Mr.Dependable 'The Rahul Dravid'....

They say that Cricket is a Gentleman's game and this statement truly proves its worth for this individual "Rahul Sharad Dravid" born on 11th January 1973 in Indore, India.

Dravid was born in a Marathi family and then later his family moved to Bangalore, Karnataka where he was brought up, he did his schooling in St Joseph's Boys high school in Bangalore and later earned a bachelors degree in commerce and an MBA from ST Joseph's College of Commerce and Business Administration, Bangalore.

Dravid started playing cricket at the age of 12 and he also represented Karnataka State at under 12, 15 & 19 levels. His shear dedication towards the game of cricket was something to inspire for the budding young cricketers of that time, The Bangalore boy was a true champion all rounder, he was brilliant at studies as well as Cricket, his perseverance and dedication of the learning the game of cricket didn't go unnoticed, as one day when Dravid was getting trained during one of his summer camps at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore he was noticed by one of the great former Indian cricketer 'Keki Tarapore' and 'Keki' took him directly to the Ranji Trophy circuit and then the rest was history. At Ranji Trophy too Dravid showed his class with his brilliant class batting and also wicket-keeping, he was playing with Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath in the Ranji Trophy matches who went onto become the team mates with him in the Indian National Cricket Team on a later stage together.

Dravid made his one day international debut against Sri Lanka in Singer Cup being played at Singapore on the 3rd April 1996 which was soon after the 1996 cricket world cup, at that time Dravid was taken as a mere replacement in place of Vinod Kambli but the selectors that decision turned to have been the golden turning point for his career. Dravid is the most successful no.3 spot player in the batting order for the Indian cricket team over the years, 
Rahul Dravid announced his retirement from Test as well as One day internationals in March 2012


     
source wikimedia.org


Dravid's father use to work for a company which use to make Jams and preserves which earned him a nickname "Jammy". Dravid is also called as "The Wall" & "Mr. Dependable" in the world of cricket, he has been called as the "The Wall" because Dravid has been the only player who use to stand on the batting crease like a wall and it use to be the most difficult part for the opposite teams to make him out. Dravid is the only player in the world cricket history who has emerged on the scene of cricket in all formats of the game starting from One Day Internationals to Test Cricket to T20 matches, Initially when he started his career Dravid was termed as the greatest Test Batsman of all time but over the years he has been the budding T20 cricket with great improvisations in his game and the one who gives the young T20 cricketers a run for their money even at the Indian Premier League stage.

The Hansie Cronje 'South African Cricket Legend'

On 25th September 1969 a South African superstar Wessel Johannes popularly known in the world of cricket by name 'Hansie Cronje' was born in Bloemfontein, Orange Free State Province, South Africa. He graduated in 1987 from Grey college bloemfontein and later earned a bachelor of commerce degree from University of the free state.

He represented Orange free state province in cricket and rugby at the school level. He had an elder brother Frans Cronje and a younger sister Haster Parsons. Not many of them know that his father had represented Orange free state in cricket in 1960s, from his early childhood days he had a shear passion for cricket.

Hansie made his first-class cricket debut for Orange Free State against Transvaal at Johannesburg in January 1988 at the age of 18 and then there was no looking back, he went on to make his province state win all the inter state matches with his bating  brilliance by scoring maiden centuries which earned him a place in the national cricket team after having played first class cricket for four years.

Cronje made his one day international debut against Australia in the 1992 Cricket world cup, but the turning point of his career came in the year 1993 when South African National Cricket team toured India and during their tour in one of the historical matches he hit a famous six when his team needed merely 6 runs to win from 1 ball and they lifted the trophy, post the series from just being the youngest experienced player in the team he went onto become the captain of the south african national cricket side was one of the benchmarks which no other south african cricketer had achieved by that time.

Hansie Cronje has been named as one of the greatest all rounders South Africa and cricket world has ever produced. 

Cronje was the only captain which had taken South Africa to semifinals in he 1999 cricket world cup prior no other captain had ever been able to make South Africa qualify for even the league matches. Even in the eyes of Sachin Tendulkar Cronje was one of the dangerous bowlers to face during 1990s era. 

In the year of 1999 Hansie Cronje became the most popular personality of South Africa, not only he was a great great batsman of all time but also an exceptional fielder in the team after Johnty Rohdes & Herschelle Gibbs. Cronje played a pioneer role in finding and also shaping up few of the greatest cricketers for South African cricket which include the likes of Johnty Rohdes, Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Mark Boutcher, Patt Symcox and Shaun Pollock.

But unfortunately the legend of cricket bid his final good bye to the world of cricket in June 2002

The 'Boom Boom' - Shahid Afridi

Shahibzada Mohammad Shahid Khan Afridi popularly known as Shahid Afridi born on 1^st March 1980 in Pakistan, he is from the Afridi tribe of Pahstuns. His nickname is ‘Lala’ in the Afridi household. Shahid Afridi has been termed as one of the greatest and good looking cricketers of all time.

From his childhood Afridi had a passion towards cricket, not many of you know but he started bowling as a fast bowler, but after which he was told that he was throwing the ball, then he decided to shape up his bowling on the Pakistan leg spinning legend Abdul Qadir and he became the one of its kind of leg spinners who used to bowl quicker leg breaks through the air. So much so that there was a song doing the rounds in the cricket commentary circuit that time “Afridi zara dheere chalo”.

Shahid Afridi made his ODI debut in October 1996 vs Kenya and his test cricket debut vs Australia in October 1998. Afridi was the first batsman who scored his ODI century of mere 37 balls and went on to become the fastest player of 2000 year ear to have scored the first of its kind fastest ODI hundreds. 

Afridi has been popular for his good looks as well his aggressive and dangerous style of batting throughout his career, he stints on the cricket field were sometimes short but effective and impactful, his aggressive batting style earned his the nick name “Boom Boom Afridi”, boom boom because from the moment he use to come on the batting crease he use to just hammer the bowling of the opposition in style. He hold a phenomenal record with his bowling and batting in cricket.

Shahid Afridi was the main she tanker who drove his national side Pakistan to win the T20 world cup in the year 2009, his classic century in the world cup T20 finals took Pakistan to victory. His this great act of success made him earn the team captaincy post twenty20 world cup victory. Shahid Afridi also holds a record for most no of hat tricks and five wicket hauls in his bowling career.

An inspiring career which has motivated many young children to become the aggressive style budding cricketers of future. In the year 2013 Afridi took everyone by surprise when he did a cameo role in the movie shot in Pakistan “Main Hoon Shahid Afridi” , which went on to become a huge success at the box office.

Afridi also made a short stint at the Indian Premier League in India in 2008-2009 and Big Bash T20 league in Australia in the year 2010. Afridi recently went on to record stating that his biggest dream is to make his team win the T20 world cup once again in the year 2016 before he announces his retirement from the twenty20 cricket.

In true means a role model and a cricket superstar to look up to for all the sports as well as cricket enthusiasts all over the world. 

Revisiting the magical bowling spell by Anil Kumble

Anil Radhakrishna Kumble was born on the 17^th October, 1970 in a Kannada Brahmin Family in Bengaluru, Karnataka. Kumble has his last name origins from his ancestral town Kumbla in Kasaragod district Kerala. 

He finished his schooling at National Public School, Bengaluru and went on to become the Mechanical Engineer by profession, since his childhood he had immense interest in cricket so at the age of 13 he joined a club called “Young Cricketers” in Bengaluru, and then there was no looking back for him, he made his first class debut for Karnataka state under 19 team in the year 1989 and that became the launching pad for him and he made his one day international debut against Srilanka at Sharjah in the year 1990.The Bengaluru Boy is popularly known by the nickname “Jumbo” in International Cricket Circuit.

 It was the day of 7^th February, 1990 when India was hosting Pakistan at their home turf for their second test match at Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium, Delhi, the stage was set and no one knew that Anil Kumble was in for a chance to create a record winning history and enter the record books by taking all of the 10 wickets of the Pakistan Team, & went on to become the second bowler in the cricket history to deliver a magical spell of 10 wickets in an innings against Pakistan after the great bowler of England Sir Jim Laker achieved that in 1956

It was not Pakistani Batsman’s poor batting but it was Kumble’s bowling brilliance that was the highlight of that innings, to get the entire Pakistan team all out in that fashion was a big achievement, out of the whole 10 wickets which he took in that match the special one was of the great left arm opening batsman of all time Saeed Anwar, Anwar was batting beautifully on a score of 69, that’s when kumble did the trick he came around the wicket to bowl, the initial few deliveries were nudged by Anwar but then he bowled an absolute beauty he tossed the bowl up drove Saeed Anwar into the shot, the ball touched the edge of his bat & was caught behind by VVS Laxman . It was sheer brilliance and great bowling technique of Anil Kumble which was on display then.

This feat made him earn the title of “Cricket’s Son of India” being honoured by the Karnataka State Government, not only his home state gave him a special recognition in the KSCA Cricket stadium in Bengaluru by building the separate room of his achievements in the stadium but the government also gifted him the luxurious sports car of the K10 number series in the year 1999.

In 2015 this year Anil Kumble has been inducted in the ICC Hall of Fame as one of the greatest cricketers of all time.

The Making of Irfan Pathan – The Journey from Gully Cricket to International Cricket

Irfan Khan Pathan was born on the 27^th of October, 1984 in Baroda, Gujarat. He is popularly known by the nick name ‘Guddu’ in the Pathan household.

He made his international as well as first class cricket debut in the year 2003/2004 against Australia in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

But not many of you know how he grew up and how he made it big to the international circuit, Irfan grew up in a mosque in Baroda in an impoverished family where his father use to work as a ‘muezzin’, his parents wanted him to be an Islamic scholar but Irfan had other plans, his interest since childhood was into cricket, he started playing cricket with his brother Yusuf Pathan in the mosque compound & also on the streets of Baroda.  In the beginning his deliveries not even use to reach the end of the cricket pitch but he had sheer determination, so he used to train rigorously for daily six to seven hours in the severe heat and get himself trained to bowl fast.

Under the guidance of former Indian Captain Datta Gaekwad, Irfan got selected in the Baroda under 14 years cricket team and then there was no looking back, his performances made his cricket team to win in the domestic ranji trophy season consequently for two three years, which eventually got him selected at the age of 19 in the National Indian Cricket Team.

Irfan Pathan announced his arrival to the cricketing circuit in fashion when he was named the ‘Emerging Player’ by the International Cricket Council (ICC) in the year 2004, which was just six months after his test debut against Australia.

He soon became the cricket’s ‘blue eyed boy’, the handsome boy from Baroda made it big in cricket in the year 2006 when India was on tour to Pakistan, It was that historic day of 29^th January 2006 at the National Stadium in Karachi, Pakistan where India v/s Pakistan 3^rd Test match was played. In that test match Pathan emerged as India’s seam and swing bowler when he produced three magical deliveries to get rid of three of the most dangerous batsman’s of all time Pakistan has ever produced.

His first ball got Salman Butt out, the very next ball was a beauty which got Younis Khan out & then the third became his hat trick ball which got Mohammad Yusuf out, three of Pakistan’s leading run scorers were dismissed by Irfan on a golden duck.

This is how Irfan Pathan became the benchmark for all those small town players who dreamt of making it big in Cricket post that.

Shoaib Akhtar 'The Rawalpindi Express'

On the day of 13^th of August, 1975 the legend was born in Rawalpindi, Pakistan in the Akhtar household.

A childhood spent in mere poverty, a passion for sports bikes so much so that Shoaib was suspended to even ride a bike during his teenage, a prankster on the filed as well as off the field, and a fighter.

Shoaib Akhtar in the cricketing arena is popularly known as “The Rawalpindi Express”, Rawalpindi because Shoaib was born there and Express because he was balling sere pace, here I am sharing a deep insight with all of you as very few people know that “The Rawalpindi Express” is a slow goods train in Pakistan it’s not a fast express at all.

Shoaib Akhtar made his one day international debut in the early months of the year 1998 which was the era where in batsman were dominating the game which includes the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, Mohammad Azharuddin, Saeed Anwar, Sanath Jayasuriya, Brian Lara and few others.

But the major turning point in his career came when the Pakistan national cricket team toured India in the year 1999 and one historic test match changed it all for Shoaib Akhtar that was the time after when he was nicknamed “The Rawalpindi Express” bowling at a speed, cricket has never seen before 150 mph per hour, that wonderful inswinging Yorker which he bowled to the World’s best batsman Sachin Tendulkar and got him out on a golden duck the very first bowl which he faced when the entire crowd of one of the greatest cricketing venues of all time “The Eden Gardens Kolkata’ were up on their feet and cheering for “Sachin Sachin”.

The Eden Gardens became the historic venue in the year 1999 which got to witness the heroics of Shoaib Akhtar and the world saw his arrival on the cricketing block in style.

Sachin Tendulkar's Masterclass at Sharjah v/s Australia in 1998

The Sharjah cricket ground became the historic venue where the "Little Master" from India who played all his cricket in Mumbai's Shivaji Park and the Pragati Maidan during his young age before he made his debut for India when he was just 16 years old, announced his arrival to the world of cricket in the year 1998 against Australia in the semi final of the Sharjah Cup

The stage was set for him the match target was reduced to 46 overs due to rains and the target to qualify for the finals was 246 runs,when India came to bat it was 145/4 wickets in 31.5 overs that’s when Sachin walked in with VVS Laxman.

The first ball Sachin faced of the 32^nd over was hammered for a six which landed straight in front of the side screen it was when India needed 60 runs of just 53 balls, Micheal Kasprowicz was smashed over the park in style by the little master

The cricketing world witnessed his 14^th One Day International hundred, his 3^rd against Australia and his 3^rd in Sharjah.

He brought up his 100 of 111 balls consisting of 5 fours and 3 sixes in the 38.5 overs and that was when the target was 194/4 India, then in the 40^th over they needed to hit the boundary just to take the pressure of the run rate and at that time for Australia Damien Flaming was steaming in with his fast pace deliveries, and that’s when Sachin produced from nowhere a boundary over square leg, it was just raining fours and sixes in the stadium & the entire crowd was up on their feet 

At the end of 40^th over India needed 24 runs of 30 balls to qualify for the finals and the first ball of the 42^nd over was smashed over for a wonderful six of Steve Waugh’s bowling

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar the "Little Master", the  "Master Blaster" was in his full form and till this historic innings which he played against Australia, the cricketing world wasn't taking the little master too seriously as a player, the next ball Tendulkar went big his catch was dropped at the boundary by one of the safest fielders of that time for Australia Damien Martin under severe pressure, that dropped catch went on for a boundary and the target to get was reduced to just 14 runs to get from 28 balls

After this match winning innings Sachin Tendulkar went on to become the Best Batsman in the world, the cricketing world's two best commentary legends were up on their seat as well and Sir Tony Greg went onto record mentioning about Tendulkar that "What a Player"

The 142 runs of just 131 balls against Australia even became his highest score in ODI's, they qualified for the finals against the same team and even in the finals Sachin scored 134 Runs and India went onto winning the match as well as they lifted the Sharjah cup in style and in fashion with Sachin's brilliance.