Sachin Tendulkar says Gilchrist made loose statement

Sachin has spoken out against Gilchrist's loose statements! It's not often that you see Sachin get upset. But Tendulkar did say in a television interview that he was shocked at Gilchrist's comments about his lack of honesty and sportsmanship.

Sachin Tendulkar also revealed the content of his discussions with Gilchrist. Tendulkar mentioned that the former Aussie player was constantly accusing him and Harbhajan of not shaking hands with the opposition after losing a match.

Sachin pointed out that after the infamous Sydney match, it was he who first shook hands with the Aussie players.

But Sachin shied away from talking about the racism row since for him it was a dead issue. I guess Gilchrist's apology has not been fully accepted by Sachin.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been doing exceedingly well, both as a captain and as a batsman. His wicket keeping skills are also improving. His handling of the young leg spinner, Amit Mishra has been quite good. Has Indian cricket found a new superhero? It all depends on how long he can last. If Dhoni can carry on like this for another 5-8 years, he may go down in the history books as one of the most influential Indian players to have played the game.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni reportedly earns as much as Sachin Tendulkar, if not more. If money is a bad criterion to judge him by, then how about his cool attitude towards the game? How about Dhoni's never-say-die spirit? How about Mahendra Singh Dhoni's humility, something that is often cited as one of Sachin Tendulkar's greatest quality?

Am I a big fan of Mahendra Singh Dhoni? Well, not really. But how can I ever forget what he did for us at the T20 World Cup? How can I ever forget how he taught the rude Aussies a lesson in the ODI Tri-series in Australia? And Mahendra Singh Dhoni has got great leadership qualities, something that Sachin Tendulkar failed to exhibit when he captained the Indian cricket team.

Just for the record, I am die-hard Sachin fan too.

Sachin Tendulkar- Sharjah '98

That match against Australia, when the entire nation had almost, almost given up on an Indian victory, one man had the courage to view things differently. The Master did something remarkable; he played one of the most awe-inspiring innings ever played on the cricket field.

With India down in the dumps, the sandstorm had just started making its presence felt. Almost everyone, including the Aussies, were trying to shield their eyes. Some of the Aussies even preferred to lie down on the ground to escape the storm. But one man never tried to hide. Indeed, he was standing rock solid on the ground, willing to face nature's and his opponent's fury.

We were going to bed, my brother and I, but waited to watch the Master crack a few more boundaries. Deep down, I had hope, that one man may take the battle to the Aussies. But it was just a hope, not a belief.

Play resumed. A few sublime shots followed, and a look at the genius' face confirmed the fact that he had accepted an impossible challenge- that of helping India qualify for the final! What followed was mind-boggling, exhilarating and got my adrenaline flowing. I got completely charged up!

Every Aussie bowler was taken to task. Warne, Kasprowicz, Fleming, no one, absolutely no one could prevent him from exploding. It was one man fighting a lone battle against a team of eleven. One man, who had never learnt to say "no" to a contest. One man who fought for his team's success.

But he faltered at the final step. It wasn't his fault; the umpire messed up. Maybe he was dazzled too, like the rest of us, who were watching the match.

He played, not only to help the team qualify for the final, but to win the contest between bat and ball. He wanted to win the match for India! At the end this is what he had to say, "I don't think anything is impossible. Of course, I'm not always right."

He is a true champion and a legend- Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar