Gadadhari Dhoni - Mace belongs to us

[achilles]

I am Very Proud to be an Indian. :isalute: An Indian idea to have an Indian mace for international test cricket, sponsored internationally by an Indian company, being rightly handed over to an Indian captain - What a homecoming! OUR mace has finally come home :two_thumbs_up::isalute:

[EnterTheVoid]

I don't like the mace.

[vvvslaxman]

[The Dark Horse]

A 1000 watts smile from Dhoni and rightly so:dance:

[Aaku]

Media : Whos' the Hamuman of tema India? Mahi : *looking towards veeru* Hmm, cant be viru as he's already married. KAYUTEEEEEEEEEEEE ! :blush:

[Dark Warrior]

^ :giggle:

[Dark Warrior]

:headshake:

[vvvslaxman]

[Guest Hiten.]

^ VVS:

[Dark Warrior]

@vvslaxman superb!! :two_thumbs_up:

[Feed]

2009: Year of India's ascent to Test pinnacle The IPL gold-rush drew players in droves and Sachin Tendulkar completed two illustrious decades, but 2009 will be fondly remembered as the year of India's ascent to the pinnacle of Test cricket, a format that ironically languishes at the bottom of their priorities. More... Mixed fortunes for Team India The IPL gold-rush drew players in droves and Sachin Tendulkar completed two illustrious decades, but 2009 will be fondly remembered as the year of India's ascent to the pinnacle of Test cricket, a format that ironically languishes at the bottom of their priorities. The 2007 World Twenty20 champions could not defend their title in England, came a cropper in the Champions Trophy - the second most elite One-Day tournament after the World Cup - and also allowed the opportunity to become the No 1 ODI team slip through their fingers with a home series defeat against an under-strength Australia. It was rather an irony that Test cricket provided them their finest moments despite the Cricket Board's negligence of the format. So engrossed in IPL proliferation, the BCCI has scheduled just two Tests in the next 11 months for the team, which is just not enough to protect the No 1 Test team's status. Subsequently some sanity prevailed and it has apparently convinced South Africa to play two unscheduled Tests when the Proteas visit the country in February-March. Image: ICC chief Haroon Lorgat presents the Test Championship mace to Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virender Sehwag India win series in New Zealand after 40 years If the 2-0 win against Sri Lanka put them on top of the world, Dhoni and his team-mates can look back on the 1-0 away series win over New Zealand in April with considerable pride since it was India's first series win there in more than four decades. India's rise as the No 1 Test team was not particularly well-received in certain quarters with the British press trying to find fault with the ICC ranking system, but the fan on the street was euphoric as Dhoni, inheritor of the proud legacy of his predecessors Sourav Ganguly and Anil Kumble, shepherded the team to an unprecedented high. In One-dayers, the team under Dhoni bearded the Lanka lion in its den, thumped the Kiwis in New Zealand and upended the West Indies in the Caribbeans for their fifth series win on the trot. They won the blink-and-you-miss Compaq Cup in Sri Lanka as well but cut a sorry figure in the Champions Trophy in South Africa, managing just one win in the tournament. The home series against a second-string Australian side presented with the gilt-edged opportunity to become the No 1 ODI team but the Men in Blue tamely surrendered and allowed Ricky Ponting return with the bragging rights. Even more frustrating was their tame title defence in the World Twenty20 Championship in England where they beat minnows Bangladesh and Ireland before crashing out with three defeats on the trot. Sachin Tendulkar, 20 not out Individually, the year 2009 also marked the 20th year of Sachin Tendulkar's international career, which was celebrated across the country. In an era of injury-breakdowns and players' burnout, the batting great completed 20 years in international cricket which is an achievement in itself and tributes poured in from players - both current and former - as they hailed Tendulkar's talent and longevity and his ability to sustain the hunger for success. Image: Sachin Tendulkar Big honours for Gambhir Among others, Gautam Gambhir had a particularly successful batsman and the left-hander evolved from an attacking opener to an all-season batsman. Gambhir proved that he was not merely a mindless slogger and showed he can graft too, prompting mentor Virender Sehwag to call him the "Second Wall" of Indian cricket, Rahul Dravid being the first. It hardly raised an eyebrow that Gambhir was named ICC Test Player of the Year for 2009, and is ranked the No 1 Test batsman in the ICC rankings. Image: Gautam Gambhir with the ICC Player of the Year trophy Dhoni was named ODI Player of the Year Apart from his charismatic captaincy, Dhoni too had his moments of glory with the bat, being the No 1 ODI batsman in ICC rankings and winning the ICC ODI Player of the Year. He was named captain of both the ICC Test and ODI Team of the Year. 'Receiving ICC Test Championship mace a special feeling' Captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Sunday declared that India will play more than four Tests in the coming year and remain the world's number one team in the longest format of cricket for a long time. India are scheduled to play only two Tests against Bangladesh in January -- in the next 11 months and a proposal to include two Tests in South Africa's tour to the country in February is being considered by the two boards. Dhoni though said his side will play more than four Tests next year. "Quite a few Test matches are on proposal and I don't think that we will play only four Tests next year. We will play more than that," he said after receiving the ICC Test Championships mace from Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat in Delhi. "It is a special feeling to receive this mace. I am taking this on behalf of the team and BCCI. Being an Indian it is a proud moment. We have really worked hard as a team in the last 14 months to get to this position. We want to remain here longer and everything depends on our performance," he added. Lorgat, on his part, said he would be happy if the South African and Indian cricket boards can work out on having the two Tests in February. "Under FTP two countries will have to work out their bilateral series in four or six years time. It is up to them when to visit each other considering their interest. I would be happy if the proposal for inclusion of the two Tests in February is through. India deserved to be a Test number one side," he said. Image: Dhoni receives the mace from ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat

[PotterManiac]

Proud Moment! :yay:

[flamy]

Namma Gadhadhari Dhoni. :icflove: [ame=

Dhoni Bheema Gada Swing Six[/ame]

[fuub]

wonder how many thousand times ponting has given the mace a bit of spit and polish

[Dravid]

wonder how many thousand times ponting has given the mace a bit of spit and polish

gwad, am i this dirty minded that this sentence sounds so freaking funny to me

[Macj]

Namma Gadhadhari Dhoni. :icflove:

Wow! W T F was that , and 6 ! Bheemsen!

[Show_stopper]

gwad' date=' am i this dirty minded that this sentence sounds so freaking funny to me[/quote'] :cantstop:

[ViruRulez]

:isalute: SA was also beaten today by a much lower team England. So, we are going to remain at the numero uno positon for a long long time :yay:

[Zelig]

R E S P E C T:hatsoff:

[Malcolm Merlyn]

:hail: