THE VERY BEST

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Sachin Tendulkar is widely regarded as one of the most talented batsman ever to have graced the planet. Combined with the sheer volume of runs he has managed to accumulate over the years, the fact he has managed to do so with the weight of more than a billion Indian fans’ hopes on his shoulders makes it even more incredible.

It is said that when Tendulkar comes in to bat, the streets of the city of wherever he is playing are emptied as so many want to grab a sighting of their ‘Little Master’ doing what he does best. Alongside his stupendous batting statistics, many of which are unlikely to ever be beaten, he also now has a World Cup winner’s medal to boast about.

Despite being parts of teams who have managed memorable series victories over the likes of Australia and Pakistan, the fact he can claim to be a World Cup winner is something that Tendulkar professes to be one of his greatest achievements. The fact that he can adapt his game to suit any form of the game is also something to be admired, as he has shown that he can come in during a Test match in the number 4 position and succeed, as well as opening the batting in T20 and One Day cricket.

He also has the accolade of being the first batsman in One Day International cricketing history to score a double century, a feat he achieved against a talent South African attack, albeit in familiar Indian batting conditions. When Tendulkar will retire is still unknown, but whenever he does decide to, he will leave knowing he was most certainly the leading cricketer of this generation.

INDIANS IN WORLD XI

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In an attempt to immortalize the moment just before the start of the second Test between India and Australia which will also be the 100th Test match to be held at the famous Sydney cricket Ground, three Indian players have been named into the World XI squad. The World XI and an Australian All Time XI squad were also announced to mark this historic occasion for the famous old ground where the first Test match was held in 1882. The Indian players who have made the list include legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar, former spinner Anil Kumble and stylish middle order batsman VVS Laxman.

The teams were announced by a panel of experts which included some former cricketers and media personnel who were appointed by the authorities in charge of the ground. India have played 9 Test matches at the famous old ground and managed to win only once way back in 1978 and yet, the trio make India the second best represented Test playing nation in the list which includes 6 players from England namely Jack Hobbs, Herbert Sutcliffe, Wally Hammond, Alan Knott, SF Barnes, George Lohmann, and Sir Garfield Sobers and Sir Richard Hadlee from the West Indies and New Zealand respectively.

Harold Larwood, another Englishman was named as the 12th man of the World XI and WG Grace was named as the coach of the side. As is the case with many fantasy teams, this selection was also met with a lot of criticism but according to inside sources, the selection was not completely based on the number of runs scored or wickets taken, but was done keeping the romanticism of cricket in mind.

Although that was not officially announced, it is believed that the dream squads were announced quickly in order to negate the rising tensions between the two competing nations ahead of the second Test match.