Kirsten joining India team for last two Tests in Australia

Melbourne, Dec 1 India's new cricket coach Gary Kirsten will be effectively taking over the job from March though he will lead the Indians to Australia later this month.

He, however, will leave them for the first two Tests owing to existing commitments in South Africa before rejoining the team for the final two Tests. India's interim coach, Lalchand Rajput, is tipped to coach the side in Kirsten's absence on the tour of Australia.

Speaking to the Australian daily The Age, the former South African opening batsman said he did not want to impose his ideas on the team and would like to help the players on the tour Down Under. "The last thing you want to do is come in and be a distraction, but I have spoken to Indian captain Anil Kumble about my situation, and he is comfortable with me joining the tour again later," Kirsten said. "I will not be coming in and imposing my ideas on them. That would be wrong. Instead, I will try and blend in and help any way I can.

Kirsten explained that he could not have taken up the job straightaway because of his commitments as the Indian cricket board approached him quite late. "The reality is that I was approached quite late by the Indian board, and in accepting the job, I told them that I had commitments over Christmas and New Year. But it looks like we are close to resolving that issue now, and I will join the team for the last two Tests."

On the surface, Kirsten seems an unusual appointment for the Indians. With no head-coaching experience at any level, but with a two-year stint as Cricket South Africa's high-performance-manager, he is still confident of making a positive impact in what is widely regarded as one of the most high-pressure jobs in international sport. "I take plenty of confidence from the fact they approached me, and obviously believe in what I can bring to the team," he said.

"Over time, I will look to put some new ideas to the players, but I will not be doing that midway through the tour of Australia. "It will be a transition period. There might be a bit of media around me leaving, but after speaking with Anil, we don't think it will be a distraction." The Indians will also feature a relatively new captain in Kumble, who is making his leadership debut in the current series against Pakistan.

With inputs from Sify.com

ICL Cricket starts with Big Bang

Cricket in India had new live action to choose from as the first Twenty20 Indian championship organised by the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL) got underway in Panchkula on Friday in a carnival-like atmosphere at the Tau Devi Lal sports complex cricket stadium, 15 kms from Chandigarh.

Local team Chandigarh Lions led by former New Zealander Chris Cairns took on the Delhi Jets led by former Sri Lankan skipper Marvan Atapattu in the opening match of the championship in Panchkula. Chandigarh Lions clinch ICL opener. Daryl Tuffey claimed three wickets and Andrew Hall two, apart from bowling a tight final over to kick off the Indian Cricket League in Panchkula. In a match where Indian cricketers matched their skills with international ones, the 'home team', Chandigarh Lions prevailed over Delhi Jets by eight runs.

The inaugural ceremony and the match was a star-studded affair with not only the 30-odd international stars - including the likes of Brian Lara and Inzamam-ul-Haq - but also Bollywood star Kareena Kapoor leading the glamour brigade and railways minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and Essel group chairman, the promoter company of ICL, Subhash Chandra, ICL executive board chairman Kapil Dev and Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda adding to the list of VIPs present on the occasion.

While Kareena set the specially erected stage on fire with her performance on a few popular Bollywood numbers, other fireworks lit up the sky as the championship started.

A capacity crowd of nearly 7,000 filled up the newly erected stands on the occasion and cheered almost everything.

An excited Kapil could not hide his happiness as the event started.

"I am happy and excited the way our hard work has borne fruit. We have come this far because we believe in what we have set out for - to change the face of domestic cricket in India," Kapil said.

ICL has announced the highest ever prize money for any domestic championship - a total of $ 4 million - with the winner of the six team event alone pocketing $ 1 million (Rs 39 million).

Davis Cup Finals - US one up as Roddick Wins

Nov. 30 - United States now has a 1-0 lead over Russia in the Davis Cup tennis finals. Andy Roddick got the United States off to a fast start in the Davis Cup final, beating Russia's Dmitry Tursunov 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 in the first match Friday.

Roddick, ranked No. 6 by the ATP, improved to 6-0 in Davis Cup play this year. Roddick took the first set after he hit an 235 kph (146 mph) serve that No. 34 Tursunov returned long, ending a game that went to deuce four times. Roddick let out a growl after holding serve, and the U.S. fans went wild.

Both Davis Cup teams include the same players from the semifinals, when the United States beat Sweden 4-1 and Russia defeated Germany 3-2.

Source : Sports.aol.com

Aaja Nachle Movie Review

Aaja Nachle Review - Top Stories on the Net

View Aaja Nachle Movie Stills (Glamsham.com) How do you describe AAJA NACHLE? Good, bad, average?? It i s a difficult task. But there is that little extra something that has worked in the favour of this Anil Mehta directed, Yash Raj film. And that extra something happens to be Madhuri Dixit. Take off Madhuri and this movie falls flat.

First Verdict: Madhuri Dixit sizzles her way back (IBN live) With Aaja Nachle Madhuri proves a point that she never really 'left'.

View Aaja Nachle Movie Stills (Glamsham.com) After nearly a decade, an unexpected phone call shakes Dia (Madhuri Dixit) out of her dance rehearsal in New York. Makarand (Darshan Zariwala), her teacher, her guru, is dying and she must return to Shamli town. The town where she grew up, the town where she learnt to live and to dance.

ICL Cricket Leauge - Big Money for Crickters

The ICL top brass finally disclosed Thursday they were spending up to $25 million for the inaugural Twenty20 championship to be played between six teams.

Bosses of the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL) are unwilling to disclose how much they are paying the big names of international cricket -- the likes of Brian Lara and Inzamam-ul-Haq -- despite their boast that the new body would be absolutely transparent.

"I cannot give you the break up of this," said Himanshu Modi, CEO of Zee Sports, a TV channel of Essel group -- the promoter of ICL. Before that, Essel group's executive vice president Ashish Kaul had refused to share the budget of the event, particularly the moolah offered to top players.

The ICL has announced total prize money of $4 million (Rs.150 million), with the winner's purse being $1 million (Rs.39 mn). while the runners-up will be richer by 1.9 crore. The remaining four teams will walk away with Rs 1.5 crore, Rs 1.25 crore, Rs 1 crore and Rs 85 lakh.

Who is Vanisha Mittal ?

Vanisha Mittal is Daughter of Indian-born, London-based steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, Forbes estimates his net worth at $51 billion. Like her brother, Vanisha is active in her father's industrial empire, holding a seat on Mittal Steel's