LISTEN: Full script of Episode 75 of Spodcast where we discuss Sachin Tendulkar's comments on Prithvi Shaw, Paris Masters and more

Welcome to Spodcast, the sports update on Firstpost. First up, an interview with the little master Sachin Tendulkar. It has been 27 years since a prodigious talent by the name of Sachin Tendulkar strode out to the centre of the Sydney Cricket Ground and put on a batting display that would mark the start of something special. He followed that up with a century at the WACA - the so called graveyard of visiting teams - that prompted Merv Hughes, the burly Australian bowler with the handlebar moustache, to throw some snark at his captain Allan Border: “This little prick’s going to get more runs than you, AB.” Which he did. In 2018, we might be witnessing the coming of age of another similarly talented youngster - Prithvi Shaw. Moreover, Tendulkar believes Shaw is ready to handle the test of skills and temperament that is the Australian tour. Tendulkar spoke to Firstpost, and this is what he had to say about Prithvi. Firstpost: You went to Australia as an 18-year-old. Prithvi is doing the same. What will be the key to his success on that tour? Sachin Tendulkar: It depends on…how they play the first 25 overs or so. It will also depend on the kinds of pitches being prepared. If there is lateral movement, those 25 overs may have to be stretched to 40-45 overs if required. Also, the Kookaburra balls behave differently. After 30 overs or so, it gets softer because of the hard pitches there. It becomes relatively easier to hit the ball, on the rise. Having seen Prithvi for a long time now, I know he loves to play big shots…he likes to score boundaries. I think it is going to be a wonderful experience for him. He has a promising future. I think he should be himself and not get distracted by what happens around him…a sportsman when he has his mind clear, that is when he is able to perform his best. Firstpost: Australia can be a pretty hostile place to visit (for a cricketer). It is his first foreign tour. What is your advice to him regarding on field chatter or sledging? ST: Whatever I have known of him, I think he is ready for all of that. I don’t think he’s going to get overawed by any of that. What matters is what you do there. I would say that he is ready. He’s matured, a fast learner; he understands how things take place out there in the middle. He has the peripheral awareness to adapt to situations, because every day he will meet different challenges. He has to answer the questions asked by those bowlers. India thrashed West Indies by nine wickets in the fifth ODI yesterday at Thiruvananthapuram to win the series 3-1 in emphatic fashion. It was another clinical performance by India as they dismissed the hapless West Indian batting line-up for an under par 104 runs. The Windies batsman struggled against all the Indian bowlers and were all out in just the 32nd over. Ravindra Jadeja was particularly effective, taking four wickets. Pacer Jasprit Bumrah was also in great form, conceding just 11 runs from his six overs. Bhuvneshwar Kumar also gave away just 11 runs in his four overs. For West Indies, captain Jason Holder was again the only batsman who did not look flummoxed as he scored 25 runs. He received some support from Marlon Samuels who hit a huge six before falling to Jadeja’s spin for 24. The rest of the batting capitulated far too quickly. India finished the chase in under 15 overs. Rohit Sharma played freely, bringing up yet another half century. His innings of 63 from 56 balls included five boundaries and four sixes, including the now trademark front foot pull over midwicket. Shikhar Dhawan fell early once again to Oshane Thomas. It was similar to his last dismissal - he tried to cut dragged a short pitched ball outside the off stump but only ended up dragging it onto the stumps. Virat Kohli walked in, and made a quick 33 from 29 balls. Virat Kohli said that MS Dhoni was excluded from the T20I squad because the former captain wanted to make room for India’s new wicket-keeper Rishabh Pant. Kohli also brushed aside all talk of Dhoni’s T20I career ending, saying the former captain remains an integral member of the team in limited-overs. The selection panel had announced the squads for the T20Is against West Indies and Australia, and Dhoni’s exclusion from the squad surprised many. Rishabh Pant has been included in the two squads, with Dinesh Karthik as back up. He said, “I can assure you that he is still a very integral part of this team…I think people are putting too much variables into the situation…he (Dhoni) just feels that in the T20 format, someone like Rishabh can get more chances…he anyway plays ODIs for us regularly. It was about giving chances to a youngster and it has nothing to do with what people are thinking.” India and West Indies play 3 T20Is between four and 11 November. Kohli has been rested for the series and Rohit Sharma will take on captaincy duties. Novak Djokovic, who is now the number one-ranked player in the ATP, defeated Damir Dzumhur in the round of 16 of the Paris Masters to take his tally of consecutive sets won to 30. His previous best was 29 straight sets won across different matches. Djokovic will go up against Marin Cilic in the last eight on Friday. Cilic said, “…the next match against Novak will be another big challenge. (It will be) great to play him again.” If Cilic defeats Novak, he will qualify for the ATP Finals tournament in London next month. Meanwhile, Djokovic gained the top ranking after Rafael Nadal pulled out of the Paris Masters following medical advice. In badminton news, Subhankar Dey, ranked 64 in the world, inflicted a shock defeat on World and Olympic champion Lin Dan to qualify for the quarter-finals of the SaarLorLux Open Badminton Championship on Thursday. Dey defeated Lin Dan in straight games 22-20, 21-19 in just 45 minutes. Lin Dan, who is nearing the twilight of his career, was the top seed at the tournament. Two weeks ago, he lost to Kidambi Srikanth at the Denmark Open. Dey will next face off against seventh seed Toby Penty of England.