Harbhajan Singh, the new captain of Mumbai Indians, says that he wants to win the IPL Season V for Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar. In a column in The Times Of India, Harbhajan Singh writes that he would try to live up to the faith shown by the team management and the legend in him but would be needing the support and guidance from each member of the wonderful Mumbai team.
“Ideally, we all would have loved to play under Sachin, but the last few months have been relatively tough for him and he wants someone else to share the burden and I respect his decision. Sachin might have left the job, but his role to lead us and inspire us will never end. He will be the torchbearer and the soul of this side and would play a very active and important role in shaping the team. Like I have always done in my career, I would seek his support and guidance at every step of this journey. And at Team Mumbai, we have this extra motivation this year. We want to win this tournament for Sachin. This is the only trophy missing from his glittering cabinet and we will do all that it takes to give him this fitting reward,” writes Bhajji.
Meanwhile, former Pakistani bowling great, Wasim Akram, said Sachin Tendulkar's feat of 100 international centuries would remain untouched like that of the legendary Don Bradman's 99-plus batting average. "They say records are meant to be broken. But I don't think this record is made to be broken. It will remain forever like that of Don Bradman's average. It's a great achievement. We never ever thought that a cricketer would come this far. Sachin Tendulkar is a genius. He is the best the game has ever offered to the cricket lovers. We all should enjoy the incredible achievement he did in Dhaka," the Knight Riders bowling coach, told reporters on the sidelines of their practice session in Kolkata, says an Indian Express report.
According to a report in Indian Express 'Captain Cool' MS Dhoni doesn't want to think too far ahead considering it's a 47-day tournament. "We don't think about result. It is a longish tournament close to 60 days. So targeting a result right from the start will be very difficult. Yes, there is pressure but a bit of it is always good. If one starts thinking too much about the result, the burden of expectation may not help a player perform upto his potential. So we are not thinking of the result. We will like to take one game at a time," Dhoni said on the eve of the opening match against Mumbai Indians.
Meanwhile Irfan Pathan, who not only defied a serious injury to return to the Indian team but is also in the process of cementing his place in the National side, said that he is taking it as his second innings and as god’s gift. “I take it as a second innings, as god's gift. Not many make a comeback from injury. I had two trips to Australia and Bangladesh and one short trip to South Africa. God has given me a second chance to fulfil my dream. It is not just taking wickets or scoring runs. I am enjoying every moment; be it going with team in the bus, practising or anything...'' he said during a media interaction at the Eden Gardens here on Tuesday, according to The Hindu.