Yuvraj's Knock Led Big Victory to India over England

Yuvraj seemed to have no mercy over England bowlers in the first One-day international of the first India England ODI series at Rajkot. 4's and 6's were raining like hell. Yuvraj’s splendid knock of 138 of 78 balls led to a 158 rout by India beating England. Yuvraj’s knock which included 16 fours and 6 sixes was reminiscent of his T20 knock in 2007 Twenty 20 world cup in South Africa.

Yuvrajs exhilarating century was the quickest century in ODIs against England and the second fastest century by any Indian in this format of the game. Pietersen had nothing but admiration for Yuvraj later said that "If you stand and watch an innings like Yuvraj played and Sehwag you have just got to take your hat off to the way they played”. Yuvraj who batted with a runner because of a back injury during the early part of his innings scored his ninth one-day century. This innings was one of Yuvraj’s finest innings ever in the format of the game. Yuvraj later said "I've had a couple of bad months with not being in the Test side but I am coming back to my best and to hit a knock like that was a good effort".

Such a knock from Yuvraj was long overdue and no better way to come back in form from a couple of months of unsuccessful stretch. Yuvraj who scored 100 of his 138 runs in boundaries really got going after the power play was taken after 34 overs. Yuvraj lifted Andrew Flintoff with an elegant six down the ground and then he started his brute force attack getting to fifty from only 38 balls. At that time the stage was set for Yuvraj, his confidence and form seemed to back with a vengeance and he raced from 50 to 100 in just 22 balls and his last 37 runs were scored in 13 balls. This indeed was one of the finest knocks I had ever witnessed so much not for me for Yuvi himself.

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Ganguly's Interview on His Retirement

Having retired from international cricket, Sourav Ganguly will surely miss sharing the dressing room with his team-mates. So what does life hold for him after retirement? CNN-IBN caught up with him at his home in Kolkata for an exclusive interview.

CNN-IBN: It must be a fantastic feeling for you. When you left the Indian dressing room it was a happy dressing room, a victorious dressing room.

Sourav Ganguly: Oh yes, of course. When I announced my retirement, I hoped that it would finish this way. I finished with a smiling face on everyone.

I couldn't have expected more than this, beating the best team in the world 2-0 convincingly, in India, and performing so well, not just me but everyone. We finished (the series) with a lot of high. I couldn't have expected more than this.

CNN-IBN: You have got a T-shirt signed by the entire team and Sachin Tendulkar again failed to write correct Bengali on it.

Sourav Ganguly: Yes, it was pretty emotional, touching. I didn't even know about it. I had gone to do an interview so my wife took the shirt out from my bag and quietly asked all the boys to sign it. It was a nice gesture from her. It was the first time I found her so interested in the game.
They are a fantastic bunch of boys. You hear a lot of things when things don't go well, but unless and until you actually be in the dressing room you don't know what it's all about. So it's been a fantastic journey.

CNN-IBN: Sourav, how are you as a Dad? Are you a strict father?

Sourav Ganguly: No, not really.

Dona Ganguly: He has his times. There are times he becomes strict and says 'I should discipline my daughter'. But at times he is so liberal, but that's during the times when he used to come back from tours. But when he would stay for a longer time he felt like he should discipline.

Sourav Ganguly: With me she (his daughter) can get away with everything.

Anil Kumble, Sachin Tendulkar, V.V.S. Laxman and Sourav Ganguly Being felicitated

Anil Kumble, Sachin Tendulkar, V.V.S. Laxman and Sourav Ganguly are being felicitated by the BCCI in the chandelier-dripping club house at the stadium, in the presence of the who’s who of Indian cricket and there isn’t a cricketer who isn’t moved, writes S. Ram Mahesh.