Bhutia is just like Tendulkar, says India coach

Bhutia is currently sidelined with a calf injury. -Reuters Photo

DOHA: Indian football captain Bhaichung Bhutia is worthy of comparison with cricketing icon Sachin Tendulkar, according to the countrys English football coach Bob Houghton.

Bhutia is currently sidelined with a calf injury but Houghton, whose side meet Bahrain in their second Group C match on Friday, said the 34-year-olds mere presence was a huge boost for his squad.

Bhaichung and Sachin Im sure that comparison goes over the heads of a lot of people here who dont know about cricket, explained Houghton at a pre-match press conference on Thursday.

But the best cricketer in the world at the moment is Indian and also a very fine role model. The comparison with Bhaichung is similar.

Theyre the same age, they keep going. Bhaichung retired a few years ago but came back. This man is a major influence on our team and if we can get him out on the field, he could make a difference for us.

Bhutia, who spent three years with English league side Bury between 1999 and 2002, is Indias talisman and record goalscorer.

His cricketing counterpart Tendulkar, 37, is the leading runs scorer and century maker in both Test and one-day international cricket.

Known as The Little Master, he is widely considered one of the greatest batsmen ever to have played the game.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Mubarak pledge to step down dismissed as too slow

Image
The Egyptian Presidents pledge to surrender in September has angered protesters who want an immediate end to his 30-year-rule. Photo by AP CAIRO: Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak said on Tuesday he would surrender power in September, angering protesters who want an immediate end to his 30-year-rule. The United States called for the transition of power to begin straight away, stopping short of endorsing Mubaraks plan to stay in office for another six months. What is clear and what I indicated tonight to President Mubarak is my belief that an orderly transition must be meaningful, it must be peaceful and it must begin now, President Barack Obama said after speaking to him by phone. In the streets of Cairo, protesters whose numbers swelled above 1 million across Egypt on Tuesday, many renewed their calls for the 82-year-old leader to quit. We will not leave! He will leave! some chanted. A leading reformist figure, retired diplomat Mohammed ElBaradei, was quoted by CNN calling Mubaraks mov...
Keep reading

Hafeez, Afridi and Akmal highlight in crushing win

Image
Umar Akmal (L) and Misbah-ul-Haq celebrate the wicket of Jamie How. -Photo by AFP CHRISTCHURCH: A maiden century by Mohammad Hafeez and a blistering 65 by Shahid Afridi set up Pakistan for a 43-run win over New Zealand in their one-day cricket international Saturday. The batting heroics, which rescued Pakistan from a disastrous start, were complemented by the fielding exploits of Umar Akmal who featured in three crucial New Zealand dismissals. The result levelled the six-match series at 1-1, with one game washed out and three to play. It was a sharp turnaround in fortunes from the first match, which New Zealand won by nine wickets with more than 32 overs to spare. They showed the hallmarks of that domination in Christchurch when they won the toss, put Pakistan into bat on a green-tinged wicket, and had them two for eight by the fourth over. But from there Pakistan worked their way up to take control, compiling 293-7 in their 50 overs, with Afridi starring in a 126-run charge over the ...
Keep reading

Gagged Al Jazeera a powerful counter to Mideast regimes

Image
Egyptian protesters shout slogans against President Hosni Mubarak's regime at Tahrir Square in Cairo on January 30, 2011. -Photo by AFP DUBAI: Al Jazeera television, banned in Egypt on Sunday, has often angered Arab governments with its coverage of dissent and served as a counterweight to regimes which accuse it of stirring dissent. Egypts official MENA news agency said the outgoing information minister, Anas al-Fikki, ordered Al Jazeeras closure in Cairo after its blanket coverage of anti-government protests sweeping the country. The Doha-based Al Jazeera slammed the move as an attempt at censoring and silencing the voices of the Egyptian people. In this time of deep turmoil and unrest in Egyptian society it is imperative that voices from all sides be heard, the Arab satellite news channel said. On Saturday, it broadcast an appeal from Yusef al-Qaradawi, a popular Egyptian-born television preacher and mentor of Egypts officially banned Muslim Brotherhood, urging President Hosni Mu...
Keep reading