India 675/5 declared. Sachin 194 not out.
"Yes, I was terribly disappointed, anyone would be when a score like 200 is around the corner. At the tea break we had decided that we wanted Pakistan to bat for about an hour and we knew we had to play positively, but I did not know we would declare just when Yuvraj fell. I thought we had a few overs left when I saw Rahul waving to us to come in. Once a team has declared, there is no point in going back and talking about anything. What's happened has happened." This is how Sachin described his feelings when Rahul declared first innings at 675/5, with Sachin at crease on 194.

I believe Dravid would have declared the innings at that point had he been at crease on 194 instead of Sachin. For a man who has always played for the country and not for his personal records, it is perfectly understandable that Rahul would think only about the team and not care for any individual's record. Cricket is a team sport and all that matters is whether the team wins or losses (or draws). Individual record can be appreciated only as long as it helps the team achieve it's objective. After scoring 675 the only thought in a captain's mind has to be about getting the opposition in and out asap. Six more runs scored off Tendulkar's bat would not have helped India achieve that. Giving the bowlers more overs to bowl to the tired Paki batsmen might have.

It is such a pity that a man who has scores of records against his name should play for personal achievements and unabashedly speak it out. As a great fan of Sachin Tendulkar, I am terribly disappointed with him.

I love to drive in traffic. I get bored when I am driving on an empty road. I also love to be in places where there is a lot of activity. Like bazaars. I love to stand on a cornor of a busy street eating a sandwitch and chai. The only thing I hate about it is unnecessary honking of vehicles. Most to the vehicles have horns that are too loud. There has to be a law that restricts decibels of automobile horns. Screeching horns should be banned. Only soft horns should be allowed. There is no reason to believe that louder the horn the more is it effective.

By the way, this reminds me - I do need to change the horn of my bike. I rarely use it because it is too loud. Some day I may have an accident because of reluctance to honk.

I want to reach a stage where I can think about my work just the way I think about having a vacation - no worries, no stress, no negative feelings. But I am far from that state. The moment I think about work, I feel an undercurrent of stress or tension. Only a firm conviction that I have done my best will enable me to reach that state. I must be convinced that I have not made any mistake, that I have never shown lack of commitment, that I have never violated my rules. Only then can I have peace of mind with regards to work.

One day in retrospect the years of struggle will strike you as the most beautiful.
- Sigmund Freud

We subscribe to four newspapers at home: Business Standard, The Free Press Journal, Saamanaa, and The Tabloid of India.

Ideas, ideals and principles should become more important than all material things in life. And also love.

I left office "early" yesterday and reached home at 7:45 p.m. (I come to office at 9:30 a.m.). The last time I had reached home before 8 p.m. was, I guess, on 27th Jan! I have been so busy last 6 weeks. And it will be so for two more months. It is surely affecting me. I think I need a short break. Even half-a-day would do me good.