Dhoni receives Test Championship mace

Indian Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni received the Test Championship mace from ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat after leading his team to the pinnacle of ICC Test rankings.

"It is a special feeling to receive this mace. I am taking this on behalf of the team and BCCI. Being an Indian it is a proud moment. We have really worked hard as a team in the last 14 months to get to this position. We want to remain here longer and everything depends on our performance," said the Indian skipper.

India is the third team after Australia and South Africa to become the number Test side, after their 2-0 series victory over Sri Lanka early this month.

The ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat hailed the achievements of Indian cricketers in the recent past and said the team deserved to be on the top with such talented players. "In the last 14 months India has been dominating the world. In October 2008 India was ranked third in ICC Test Championships and in the last 14 months has risen to number one.

"In the ODI also, India is now ranked number two. Then you have Gautam Gambhir at the top of ICC Test batsmen ranking while Dhoni is on top in ODI chart. Dhoni is the ICC ODI player of the year for two consecutive years and chosen captain of both the ICC Test and ODI teams of the year.

"Then you have Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid who have immensely contributed to this transition. It reflects on the talent you can boast of. India has players who after a few years will be considered as legends of the game," Lorgat said.

Source: Cricket Nirvana

Latest ICC ratings

India Number 1 in ICC Test Rankings!

The longest form of the game returned to the historic Brabourne stadium after a hiatus of 36 years and the home team has dished out a performance full of class that will be remembered for as many years. An emphatic victory of an innings and 24 runs not only helps India seal the series with a margin of 2-0, but also takes them to the top of the ICC Test rankings. It is an historic day for Indian cricket as they now become the number one Test team in the world. The climb to the top slot is the culmination of hard work and consistent performance by India's Test side over the last two years. Sachin Tendulkar made a very vital point in his assessment. The maestro from Mumbai thanked India's ex bowling coach Venkatesh Prasad and fielding coach Robin Singh for their contribution. He also felt that the Brabourne pitch was a brilliant one. 'The whole team's goal was to get to the No. 1 position, all the players have worked hard to reach this position. The team believed they could achieve the top slot around 18 months back and worked hard to achieve the goal.'

Virender Sehwag bagged the Man of the Match award for his stupendous knock of 293 runs. The Nawab of Najafgarh also claimed the Man of the Series award.

MS Dhoni made the most important point of maintaining the ascent to the top spot. It is easy to reach to the top position but difficult to retain it. 'Now we have got to maintain the top slot. The real tough task starts from here, we have got to keep up the momentum. When we are pushed to the wall, we comeback, overall I think it was a team effort from the boys.'

Source: Cricket Nirvana

Sachin Tendulkar - The True Legend

Sachin Tendulkar begins a third decade in world cricket next week, insisting he is still as passionate to play for India as he was as a wide-eyed teenager 20 years ago.

"My love for cricket and the honour of playing for my country have kept me motivated all these years," said Tendulkar.

"Cricket is my life and I am lucky and absolutely honoured that I have been able to wear the India cap for 20 years."

He has risen to become the world's most successful batsman in both Test and one-day cricket, a result of both his unparalled genius with the bat and amazing longevity in the game.

When he started,  Mahendra Singh Dhoni was an eight-year-old schoolboy and team-mates Ravindra Jadeja and Virat Kohli were barely a few months old.

"We call him 'grandpa' in the dressing room," joked compatriot Yuvraj Singh. "But he is just amazing. He has achieved everything there is to achieve, but still wants to improve with every game.

"Frankly, I can't think of an Indian team without Tendulkar."

Former captain Ganguly calls him "the king of cricket", West Indian great Viv Richards, one of Tendulkar's childhood heroes, regards him as "99.5 per cent perfect."

For his countless fans, Tendulkar is a joy to behold. For there may never be another like him again.

Source: Cricket Nirvana