowan now let his guard down, cutting impatiently at Ashwin and was adjudged by Gould to have offered the thinnest of edges to Dhoni. Hot-spot showed no evidence of contact, adding another unhappy chapter to the saga of technology and its inconsistent use. Batting as though they were aware of the total's inadequacy, Haddin and Siddle dug in, and eluded a tight lbw appeal each. They will face a refreshed India in the morning.

Ishant and Zaheer had both been ruled fit and were joined in the attack by Yadav and Ashwin, who won the spinner's spot ahead of Pragyan Ojha. Australia's line-up was confirmed two days ago and there were no late changes, with Ben Hilfenhaus in for Mitchell Starc and Cowan named at the top of the order. Australia's 427th Test cricketer, Cowan was presented with his baggy green by Dean Jones, before the toss. © ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Saina creates history, enters BWF Super Series final

New Delhi: Ace shuttler Saina Nehwal on Saturday created history by becoming the first Indian singles player to reach the summit clash of the BWF Super Series Finals after defeating Tine Baun of Denmark in the semi-finals at Liuzhou in China.

World number four Saina beat number five Baun 21-17, 21-18 in 34 minutes to set up a summit clash on Sunday against China's world number one Yihan Wang who defeated compatriot and world number three Xin Wang in the other semi-final.

Jwala Gutta and V Diju are the only other Indians to have achieved the feat when the mixed doubles pair reached the Super Series Finals in the 2009 edition of the tournament before losing to Christinna Pedersen and Joaquim Nielsen.

Saina, who had topped Group B round-robin league, could not dominate her opponent in smash and net play and lagged behind marginally. But the Indian ran away winners as she did overwhelmingly better in the rallies from which she won most of the points.

The Indian had eight smash winners against Baun's nine and 11 net winners to the Dane's 12. In rallies, Saina collected 23 winners as against 14 by Baun.

The first game was a see-saw affair with both the players leading in turns until 14-14. Saina then zoomed ahead with four straight points before pocketing the game 21-17.

In the second game, Saina was never behind after trailing 1-2 initially. Both the players were level at 11-11 and then 13-13 before the Indian surged ahead again just like in the first game to take 19-14 lead.

At this point, Saina seemed to have slackened a bit and that allowed Baun to come back into the match at 18-19. But that turned out to be the last desperate attempt for Baun as Saina wrapped up the second game 21-18 and the match by taking two consecutive points. — PTI

Tendulkar leads solid batting performance

Cricket Australia Chairman's XI 6 for 398 (Robinson 143, Cooper 182*, Yadav 3-39) drew Indians 6 for 320 (Tendulkar 92, Laxman 57, Rohit 56*)

Rahul Dravid made 45 © Getty Images

The Indian batsmen, led by Sachin Tendulkar, began their tour of Australia with a strong performance on the second day of the tour match against Cricket Australia Chairman's XI, which ended in a draw in Canberra. After their bowlers struggled for impact on the opening day, the Indians replied with 6 for 320 before rain intervened to end the game.

Apart from Ajinkya Rahane, who was dismissed for 3, and Gautam Gambhir, who was edgy during his 35, the rest of the Indian top-order batsmen were in fluent touch. Tendulkar led the way, scoring a brisk 92 before retiring to give his team-mates time to practice. VVS Laxman and Rohit Sharma made half-centuries, while Rahul Dravid scored 45.

The batsmen scored at a fast clip on a flat pitch at the Manuka Oval, with Tendulkar's innings taking only 132 balls and containing 15 fours. He had a 133-run partnership with Laxman, who scored 57 off 76 balls, for the fourth wicket before both batsmen retired after tea. They had begun their stand after Dravid had been caught by the mid-off fielder off legspinner Cameron Boyce. Virat Kohli was the only other batsmen to fall cheaply. He was caught and bowled by Boyce for 1.

Rohit was unbeaten on 56 off 80 balls and Wriddhiman Saha was on 23 at the end of the game. © ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Sehwag becomes 1st batsman to score 200+ in ODIs

Indore: Virender Sehwag, captaining India in the absence of the rested MS Dhoni, has become only the second batsman in the world to breach the 200-mark in one-day cricket. The first was the inimitable Sachin Tendulkar, who scored a double ton last year.

Sehwag slammed his 200 in the fourth ODI against the West Indies at Indore. He got to the 200 in 140 balls; the first 100 came in only 69 balls. He smashed 23 fours and six sixes and also crossed 8,000 ODI runs during the knock.

This is Sehwag's 15th ODI century and answers all the critics that have been blaming the top-order's indifferent form and Sehwag's bad captaincy for India's 16-run loss to the Windies in the 3rd ODI at Ahmedabad.

Sachin Tendulkar got his 200 against South Africa at Gwalior in February 2010. Tendulkar had scored 200 not out off 147 balls to take India to 401/3 in that game.

Sehwag's feat, however, would not have been possible without a little help from West Indies skipper Darren Sammy, who dropped the Delhi batsman off a Ravi Rampaul delivery in the 38th over when Sehwag was batting on 170. But then what is a great Sehwag innings without the adventure?

A "Late Cut" from sir changed my life, recollects Tendulkar

Each and every teacher in this world would aspire to have a student like Sachin Tendulkar but in iconic batsman's own words, it was a "late cut" (a tight slap) from his beloved "sir" Ramakant Achrekar after missing a match, that made him realise the importance of hard work.

Tendulkar with coach Achrekar (left) in 2001

Yesterday, Tendulkar along with another 100 students of Sharadashram Vidyamandir celebrated their beloved guru's 79th birthday at the Bandra Kurla Complex. Obviously, the centre of attraction at the reunion was none other than Tendulkar as Achrekar's students fondly recollected the old days. As he took a trip down the memory lane, it become an emotional journey not only for Tendulkar but also for former India players like Ajit Agarkar, Praveen Amre, Balwinder Singh Sandhu, Paras Mhambrey, Chandrakant Pandit, Sameer Dighe to name a few.

"After finishing school, I used to hurry to my aunt's place for lunch and by that time, sir used to organise some matches for me. He used to tell the opposition teams, that I would be batting at No. 4. "On one such day, instead of playing in the match, I along with a friend, went to the Wankhede stadium to watch the Shardashram English-medium boys take on the Shardashram Marathi-medium boys in the Harris Shield final and cheer our team," Tendulkar fondly recollected.

"There, we spotted sir and went to greet him. He knew that I had missed the match, but still asked me how did I perform in it. I told him that, I thought that I would skip the match in order to cheer for our team. I got a late-cut (tight slap) on my face as well. The tiffin box in my hand flew and all its contents spread across," he said.

"At that time, sir told me 'You don't have to be here to cheer for others. Play in such a way that others cheer for you'. Since that day, I began practising very hard and put in a lot of hours. If not for that day, I might have been cheering others from the stands," he said. On a night, when all of Achrekar's wards narrated with pride the stories of how they got slapped by their 'guru', the world's most worshipped cricketer credited Achrekar for his capacity to run for long hours without tiring.

"When I was batting, sir never asked me to do the rounds (running across Shivaji Park)," the maestro said. "However, at the end of my training session, when I was completely exhausted, he used to make me run in full gear, along with the bat and pads. It was only later, that I realised how much this helped me," Tendulkar said. Someone who rarely displays his emotional side, Tendulkar said, "I don't know how much cricket is still left in me.

However, whatever I have achieved so far is all due to Achrekar sir." Tendulkar also recalled another anecdote involving him and buddy Vinod Kambli, when the left-hander was slapped by Achrekar for flying a kite, while fielding during a match. "Vinod was flying a kite while on the field. I warned him saying that sir might watch him. But he said he had scanned the entire place and was confident, sir was not there. "At the end of the day, we generally read a note that summarised the day. On that day, it was my turn to read it. Sir was standing next to me and Vinod, I think, was standing next to sir. And as I read the list, there was an entry 'Vinod-kite'. And then it was Kambli's turn to get a tight one from Achrekar. "And at the next instant, he got slapped. Later, Kambli and I were arguing as to how sir could have seen it. Actually, I had seen sir watching him from behind a tree, but I didn't tell him," he added.

Tendulkar informed that the idea to give Achrekar a "surprise" by organising the reunion of the Shardashram Old Boys came during a conversation with former Mumbai cricketer and a close Tendulkar friend Atul Ranade. Several other cricketers, too, recounted heart-warming tales of how Achrekar and his family had made an important contribution in shaping up their lives.

Sandhu, a member of the 1983 World Cup winning team recalled that it was Achrekar, who had advised him to develop his inswinger, when he started as an off-spinner during his younger days. "I was an off-spinner but sir advised me develop my inswinger. He had an eye for talent," he said. Sandhu also narrated an incident, when he was spared of Achrekar's slap for shirking doing rounds, which changed his way of looking at cricket. "Without saying much, he told me that I was talented and had a responsibility to fulfill. My perspective towards cricket changed from that day," he added.

Former India stumper and Mumbai captain Pandit remembered the day, when Achrekar came to his house at midnight to convince his reluctant father to let him join Shardashram. "My father did not see a future for me playing cricket. His argument was that how could the game help me when all I had to do was to study and get a job. At this, sir took Rs 1,000 from his pocket, gave it to my father and said 'from tomorrow, your son is mine, I will pay his salary.' His faith in me made me confident that I had the talent to do well," Pandit said.

Another bright student of Achrekar, speedster Agarkar remembered as to how Achrekar came to his home on his motorcycle at 5 am just after the 1992 riots in Mumbai to take him for practice after assuring his worried mother. "We did some training and I had breakfast at his place. But that incident made me realise the importance of discipline and determination," he said.

Veteran Mumbai batsman Amol Mazumdar recalled how slaps from Achrekar had made him learn to do 'namaste' in a proper way, treat the Shivaji Park ground as a temple, and never to say no for a match. "Recently, I was doing a Level-I coaching course. During the coaching sessions, I could recollect that Achrekar sir had taught us everything being taught there through presentations. That being in the 70's and 80's. He was way ahead of his time as a coach," he said.

In a heart-warming gesture on the occasion, Achrekar's long-time assistant Das Shivalkar was presented with a cheque of Rs 1,25,000. The Seven Seas Hospital also announced free life-time medical treatment for Achrekar and Shivalkar. — PTI