Sachin Said It Memorable Day

• Sachin Said It Memorable Day: Beating Pakistan in the 1992 World Cup Worst Day: Losing the first ODI in RSA in 1992 Heroes: Gavaskar, Viv Richards, Imran Khan, Sandeep Patil Greatest Influence: My family Current Players Admired: Vinod Kambli, Brian Lara, Jonty RhodesAmbition: To be number one in the worldFavourite Ground: Sydney Cricket Ground Least Favourite Ground: Bangalore Biggest Complaint: None Changes to Improve: None! I enjoy the game!Funniest Moment: batting with Vinod Kambli in a school game. Vinod dropped his bat and started to fly a kite.Other Sports Followed: tennis in particular. Hobbies: Collect CD's Other Stars: Maradona, Boris BeckerFavourite Actors: Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Nana Patekar TV Show: None in particular Film: Coming To America Spare Time: Listening to peaceful music, with friends. Embarrassing moment: People asking for my autograph and then asking me my name! Music: PopHates: RumoursCar: Maruti Food: Steak Drink: Orange/Apple Juice and Water Favourite Restaurant: Bukhara, Maurya Sheraton, New Delhi Holiday Resort: Yorkshire, Headingley Hotel: Park Royal Darling Harbour, Sydney Clothes: official - jacket and tie; casual- jeans and t-shirtWildest dream: Listen to loud music and watch movies. And then in the evening, go for a very long drive. Newspapers: Times of India, Mid-day, Afternoon Dispatch Authors: Haven't started reading books yet! Magazines: Sportstar Career: Too early to decide - Cricket for the moment Motto: Be true to yourself

Ventkatesh Prasad- Karnataka, Right Arm Fast bowler

Ventkatesh Prasad- Karnataka, Right Arm Fast bowler This fast-medium swing bowler from Karnataka established himself in the Indian side on the 1996 tour of England, where conditions suited his combination of swing and seam admirably. Given his height and build, his lack of genuine pace is somewhat surprising, but he has good control of movement in the air and off the seam. He has developed a superb leg cutter, and a well disguised slower ball. With injuries to his opening partner Srinath, Prasad bore the brunt of the Indian pace attack over the course of a very busy 1996-97 season. The leading wicket taker in Tests in 1996, he bowled superbly against South Africa, but was clearly jaded in mid 1997. He was rested, apparently against his will, with an ill defined injury for the tour of Sri Lanka, and a couple of one day tournaments before finally returning to the team in late 1997. He is back in form in 1998 and is bowling with accuracy once again. He was the CEAT International Cricketer of the Year 1996.

Javagal Srinath- Right Arm Fast Bowler, Right Handed Batsman

Javagal Srinath- Right Arm Fast Bowler, Right Handed Batsman Javagal Srinath is the spearhead of the Indian pace attack and the only bowler in India capable of producing the speeds generally associated with West Indian or South African pacemen. Srinath suffered a testing introduction to Test cricket when despite impressing Allan Border no end on his debut tour to Australia, and performing creditably on the ill-fated South African tour of 1992, he was unable to play a part in India`s tremendous home successes due to the "spin trio + Kapil Dev + Prabhakar" selection policy. After Kapil Dev`s retirement, he finally broke back into the playing XI and has not looked back. Statistically his Test record is tarnished by his early tours, but he is very much the genuine article as a speed merchant now, having been compared with Allan Donald for sheer pace during his 1995 stint with the English county of Goucestershire. He has had injury problems in 1997 and 1998, possibly through being over-bowled and India's strenuous itinerary. His one-day bowling record is most impressive, and only Dennis Lillee and Waqar Younis have taken 100 wickets in fewer matches. He is also a useful tail-end bat, capable of scoring runs at a brisk pace, although early indications that he could mature into a true all-rounder have not amounted to much as yet.

Nayan Mongia- Baroda, Right Handed Batsman, Wicketkeeper

Nayan Mongia- Baroda, Right Handed Batsman, Wicketkeeper An excellent wicket keeper- sharp behind the stumps, and is always ready to shout himself hoarse appealing in support of the bowlers. His judgement will keeping to spinners- especially Anil Kumble- is superb. He has been fined many times for over-appealing. A keen and enthusiastic wicket-keeper, Nayan Mongia has served India in exemplary fashion since replacing his Baroda teammate and captain Kiran More behind the stumps. His glovework is very skillful, neat and tidy, without ever being flashy and he has effected several lightning quick stumpings off the bowling of India`s spin trios, whilst always looking more than competent standing back to the hostile Srinath. Much to the surprise of many skeptics, he has also proved a valuable and versatile batsman. He bats regularly at number 7 for India, although he has also opened the innings, and has played a few useful knocks there

Anil Kumble (nicknamed "Jumbo")- Karnataka, Right Arm Leg Spinner

Anil Kumble (nicknamed "Jumbo")- Karnataka, Right Arm Leg SpinnerRight Handed Batsman An unorthodox, right arm leg spin bowler, this tall, bespectacled (now contact lens-ed), captain of Karnataka, who started life as a medium-pacer, is India`s most effective strike bowler in both Tests and ODIs. He made his debut in England in 1990, alongside Narendra Hirwani, raising hopes of a resurgence in the art of leg-spin. But it was not until his recall against South Africa 16 months later that he proved his abilities on the International stage. Since then he went from strength to strength. It is his well concealed googly and flipper, along with his genuine medium-pace faster balls that are his strike weapons rather than the leg-break, which he turns little. He is unfailingly economical and in the 1995 English county season became the first bowler in 5 years to capture more than 100 wickets. A useful lower-order batsmen, with first-class centuries to his credit, Kumble has often done a sterling job holding up the sagging tail for India. Suffering from being over-bowled, Kumble recieved a well deserved rest from the national side in 1997, missing the tour of Sri Lanka and the Sahara Cup but was recalled to the national side to face Sri Lanka and Australia in 1998. He has bowled superbly in 1998 so far, being India's highest wicket taker in tests as well as having the best strike rate and economy in one dayers.

Anil Kumble (nicknamed "Jumbo")- Karnataka, Right Arm Leg Spinner

Anil Kumble (nicknamed "Jumbo")- Karnataka, Right Arm Leg SpinnerRight Handed Batsman An unorthodox, right arm leg spin bowler, this tall, bespectacled (now contact lens-ed), captain of Karnataka, who started life as a medium-pacer, is India`s most effective strike bowler in both Tests and ODIs. He made his debut in England in 1990, alongside Narendra Hirwani, raising hopes of a resurgence in the art of leg-spin. But it was not until his recall against South Africa 16 months later that he proved his abilities on the International stage. Since then he went from strength to strength. It is his well concealed googly and flipper, along with his genuine medium-pace faster balls that are his strike weapons rather than the leg-break, which he turns little. He is unfailingly economical and in the 1995 English county season became the first bowler in 5 years to capture more than 100 wickets. A useful lower-order batsmen, with first-class centuries to his credit, Kumble has often done a sterling job holding up the sagging tail for India. Suffering from being over-bowled, Kumble recieved a well deserved rest from the national side in 1997, missing the tour of Sri Lanka and the Sahara Cup but was recalled to the national side to face Sri Lanka and Australia in 1998. He has bowled superbly in 1998 so far, being India's highest wicket taker in tests as well as having the best strike rate and economy in one dayers.

Ajay Jadeja- Haryana, Right Handed Batsman

Ajay Jadeja- Haryana, Right Handed Batsman Ajay Jadeja is the Indian Vice Captain (rightly so). He is an integral player of the Indian side and has hardly ever missed one day match since the 1996 World Cup. He has played superbly so far in 1998, scoring at a superb average and strike rate, including 2 centuries and more than 3 fifties. He was involved in the World record stand of 275* with Azhar. The amount of times he has got India out of pressure situations down the order are innumerable. In fact, he thrives under pressure. He is the fastest runner between wickets in the Indian team, and also the best fielder and therefore is a great boost to a team needing much encouragement. Jadeja has an uncanny knack of being able to hit boundaries at any stage of his innings. Indians remember him most for when he tore apart the Pakistani bowling attack in the quarter finals of the 1996 World Cup.At first he used to open the innings, but moved down to accomodate Prabhakar, and has hardly ever moved up since then. He is a great asset to the Indian side. However, he is not a permanent member of the test side. His bubbly personality helps to raise the spirit of the entire team.

Saurav Ganguly- West Bengal, Left Handed Batsman

Saurav Ganguly- West Bengal, Left Handed Batsman This left handed Bengali batsman's debut was marked by a magnificent test century versus England in early '96, and another one in the next match. He is very good off-side player, especially in driving the ball. He is one of the best timers of the ball in the current side. He has had recent success in One Day Internationals, especially vs Pakistan, in the Sahara Cup, where apart from being the highest run scorer, he took the maximum wickets, proving his ability as a medium pace bowler. He had a 5 wicket haul in the series. In the same series, he holds the record for the maximum no. of "Man of the Match" awards in a row, and in that series he was quite obviously "Man of the Series". He was nominated as the"Man of the Series" for the India-SL test series as well. He was the best batsman in 1997...scoring the highest runs in ODIs and one of the highest in test matches. He has the highest One Day international and Test match Average in the current squad. He is undoubtedly the most consistent batsman in the current squad.

Saurav Ganguly- West Bengal, Left Handed Batsman This left handed Bengali batsman's debut was marked by a magnificent test century versus England in early '96, and another one in the next match. He is very good off-side player, especially in driving the ball. He is one of the best timers of the ball in the current side. He has had recent success in One Day Internationals, especially vs Pakistan, in the Sahara Cup, where apart from being the highest run scorer, he took the maximum wickets, proving his ability as a medium pace bowler. He had a 5 wicket haul in the series. In the same series, he holds the record for the maximum no. of "Man of the Match" awards in a row, and in that series he was quite obviously "Man of the Series". He was nominated as the"Man of the Series" for the India-SL test series as well. He was the best batsman in 1997...scoring the highest runs in ODIs and one of the highest in test matches. He has the highest One Day international and Test match Average in the current squad. He is undoubtedly the most consistent batsman in the current squad.

Rahul Sharad Dravid - Karnataka,Right Handed Batsman

Rahul Sharad Dravid - Karnataka,Right Handed Batsman This young right handed batsman, has the most sound defence and technique in the Indian Side, and is therefore referred to as the wall. A very wristy player, he had an excellent debut in England in 1996, in which he scored 95. Dravid, even though he is cool headed and has a good cricketing mind, often throws away his wicket in the "nervous nineties" . Because of his inability to force the pace in one dayers, Rahul Dravid was left out of the ODI side but he fought right back into the team with excellent knocks in New zealand and since then has been a regular feature of the Indian team .

Mohammed Azharuddin ,Right Handed Batsman,Hyderabad

Mohammed Azharuddin ,Right Handed Batsman,Hyderabad Among the top batsmen and fielders of the world today, the most successful Indian captain has been in unbelievable form after being removed from captaincy in September 1996 and has continued his good form . He has now become only the 2nd batsman to have reached 8000+ runs in One Day Cricket, and also holds the record of playing the most ODI innings with 48 fifties. A very classy batsman , he has an array of wristy shots on both sides of the wicket, especially on the on side. He is the most experienced member of the Indian side . He has 6000+ runs in test matches as well, at an avg. of approximately 45, with 20 centuries. He is also in the "Jonty" class of fielders, with over 120 catches in One Dayers. His consistency in both forms of the game is remarkable.

Ajit Agarkar- Mumbai, Right Arm Fast, Right Handed Batsman

Ajit Agarkar- Mumbai, Right Arm Fast, Right Handed Batsman Is Agarkar the next Kapil Dev? He has proved himself to be the best find for India in 1998. He set a New WORLD RECORD for the FASTEST 50 WICKETS in one-dayer, topping an illustrious list containing legends like Lillee, Warne, Saqlain, Imran. Though he has proved to be erratic and expensive at times his ability to strike at the right time is praiseworthy. After great personal success in tour of Pakistan with the India-A team, Ajit Agarkar finally got the nod into the international side for the one-day series against Australia and Zimbabwe (Pepsi Tri-Series). Agarkar hails from Shivaji Park in Mumbai, and probably this was enough to push him into a career in cricket. He is not short of enthusiasm, a lean youngster, who runs in swiftly and delivers with a smooth action, many say they are reminded of Ramakant Desai. He is a deceptive bowler, capable of moving the ball both ways. The unanimous reaction to Agarkar's exploits has been that he has class and all he needs to do is work on building strength in his legs and shoulders. In Pakistan, with the India-A team, Agarkar impressed everyone with his accuracy and the ability to beat the batsmen with pace off the pitch. Apart from his bowling he is also a very useful cricketer in the one-dayers because he can bat well lower in the order.