Tendulkar breaks Lara's record

India v Australia, 2nd Test, Mohali, 1st day

October 17, 2008

	Sachin Tendulkar went past Brian Lara's tally of 11,953 Test runs © AFP

At 2.31pm on a hot Mohali Friday, Sachin Tendulkar steered Peter Siddle towards the third-man boundary for three runs to break Brian Lara's record for most Test runs. The record stood for nearly two years after Lara played his final Test and it was inevitable that Tendulkar would eventually break it. As the day progressed Tendulkar scored his 50th half-century and became the first player to cross the 12,000-run mark.

The disappointingly small crowd, built largely of school kids, immediately got on its feet to salute the feat, and fireworks, which continued for three minutes, went off at the PCA Stadium. Tendulkar raised his bat in the air, took his helmet off, and looked up at the sky, as is his routine when he gets to a hundred. The Australian fielders rushed immediately towards him to congratulate him. Ricky Ponting, the man most likely to challenge his status of being the top run-getter, was the first man to shake his hand.

This also brought an end to the soap-opera-type frenzied anticipation for the record. Tendulkar was expected to overtake Lara in Sri Lanka recently, but he endured a poor series with the bat, scoring just 95 runs in three Tests. Then in the series-opener in Bangalore, during a fine match-saving effort in the second innings, it seemed he would get to the record, but he gifted his wicket when 15 short.

Even today the anxiety around was palpable. During the time he got to 15, India lost two wickets in moving from 146 to 179 in 10.2 overs. While he scored at a fair rate, he didn't get nearly as much strike during the period as he would have wanted. While he played 23 balls, VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly faced 19 each. It was fitting, in a way, that he achieved the record against Australia, a team he has tormented several times in the past.

Coincidentally, Lara too achieved the world record against Australia, when he went past Allan Border's tally of 11,174 runs during the Adelaide Test in 2005. They remain the only three players to cross the 11,000-run mark in Tests. Though it is uncertain how long Tendulkar will prolong his Test career - which has lasted 19 years - the two players who stand the best chance of beating his eventual tally are Rahul Dravid (10,302) and Ponting (10,239).

Sachin to appear in film on Lord Ganesha

Mumbai: Ending the speculation on his entry into Bollywood, batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar on Saturday said he will appear in a documentary film on Lord Ganesha and not in a Bollywood feature film as widely reported earlier.

"I will not feature in a Bollywood film but like others will share my views on Lord Ganesha in a documentary. There were misunderstandings about my role in the film, but now they are cleared," Tendulkar said.

Media reports had claimed that Tendulkar would feature in a Bollywood film based on Lord Ganesha titled "Vighnaharta Shri Siddhivinayak".

"One really feels peaceful while visiting a temple and I would share my views on Siddhivinayak," said the champion batsman, who is an ardent devotee of the elephant god and visits the famous Siddhivinayak temple in Prabhadevi whenever he gets an opportunity.

"It was not necessary that one visits or remembers 'Ganapati Bappa' only during the 10-day Ganesh festival as the Lord resides in every heart.

"When we are on field we also pray, but the atmosphere during the festival is different," he added.

Tendulkar to play in Irani Trophy tie against Delhi

Mumbai: Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar will play in the five-day Irani Trophy match against Ranji Trophy champions Delhi at Baroda from September 24 to 28.

The master blaster, who did not play in the just concluded One-Day series in Sri Lanka due to the elbow injury during the third Test in the Emerald Isle, confirmed about his participation during a media conference here on Saturday.

"I have recovered totally and am feeling fine. I will play in the Irani Trophy match against the Ranji Trophy champions Delhi," Tendulkar said.

He returned home and was replaced in the ODI squad by S Badrinath.

The champion batsman could muster only 95 runs at a very dismal average of 15.83 per innings with 31 in the second innings of the second Test at Galle, won by India, as his highest score in the three-match Test rubber.

Before the series, the ace batsman, who appeared in his 150th Test in Colombo, was only 172 runs adrift of overtaking West Indian great Brian Lara as the highest run getter in Tests, but fell way short of that target.

Irani Trophy will be the criteria to select the Indian team for the four-match Test series against Australia starting on October nine.

Meanwhile, Aviva Life Insurance announced the finale of its marketing initiative 'Tension chodo cricket khelo' (TCCK) with a fun-filled cricket match between 15 lucky parent-kid teams and ace batsman Sachin and his son, at the Bombay Exhibition Center in Goregaon.

TCCK, a unique mass activation campaign was conceptualized by Aviva based on the insight that parents are so busy securing their children's future that they miss out on enjoying their childhood. The campaign, which commenced in July, received more than 100,000 responses from over 40 cities across India.

Speaking on the occasion Tendulkar said, "It's a great idea conceptualized by Aviva and something every parent will identify with. I am looking forward to enjoying the cricket match with my son Arjun and the other parent-child teams present here from different parts of the country."

Aviva received more than 100,000 entries which were short listed down to 15 through a process module validated by KPMG.

Bert Paterson, MD & CEO, Aviva India said, "It gives us immense pleasure to welcome Sachin Tendulkar to take part in a fun game with the 15 lucky parent-kid winner duos today. The 'Tension Chhodo Cricket Khelo' brand activation campaign with Sachin Tendulkar is the first of its kind in the insurance industry.

"It has helped prospective customers experience Aviva's brand promise, built awareness and preference for the Aviva brand and, more importantly, created interest in the need for financial planning for a child's future via child plans."