Batting let India down — Tendulkar

MUMBAI, FEBRUARY 26: Sachin Tendulkar's face was grim with a mixture of sadness, anger and embarassment. It was all too familiar an expres...

MUMBAI, FEBRUARY 26: Sachin Tendulkar’s face was grim with a mixture of sadness, anger and embarassment. It was all too familiar an expression that one has seen him wear in recent months at post-match media briefings.

Tendulkar added another sorry chapter to his dismal record as Test captain and then made the mandatory public explanations for a team which is plumbing new depths — the latest being a home defeat and inside three days.

The man who is biding his time to give up the India captaincy, said that the batsmen scored far too less to aspire for a victory. He said that unless the batsmen give a meaningful total on the board, bowlers can do precious little. “You can’t expect too much when you score 225 and 113,” he said.

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South African skipper Hansie Cronje credited openers Herchelle Gibbs and Gary Kirsten for giving the team a solid platform. On a bowler-friendly track, the openers gave 50-plus stand in both innings. He also praised Jacques Kallis for his resistance and Mark Boucher’s cameo which proved decisive in the end.

Cronje also lauded his bowlers who claimed five Indian wickets quickly in the morning session. “It was a good effort to get those wickets early on. The bowlers did exceptionally well.”

Congress may agree to Tejashwi as CM face to get Bihar alliance back on track

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Tejashwi Yadav is set to be the chief ministerial candidate of the Mahagathbandhan alliance, as talks have resolved differences and reduced friendly fights. Though a seat-sharing deal has not been announced, a positive meeting with RJD's leadership has reassured the alliance's unity and focus on bringing change to Bihar.

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