Virender Sehwag biggest threat to his ODI record: Coach

NEW DELHI: Virender Sehwag's world record score in one-day internationals will remain under constant threat from the swashbuckling opener himself, according to the Indian batsman's coach. 

Stats: Sehwag's highest innings in ODIs | Pics:Sehwag slams highest ODI score | Scorecard 

Sehwag hit a breath-taking 219 off 149 balls against West Indies in Indore on Thursday to surpass Sachin Tendulkar, the player he was compared to early in his career, as the owner of the highest individual score in 50-over cricket. 

AN Sharma, credited for not ruining Sehwag's natural free-flowing batting when he took the school student under his wing, was not surprised by the achievement. 

"It was long overdue," Sharma, who runs a cricket academy in the capital said on Friday. 

"Honestly speaking, I expected him to score 200 in one-dayers ahead of Sachin Tendulkar. 

"I lost count how many times I told him that he just needs to bat 40-odd overs. He does not require more overs to get there. He has such a game. 

"I think he can better even this knock. All he needs is a match on a good wicket where the ball comes nicely onto the bat and the outfield is fast. It's not a difficult task for him." 

According to Sharma, Sehwag has it in him to surpass the record test score of 400 not out set by West Indies great Brian Lara. 

"Of course it's not easy but Sehwag has already hit two triple centuries and can score so quickly that you don't want to rule him out. 

"Of course test matches are a different ball game altogether. To score 400, he would have to return the next day, get his eyes in all over again and resume the good work. 

"What works for him is that he is never bogged down by any milestone. If he's batting on 94, he would like to reach the 100 with a six. That's how he plays his game and I never tinkered with that." 

WHAT A PLAYER 

One thing that Sharma did tinker with though was Sehwag's foot-work. 

"He had this habit of dragging his back foot out of the crease while playing his shot. To stop that, I tied one end of a rope to his leg and another to a post. He'd practise like this for one month to cure himself," Sharma quipped. 

Since those days, Sehwag has established himself as possibly the most devastating batsman in international cricket. His uncomplicated batting philosophy has made him a spectators' delight and led to comparisons with former West Indies great Viv Richards. 

"I say it again! I never saw Sir Viv bat but I've seen Sehwag bat! What a player, 219 in a one-day game is next to impossible," his team mate Yuvraj Singh tweeted. 

Former Pakistan captain Ramiz Raja echoed a similar view on the same platform. 

"When Viv Richards retired I thought it was end of entertainment. But then came Sehwag, the King of entertainment! Long live the King!" 

Tendulkar too was happy that the record he possessed now belonged to a man, who early in his career, was dubbed a "Tendulkar-clone." 

"I saw his batting towards the end. I'm very happy for him and also the fact that someone who has broken my record is my team mate and an Indian," Tendulkar, now in Australia, was quoted as saying by the Indian Express newspaper.

Gold Sukh scam: Ponzi schemes under the scanner

Jaipur: The city police have requested the registrar of companies and income tax department for information over multi-level marketing companies operational in the city. The development had followed unveiling of the multi-crore Gold Sukh scam in the city.

"The frauds being held in pretext of multi-level marketing are financial in nature, thus we have sought information from the related departments. Action will be taken if any irregularities are discovered in functioning of these firms," said Anil Paliwal, additional commissioner of police.

Fraud firms assuring unrealistic returns through investments in tree plantations, real estate, share market have previously vanished after collecting deposits of lakhs of investors. The integration of multi-level marketing concept helped such firms to reach large population in short duration of time.

Investors and police only come to realise of the fraud once the company gets exposed and by the time the promoters have escaped with the swindled money. In the recent "Gold Sukh" case the firm had adopted similar process and had assured return from investment in Gold.

In attempt to take a lead over such instances the police have now approached the tax department, "We have been asking for any irregularities noticed in the companies records during routine inspections by income tax and other departments, the information will come useful in identification of fraud firms" said ACP (crime) Raghuveer Saini.

Inquiries against few such companies have reportedly been initiated at the Shyam Nagar and Mahesh Nagar police stations, however police officials have been maintain silence as investigations are under process.

FDI in retail: All-party meeting fails, Oppn firm on rollback

The all-party meet chaired by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to discuss the deadlock in Parliament has been unable to find a solution with the Opposition relentless in its demand that the government roll back its decision to introduce 51 per cent foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail.

The government bought some time with Leader of the House in Lok Sabha and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee telling the meeting that he would take the views of the Opposition to the Prime Minister and the Cabinet since the FDI decision was taken by the Cabinet.

“The Opposition parties agreed with this suggestion,” CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury said after the meeting. It now remains to be seen what internal permutations the Cabinet arrives at to find a mutually acceptable formula on the FDI issue.

After the meeting, Mukherjee said he would also talk to UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi to decide how best to resolve the impasse in Parliament.

Mukherjee said Opposition leaders have suggested a rollback of the decision and a discussion in Parliament on the issue under an adjournment motion.

“I informed them (Opposition leaders) that I will talk to the leadership -- Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi. You will come to know the government's decision,” he told reporters here.

Referring to his meeting with them earlier in the day, Mukherjee said, “They have given various suggestions. One of their suggestion is you roll back... another suggestion has come that this should be discussed under an adjournment motion.”

Meanwhile, Parliament was on the boil for the sixth consecutive working day on Tuesday with the Opposition determined to scuttle all business till a decision was reached on FDI. After an initial adjournment till noon, both Houses were later called off for the day.

FDI to increase competition in organised retail: Citi

NEW DELHI: Notwithstanding strong opposition to foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail, a Citi report today said the entry of global retailers like Walmart will increase competition in India's organised retail sector. 

In addition, USD 15-20 billion in FDI could flow into the country over the next 10 years as a result of the government's decision to allow foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail, the report by the global financial services major said. 

"The move... will help improve competition in the organised sector through the entry of several players such as Carrefour and Tesco, which have been waiting on the sidelines, and enhance expertise in logistics, supply chain management from multinationals," Citi said in its 'India Microscope' report. 

The report also said the move would help enhance the share of organised players in the overall retail sector, who currently account for about 6 per cent of India's USD 470 billion retail market. 

Parliament has been paralysed for the last three days as the entire Opposition, joined by UPA allies TrinamoolCongress and DMK, is protesting against the Cabinet decision of November 24 to allow 51 per cent foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail. 

Multi-brand retail in India is largely in the unorganised sector dominated by neighbourhood kirana stores and there is a concern among political parties and traders that these stores would be impacted by the entry of global retailers. 

Citi's report also asserted that increasing the FDI cap in insurance has the potential to attract about USD 9-10 billion in FDI in the country over the next decade.