Tendulkar turns coach in Singapore

Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar had budding young cricketers enthralled at the Singapore Cricket Club as he explained the finer nuances of the game on Tuesday.

Thirty young cricketers watched in awe as the Indian cricket icon shared tips on batting, bowling and fielding techniques, at an event organised by the Royal Bank of Scotland.

The 41-year-old, who is in Singapore on a promotional tour, is excited about playing for the first time after retirement in an exhibition match, which will also feature West Indian legend Brian Lara.

Tendulkar and Lara will turn out for the Marylebone Cricket Club to mark the MCC's 200th anniversary. The Tendulkar-led team will take on a World XI, captained by former Australia leg-spinner Shane Warne, in a One-Day International on July 5.

"We (he and Lara) played for the same team and we had a wonderful partnership. So I'm hoping for another one this time," tendulkar said.

"It's always been a joy to play against him. I loved watching Brian scoring runs against other nations, not India," he added.
Retired, but still very much in touch with the game he considers his life, Tendulkar said the ongoing investigation into corruption in cricket is critical as fans deserve fair competition.

Tendulkar, who bid adieu to the game last year after playing 200 Test matches, said the ICC's probe into corruption into cricket is "critical for the game".

"I think the concerned people are taking really important steps, because it is critical for the game to make sure that the spectators watch a fair competition," Tendulkar told reporters in Singapore on Tuesday.

He was referring to the ongoing ICC investigation, the contents of which, including some testimonies of players, were leaked to the media.
Tendulkar said Singapore can be a force to reckon with in international cricket.

"I don't see any reason why not... whenever we played here in Singapore, the response was really good.

"As a cricketer I feel proud that various nations are taking initiatives in constructing state-of-the-art stadiums and making sure that every measure is taken to globalise the game," he said.