Lucky to get Sachin, admits McGrath

The dismissal sparked a controversy as the ball hit Tendulkar on the shoulder when he ducked the bouncer which seemed to be going over the wickets.

Tendulkar still has a blue spot to show on his left shoulder from the delivery. When asked, he said it was not hurting much. “It is just blue but I am not inconvenienced.”

Skipper Steve Waugh has rated McGrath’s spell against Tendulkar on the second evening as the turning point of the match as he subdued the master batsman for more than an hour.

McGrath has an astonishing record against the world’s top batsmen. He has dismissed Brian Lara 10 times in 13 Tests. His most regular victim has been England’s openerMike Atherton, 13 times.

Selection capers

MUMBAI:

National selection committee Chief Chandu Borde confirmed on Thursday that Mumbai’s Sameer Dighe and not Nayan Mongia was the Indian team management’s preference to replace injured first-choice keeper MSK Prasad prior to the Adelaide Test.

Borde said initially the team management had asked for a replacement for MSK Prasad. But only a day later did they specify that they wanted Dighe, by which time the selectors had decided on Mongia.