Flintoff rejects England contract to go freelance

London: Andrew Flintoff is set to become world cricket's first freelance player after rejecting the offer of a contract with the England national team.

The England and Wales Cricket Board last week offered Flintoff a second-tier incremental contract following his retirement from Test matches, but the 31-year-old allrounder has turned it down in favour of travelling the world to play for different teams on short-term deals.

The arrangement will allow Flintoff, who is recovering from knee surgery in Dubai, to decide which England matches he is available for.

"I was flattered to receive the offer of an incremental contract from the ECB, which I wasn't really expecting, but at this stage of my career I don't think I need to be told when to play and when to rest," Flintoff said. "I have played international cricket for 11 years and know my body's capabilities."

Whether England picks him is another matter since the ECB may be irked by what could be seen as a decision motivated by financial considerations.

His agent told a national newspaper on the weekend that Flintoff intended to play for as many as six teams on five continents next year, including Twenty20 in the lucrative Indian Premier League.

Indian team has more match winners now: Tendulkar

Colombo: Senior batsman Sachin Tendulkar feels the Indian team has never had as many match winners as it has right now and the side's fast-improving overseas record is a result of their consistent performance.

"I think we definitely have more match winners. There were good players earlier as well. But I think in this lot we have got match winners and more big hitters as such and you know the guys have delivered at the crunch moment," Tendulkar told reporters here on Monday night after India beat Sri Lanka by 46 runs to win an ODI tri-series.

"It could be with bat or bowl. But they have been delivering pretty consistently and you know they are all talented guys, extremely talented guys. You need match winners to win consistently. That is what this team is about," he added.

"There might be a couple of hiccups here and there but on the whole if you see the guys have really done well."

Part of the Indian team for the past two decades, Tendulkar declared the current one led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni as one of the best.

"I have been fortunate to be part of Indian cricket team from 1989. There have been so many great names. I would not want to run anyone down by making comparisons about teams," he said.

"I would like to respect the fact that I was fortunate to be part of various generations. This is definitely one of the top teams I have been part of," Tendulkar added.

Won't forget meeting with Tendulkar: Hughes

Australian opener Phillip Hughes did not share the details of his meeting with Sachin Tendulkar but said it was one interaction he would never forget. The 20-year-old opener met Tendulkar in a Mumbai hotel earlier this month after his unceremonious axing from the Ashes series squad.

Back in Australia to join his New South Wales teammates, Hughes did not reveal what he discussed with the Indian batting great but said he would cherish it.

"I had questions for him, and he had a few questions for me, mainly about my family. I do know I felt refreshed after meeting him. I grew up watching him on TV and it will be one meeting I never forget," Hughes was quoted as saying by 'The Daily Telegraph'.

Asked if slump in form and how to overcome it came up for discussion, Hughes answered in the negative.

"I don't think Sachin has ever had one," he quipped.

"The first thing I did say to him was, 'I think I've got you covered height-wise', and that hasn't happened too often," said Hughes.

"Sachin had just finished a gym session and we basically had a casual conversation over lunch and coffee. We did speak about a couple of things, but I won't let on too much," said the left-hander who was axed after the second Ashes Test.

NSW coach Matthew Mott praised Hughes for taking the initiative to meet Tendulkar and said, "Any time you can pick the brains of a great player, especially if they're a Test player, it's got to be a great opportunity.

"We were fortunate enough to have Steve Waugh come in and speak to the (NSW) players last week and you could tell by their questions they were genuinely excited to pick the brains of a great.

"I thought it was a great initiative to go and see Tendulkar, and the fact he gave up his time is great for Phil an I'm sure he'll take a lot out of that," Mott said.

Kapil hails Ganguly's decision to enter cricket administration

Hailing Sourav Ganguly's decision to enter cricket administration, Kapil Dev on Tuesday said former players like him are best suited for the role, not the politicians.

Taking an indirect dig at the BCCI's mandarins who have political affinities, the World Cup winning captain said, "Politicians should do politics, like doctors in medicine and engineers in engineering."

"Ganguly is a great cricketer and I believe he would do justice to cricket administration. If great cricketers like him do not get into the cricket administration than who else should? Cricketers should take a cue from Ganguly and run the show for the betterment of the game," said Kapil.

Having retired from the international cricket last year, Ganguly had said he wanted to join cricket administration.

There is already speculation that Ganguly is eyeing the BCCI president post in 2014, when the East Zone will have to put forward its nomination.

The southpaw from Bengal has already entered into the Cricket Association of Bengal's Annual General Meeting and working committee this year, representing different clubs.

Ganguly is also the chairman of the CAB's newly formed cricket development committee.

Sachin's idea of splitting ODI format pre-mature: Kapil

Former India captain Kapil Dev on Tuesday opposed master batsman Sachin Tendulkar's idea of splitting one-day international matches into four innings with 25 overs each and said the proposal was a "pre-mature" one.

"It's pre-mature to think of splitting ODIs. Each format of the game -- Test, one-dayers and Twenty20 -- will remain to exist and the popularity will remain," said the 1983 World Cup winning captain.

However, Kapil heaped praise on Tendulkar for yesterday's match-winning 44th century and said, "He is a great player and is very passionate about the game. If he is fit, he can continue as long as he wants. It's up to him to decide when to retire."

Tendulkar cracked 138 to help India lift the title.

Kapil cited the example of Monday's Compaq Cup final that India won against Sri Lanka by 46 runs and insisted that one-day format becoming more attractive with every passing day.

"Did not you see Monday's match and the interest it generated? Interest in ODIs is improving day by day and TV revenues are also increasing...," he said.

Captain Marvel: One-day series wins under the leadership of MS Dhoni

When Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni lifted the Compaq Cup, it was precisely the seventh time he flexed his muscles to lift an ODI trophy. In the ten one-day series that Dhoni has captained India since 2007, he has led the team to some memorable series win in quite a few of them. The victories in Australia, Sri Lanka and New Zealand have been pathbreaking, given the fact that India rarely won any one-day series in these countries. Let's now rewind and take a look at the ODI series win that India achieved under the able leadership of MS Dhoni

After facing an acid test against the touring Australians, Dhoni faced yet another challenge in Pakistan's tour of India. India though racked up some huge totals and easily chased down runs to set up a 3-2 series win against the Pakistanis. The series win was Dhoni's first taste of ODI success in his new role as the captain of the side.

DHONI'S CAPTAINCY SKILLS

Dhoni was recommended for captaincy by Sachin Tendulkar. In 2007, when Rahul Dravid resigned as Test and ODI captain, Sachin Tendulkar was offered captaincy by the board of selectors and Sharad Pawar, but Sachin politely refused and said, "Give it to someone like Dhoni". The Board agreed.

Team India went on to win the inaugural T20 cricket World Cup 2007

First ever trilateral ODI series win in Australia versus Australia and Sri Lanka [[2007-08 Commonwealth Bank SeriesCB Series of 2007-08]].

First ever bilateral ODI series win in Sri Lanka (IDEA CUP) in August 2008.

He captained Team India to win the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2008 at home versus Australia. India went on to win the coveted 4 match Test series(2-0).

Also Team India to win the RBS Cup 2008 at home versus England. India went on to win the coveted 2 match Test series(1-0) and the 7 match ODI series (5 -0) with the rest of the remaining two ODIs being abandoned.

Under his captaincy, India beat Sri Lanka for the second time to clinch the IBDI Fortis Wealthsurance Cup ODI series 2009 (4-1) and the only Twenty20 International, the first Twenty20 International match held in Sri lanka. This is the second staright series win for Team India in Sri Lanka.

M.S. Dhoni is the first Indian Captain to achieve nine consecutive ODI wins (between 14/11/2008 and 05/02/2009). Earlier the record of having eight consecutive ODI wins were owned by Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid.

Previous captains Anil Kumble and Sourav Ganguly have said that under Dhoni India will reach greater heights and even all time great Richard Hadlee said that "Under Dhoni,India will become the world no.1 team" and he also said that by this 2-0 win that the Australian dominance in the cricket world had finally come to an end.

As a farewell gift to former Indian captain, Saurav Ganguly who was set to retire after the Nagpur test against Australia, Dhoni asked Saurav Ganguly to lead the team for one last time towards the end of the Australian innings in the last test at Nagpur.

Dhoni has already been compared to Australia's Steve Waugh for his captaincy skills. In the battle of nerves, the mental toughness accompanied with the cool temperament exhibited by Dhoni just resembles the times of Steve Waugh’s leadership.

During the ODI Series 2009 in Sri Lanka, Dhoni had equalled the record of Zimbabwe's Andy Flower who has also played 46 ODIs in both roles of Wicket Keeper/Captain.

Please leave your messages for MS Dhoni in the comment box than Dhoni "The Dynamite Dhamaka"