RETURN OF THE ICON

He is a legend, an icon, a sportsman par excellance, yes he is SACHIN RAMESH TENDULKAR,he has been criticised, he has been written off many a times but everytime he bounces back with greater venegence as if to prove something to his critics.

Sachin Tendulkar has come a long way since he took guard as a 16-year-old against the fiery pace attack of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis in the Karachi Test in 1989.

Having been bowled by fellow-debutant Younis for 15 in the first innings and not given a chance to bat a second time in the drawn Test, Tendulkar feared he may never play Test cricket again.

Not only did Tendulkar continue playing, but he also emerged as one of the finest batsmen to grace the game and was regarded by the great Don Bradman as his modern reincarnation. Greg Chappell too is impressed with Sachin. The Australian believes the hype and expectations on Sachin is greater than even Bradman faced in his day.

The Indian coach said: Sachin carries a weight of collective expectation to the crease that few can comprehend. Bradman would not have had the weight of expectation that Sachin has on him every time he went out to bat."

He had a shoulder operation just a few months ago and people said Tendulkar is past his prime, he is not what he used to be, but he came back with a bang in Malaysia scoring his 75th International hundred, that was 40th in ODI's.

This is what Mcgrath said about his knock:

"He came out yesterday with 140 odd, he worked the ball around to get himself in, I mean class player, and I have to get it on the right area for him. I'm looking forward to the challenge."

He hit 5 massive Sixes and 13 fours and no signs of any dis comfort any where.

His popularity cuts across religion, caste and creed. Statistics tell only half the story about the genius. The way he plays shots like the off drive, flick, paddle sweep and cut, is fascinating. Sachin Tendulkar would have smashed many more records had not the injuries come in his way.

The original little master, Sunil Gavaskar, had said that the champion cricketer was an example of the perfect batsman. Gavaskar praised Tendulkar for the stillness of his head, his straight back-lift, the ease with which he played his shots and their wide range.

The batting maestro is expected to play a decent knock in every match, especially in the crucial ones. One hopes that he will continue to make his country proud with his valuable contributions to every match he plays.

What makes Tendulkar the 'Cricketing God' is his down-to-earth demeanour through the highs and lows of his career.

DEPARTING OF THE ICONS

One burnt rubber on the race tracks and the other broke tennis rackets in anger, but no matter what they did would always remain etched in our memories forever...

Yes i am talking about Andre Kirk Agassi and Michael Schumacher...

I still remember the rivalry between Damon Hill and Michael Schumacher and how my sunday's were spent watching these two battling it out... and rest as they say is history.

When not watching Grand Prix my attention wavered towards tennis and the famous american trio of Pete Sampras, Andra Agassi and Jim Courier ruled the hearts, Jim courier retired, pete sampras went his own way but one man who continued his tryst with destiny was Andre Agassi.As one watched the veteran war-horse grittily combat to extend his last hurrah, I was reminded of Seabiscuit, the classic true story of the legendry horse whose daring feat despite damaging injuries lifted American spirits in the time of the Great Depression of the 1930s.


Agassi has won a staggering eight Grand Slam titles, conquering several Everest's in his dramatic career, including the enviable feat of being in a select coterie of just five Grand Slam winners who have won on all playing surfaces, a feat which Pete Sampras and Bjorn Borg could not match, and will remain unparalleled in the near future, unless Roger Federer decides to tame a certain irrepressible clay-court force called Rafael Nadal in Paris.

Agassi despite a wildly turbulent private life in his early days reminiscent of Rudolph Valentino letting his hair down (where his private jet was once famous for his romantic rendezvous), has settled into blissful domesticity. He is arguably the perfect role model husband, who acknowledges the immense contribution made by his better half, none other than the inimitable Steffi Graf; collector of 21 Grand Slam singles titles herself. Sachin, has been an ideal family man too, low-key and very private and both Andre and he have a son and daughter.

The crowds at New York this year were understandably sentimental about a man who had played such memorable tennis under September floodlights at Queen's over several years. It made every next encounter as epoch-like as ever, even forcing Raf Nadal to climb into the stadium to watch Andre play his last career game. It was nostalgic. Emotional. A slice of a generation. A moment of history. Not surprisingly, the locker room at Flushing Meadows had an unusual sight; past battles were forgotten, bitter line disputes consigned to history, as Andre's fellow players gave the grand hero a standing ovation. Andre deserved it.

After the Belgian GP 1998
Coulthard had slowed on the racing line, during severe rain and poor visibility conditions, resulting in Schumacher impacting heavily with his car ripping a wheel and suspension off. Once back at the pits Schumacher ran to the McLaren garage and confronted Coulthard...

Schumacher: Are you trying to f****** kill me?

He courted controversy on the track but won a million hearts, he lived life in the fast lane, he was ferrari's most successfull driver ever.

Michael Schumacher started out his racing career in the same way as all the great drivers, in karting. At four years old his father built him a kart and soon after enrolled him in the local kart club Kerpen Horrom.

In 1989 Michael signed with Willi Weber, whose team WTS he would drive for during 1989 and 1990 in the Formula 3 Championship. Weber paid the costs for both seasons (approximately 1 million DM). In the 1989 season Karl Wendlinger was champion, with Michael finishing 3rd behind Heinz-Harald Frentzen.

During 1990 and 1991 Schumacher moved into sports car racing, instead of the more usual step up to Formula 3000. Many managers believed this would block his progression to Formula 1, but Weber believed that exposure to professional press conferences and dealing with the cars of 700bhp would be beneficial.


The Belgian Grand Prix of 1991 at Spa was Michael's debut in the world's top racing series. His lucky break came as a result of Bertrand Gachot being imprisoned for spraying CS gas into a London taxi driver's face. Qualifying 7th, he unfortunately retired on the first lap from this race with clutch failure of his Jordan-Ford. Although Eddie Jordan wished to sign Michael to the team, Schumacher was advised by Weber to act cautiously, as Jordan was to use factory Yamaha power the following year.In the 1994 season with an under powered Ford Zetec V8 he took his first Driver's Championship, after the death of Ayrton Senna at Imola. It came after a season of several run-ins with the FIA and he was disqualified from the British and Belgian Grands Prix. Michael was also put under a two race ban during the Italian and Portuguese GP that year.

The 1995 season was just as successful. Schumacher now had Renault power, to match the Williams and he dominated the season. It was marred however by several collisions between himself and Hill.

AND THEY SAY REST IS HISTORY...

And we can all stand and clap, and watch a generation pass by.
And two legends as they say Good Bye.