Sachin Tendulkar’s skills with the bat are well documented. He’s no mug with the ball either.
In the final practice session ahead of the second warm-up tie of the tour, a three-day match against the CA Chairman's XI starting at the Manuka Oval on Monday, Tendulkar was seen giving invaluable tips to NCA's throwdown expert Raghu, who was included among India's support staff at the behest of the Master Blaster.
Tendulkar had a long session with the bat on Sunday, and for the most part Raghu was the one hurling the red cherry at him. However, Tendulkar wanted to gear up to face the moving ball, and Raghu failed to extract the right amount of seam movement with his throws.
Tendulkar called the 27-year-old over. “Ball ko is tara pakad (hold the ball like this),” said Tendulkar, gripping the seam vertical, with the ball resting on the third finger and thumb, with the middle and index fingers either side of the seam. He also asked him to use more of his wrist while delivering the ball.
Sure enough, it worked like a charm as Raghu's throws started to swing both sides like Jimmy Anderson deliveries. Viru loses cool
Virender Sehwag was batting at the nets, a picture of concentration, when a handful of NRIs, who had come to watch the action, became a bit too vocal.
Standing directly behind the Delhi swashbuckler, the excited lot couldn't keep their emotions in check when they saw the man, who is the only Indian to score two Test triple tons and who recently broke the world record for the highest ODI score.
{{/usCountry}}Standing directly behind the Delhi swashbuckler, the excited lot couldn't keep their emotions in check when they saw the man, who is the only Indian to score two Test triple tons and who recently broke the world record for the highest ODI score.
{{/usCountry}}As Sehwag took his stance, the bunch tried any means at their disposal to catch his attention. “Viru, Viru, idhar dekh (Viru, Viru, look here),” said a few members of the bunch raucously.
Sehwag ignored them at first and kept going about his business, but the chants then became brasher. Having had enough of it, Sehwag turned around. You could sense the palpable fear gripping the fans. “Jo bhi bol na hai practice ke baad bolo, abhi disturb mat karo (Please keep quiet till the practice ends, don't disturb now),” said Sehwag, in his inimitable Haryanvi accent. The fans backed off, and no need to explain why.