Indian Cricketers

Chandigarh: If Sachin Tendulkar’s “passion to play for the country” has kept him going for 20 years and still goes hard in IPL T20, it is Virender Sehwag’s big hundreds, despite a “receding hairline”, that have helped him burn thousands of calories and kept him fit.

Tendulkar and Sehwag were attending a function to unveil Team India’s new attire, the eco friendly team uniforms. The two were accompanied by Harbhajan Singh, Gautam Gambhir, Zaheer Khan and Pragyan Ojha.

“I have worked hard to be part of the Indian team. We are proud to wear the Indian colour and we’ve worked hard for it. We feel special wearing it. It is wonderful to be in the team as long as I am enjoying it. The key is to continue to work hard, never take anything for granted, try and get better and enjoy every moment… And that’s what I try to do,” Sachin quoted during the press conference.

Sehwag, on the other hand, said: “It is my receding hairline that makes me realise that I am rich in experience as well. Sehwag credited his fitness to his recent successful run with the bat in each form of the game. “I look fit now because if you score huge tons, you lose fat and gain in energy,” he quipped.

Harbhajan, who was involved in quite a few controversies with the Australian players in the past, quipped it stating that it was due to the love that the Aussies had for him. “I have many friends in Australia and have always performed well against them. I will try to do well this time too so that when we play again they will talk about me first. They talk about me because they love me a lot,” Harbhajan said in his own style as always.

The wily off-spinner denied any claims that he had become a defensive bowler. “People even say I have become a batsman. People say many things about me. They may be right when they say I have become a batsman because I score runs… But they are wrong when they say I have become a defensive bowler. I am an attacking bowler and I will always play that way,” he said.

Pragyan Ojha found it quite embarrassing to mention his age when Sachin played his debut Test. “I was only 3 at that time,” he whispered, adding that he would like to follow in the footsteps of Bhajji, whom he considered as his “role model”.

Zaheer Khan said he was sweating it out to keep fit. “I am at a stage where I need to work really hard on fitness and have been spending a lot of time doing just that. I’m at an age where bowlers usually start thinking of hanging up their boots in the locker room forever,” he said. Gambhir termed the series against Australia as challenging. “I am looking forward to the series. They are the best team next to us and it will be an exciting contest,” he said.

Tags: Cricket, Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, Indian Cricketers, Indian Sports, Pragyan Ojha, Sachin Tendulkar, Sports, Sports India, Virender Sehwag, Zaheer Khan