MATCH REPORTS
STAT SHEET
DIARY
OTHER SPORTS
SLIDE SHOW
PEOPLE
DEAR REDIFF

"Tendulkar is the best!"

Australian spinning ace Shane Warne apparently has no doubt about who won the long-awaited battle between himself and Sachin Tendulkar.

"I'll be going to bed having nightmares of Sachin just running down the wicket and belting me back over my head for six,'' Warne, now back in Melbourne, told the media.

Warne, rated the world's number one leg spinner, said he personally didn't have a clue how to stop Tendulkar who, since Warne and the rest of the Australian side arrived in India on February 21, has taken 1,130 runs from 12 innings at an average of 113, inclusive of one double century, five centuries and two half centuries.

Warne, who will seek specialist treatment this week on his injured bowling shoulder, said he agreed with his captain Steve Waugh, who for his part described Tendulkar as best batsman the world has seen since Australian great Sir Donald Bradman.

"He was unstoppable,'' warne said. "I don't think anyone, besides Don Bradman, is in the same class as Sachin Tendulkar, he is just an amazing player.''

Talking of his injury, Warne said it might put him out of the game for two to six months, and that he was not sure of making the side for the Commonwealth Games in September and the following tour of Pakistan.

Meanwhile in Sydney, Australia's limited overs captain Steve Waugh declared that in his book, superbat Sachin Tendulkar was the best there has been since Donald Bradman.

"You take Bradman away and he is next up, I reckon,'' Waugh said, adding that to his mind, what sets tendulkar apart from other batsman is that he picks up the ball so early.

"He is just such a sweet timer of the ball. He's got a great eye and great foot movement and he very rarely gets in the wrong position,'' Waugh said.

For his part, Indian coach Anshuman Gaekwad said he planned to organise a training camp for his players in July or August, as part of preparations for the next World Cup.

"We have to improve our fitness and fielding. These are areas in which we are far below international standards", Gaikwad told the media on the team's return to India after winning the Coca Cola Cup.

"It was a very satisfying victory, especially because it was against Australia", Gaekwad said. Earlier this month, India had lost to Australia in the Pepsi Cup final in Delhi after being on top throughout the triangular series -- a defeat the team found difficulty reconciling to. "Therefore, beating them was a matter of great satisfaction", the coach said.

"Our boys are, overall, looking much better now, inspite of playing so much cricket", Gaikwad said, pointing out that the difference could be seen in the way the team played in this tournament, as opposed to the way they had played at the same venue in December 1997 (when, in a four nation tournament, India failed to win a single match, finishing bottom of the table behind England, the West Indies and Pakistan).

There was, said Gaikwad, a perceptible difference in the Indian approach at the venue this time round. "In December, we would be cruising till a certain point, after which we would suddenly lose momentum, and the match. This time, we finished what we started, the players responded better to tough situations.

"Basically, there is a more disciplined approach. The batsmen are more determined, we are bowling and fielding to a plan", he said.

Asked about the upcoming triangular series involving Kenya and Bangladesh, Gaekwad felt it would be an opportunity for some of the younger players looking for a place in the team to prove their mettle. "We would like more all-rounders in the side", he said.

"We must also have a cricket academy where talented youngsters could be under continuous watch", the Indian coach said, adding that efforts had to be made to toughen players, both mentally and physically, from an early age.

The lack of consistency in some top order batsmen in the side, Gaekwad said, could be laid at the door of overdose of cricket. "The players, at the same time, know they can't take their places for granted," he added.

Mohammad Azharuddin, meanwhile, dedicated the Coca Cola Cup to Sachin Tendulkar.

"I cannot give any higher accolades than the ones the veterans of yesterday have given, by ranking Sachin second only to Sir Don Bradman," said Azhar, acknowledging that it was Sachin's blazing 142 in the final league game against Australia that set the team on the road to victory.

"I mist say that the two centuries Tendulkar made in Sharjah this time rank among the best knocks I have seen since I made my debut in 1984," said Azhar, speaking from his Mumbai residence.

"Losing to New Zealand put us in the doghouse, and the sudden sandstorm when we were chasing against Australia made it worse. Sachin then came along and bailed us out," said Azhar, saying that in his opinion, this was the best combination that India had sent to Sharjah.

Saying that he wanted to take note of each individual player's contribution, Azhar said, "I must do that because when the slide comes, there will be no dearth of critics. The process of building a team for the next World Cup is moving in the right direction, the only hitch being Srinath's injury," Azhar added.

Asked about the move to send Mongia early in the order, Azhar said, "It was more of a psychological ploy, the Aussies must have felt that Mongia was going to pinch hit, to hit out at ever ball, which meant that they would have been thinking they had two batsmen to contain, not just Tendulkar. Mongia's job actually was to support Tendulkar, and build a platform for the chase."

Follows, Azhar's assessment of some of his team members:

Saurav Ganguly: With Sachin, he makes the perfect opening combination India has had since the Gavaskar-Shrikkanth pair, only Saurav and Sachin have a higher degree of consistency, and the fact that it is a left-right combination makes it even better. Saurav also has the knack of prising a wicket out just when we need it most.

Sachin Tendulkar: As long as he is batting, sleep will be peaceful for the rest of us.

Ajay Jadeja: One of the most ideally suited players for the one day format, in the world.

Hrishikesh Kanitkar: Just the kind of player I have wanted in the side for a long time, like Ajit Agarkar. I think both should start working their way into the Test side now.

Harbhajan Singh: He is young and therefore a bit hot-blooded, but time and experience should mould him into an excellent bowler.

Venkatesh Prasad: He is back to his old deceptive, frugal bowling, I hope he takes care of fitness, I also hope he gets his partner, Srinath, back soon.

Rahul Sanghvi: A hard worker and a very good spin prospect.

Navjyot Sidhu: A much improved fielder, still good for both Tests and one dayers.

Coach Anshuman Gaekwad: Like his predecessors, a dedicated and large hearted man.

India's star batsman Sachin Tendulkar was the tournament's highest run-getter during the just-concluded Coca Cola Cup triangular in Sharjah.

With the help of two centuries, Tendulkar ended up with an aggregate of 435 in five innings, but was still ranked below Australian Michael Bevan.

Indian medium-pacer Venkatesh Prasad was the most successful bowler with nine wickets for 196, while Anil Kumble bagged eight for 209.

Indian opener Saurav Ganguly got 184 runs in five innings for an average of 36.80. Other Indians who made more than 100 runs in the tournament were skipper Mohammed Azharuddin (123 at an average of 24.60) and Nayan Mongia (104, average 20.80).

Among the Indian bowlers who took at least five wickets were Ajit Agarkar, who had six victims in the two matches he played, giving away 96 runs. His best figures were four for 35 in the opening match against New Zealand. Off-spinner Harbhajan Singh took five wickets for 166 runs in four matches.

Wicket-keeper Mongia accounted for 12 dismissals (10 catches and two stumpings) in five matches. And Tendulkar, who won back to back man of the match awards in the last two games against Australia, hit the highest number of boundaries in the tournament -- 37 fours and nine sixes.