We will talk about cricket, about two of the stars –the unwilling caption and the shy bowling wizard.

Have you guessed who they are? Of course they are Sachin Tendolkar and Anil Kumble. Why did Sachin not want to be captain of the Indian cricket team? Well, he’s been one already and then was replaced by Azharuddin. Being a caption is like being a class monitor. You are blamed when the class makes a noise. Os as in this case –when the team loses! It is responsibility all the way.

Now for some interesting facts- born in Mumbai on the 24th April 1973 Sachin played his first test match at Karachi-when he was only sixteen! And he was the youngest player, at 19, to score 1000 runs in test cricket (1992). Lovingly called the little, big hero -`little’ because he’s short, stocky and curly-haired, and `big’ because he plays like a giant1

He received the Birla Award and then the Arjuna award for sports in 1995 –when only 22. Two years later he was also awarded the Rajeev Gandhi Khel Ratna Award.

At the time of writing, Sachin has 21 centuries in international one day matches to his credit.

Now here’s what other crickets say of him. Azharuddin –his caption at the time –said he was Viv Richards, Mark Waugh and Brian Lara all rolled into one. He would score a century, field like a tiger and take wickets too if he were given a chance to bowl –a real `all-rounder’.

Australian caption, Steve Waugh, said he was easily the best batsman in the world –second only to Brad man! Hen the foreign media prepared a dream team; Sachin was the only Indian player to be included! He has not let all this make him proud. He I very level –headed balanced and dedicated.

Within 24 hours of his father’s funeral he was on his way to the world Cup (in England) because his side needed him.

And now for the second champ- Anil Kumble

Kumble is a tall, young man with a run as spring as an antelope’s bound. His long, bony fingers can easily spin a ball.

He is only the second bowler in 122 years to take all 10 wickets in an innings. His record spell -10 for 74 against Pakistan at the Firozeshah Kotla helped India to win the 2nd Test.

The only other person to have taken wickets in an innings was Jim Laker whose figures are 10 for 53.

After the last wicket was taken, kumble could not find the ball. He wanted to keep it as a memento. Well, luckily, his friend Venkatesh Prasad had it and gave it to Kumble.

He believes in the three D’s Determination, Discipline and dedication.

Minutes before flying to Sharjah for test he had the time and the concern to call up a young boy who was seriously ill and almost certain to die! It made the boy’s last happy.

They say he is a matador who looks like a chess player. (A matador is a bull fighter who usually moves quickly and is bold and adventurous – whereas he looks like a chess payer who usually is gentle, quiet and polite.)