Mahendra Singh Dhoni

There was a time when the very idea of an Indian cricketer rivalling Sachin Tendulkar in the popularity stakes bordered on the preposterous. But the advent of Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his meteoric rise through the ranks did just that, with a new generation transfixed by a small-town boy whose personality and background couldn't have been more different from that of Tendulkar.

Few had heard of him as a 23-year-old when he savaged a Pakistan A side in Nairobi. There had been the odd excited whispers from those who watched his big-hitting exploits in Kolkata club cricket, but hardly anyone expected that he would be playing for India within months of that Kenyan safari. In his fifth game, he lashed a matchwinning 148 against Pakistan and later in the year, he clubbed 183 against Sri Lanka. Such was the impact of his strokeplay that a far-from-polished wicketkeeping technique was almost ignored as he was fast-tracked into the Test side.

Within two years of that, he was leading an inexperienced team to glory in the inaugural World Twenty20, and winning the last tri-series to be held in Australia. When Anil Kumble handed over the Test reins in 2008, he celebrated with a home victory against Australia.

Off the field, his Samson mane and fondness for fast bikes marked him down as Mr Cool, and though the haircut eventually became short-back-and-sides, the cool quotient never wavered. He was seldom flustered on the field either, batting and leading the side with poise and assuredness. Not for him the sustained harangue or the bloody oath.

He fine-tuned his game too, becoming a safe keeper and a batsman capable of shifting through the gears as he pleased. Sometimes discomfited by the short ball, he compensated with astonishing power in his preferred hitting zones. The scythe over midwicket, even to yorker-length deliveries, drove bowlers to distraction, and his mastery of the 50-over game is revealed by a batting average that remains over 50 after more than 150 games.

He remains the advertiser's dream and a poster boy for modern-day India, but off the field, Dhoni has seldom courted attention or publicity. Even his wedding was a low-key family affair, and now nearing 30, he remains content to make the big statements where they need to be made, out on the field.

Full name Mahendra Singh Dhoni

Born July 7, 1981, Ranchi

Current age 29 years 95 days

Major teams India, Asia XI, Bihar, Chennai Super Kings, Jharkhand

Also known as Mahi

Batting style Right-hand bat

Bowling style Right-arm medium

Fielding position Wicketkeeper

Hizbul chief visits border; infiltration in J-K increasing

New Delhi, Oct 10  Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin has visited terrorist training camps along the LoC with Pakistan Army and ISI officials in a bid to encourage militants to infiltrate before the onset of winter and step up violence in Jammu and Kashmir. Salahuddin''s recent movement has caused concern in the government as renewed attempts are being made from across the border to make up for the "lull" in terrorism after 2009 by pushing militants across the border before, an official said.

Government officials said Pakistan continues to pursue the strategy of pushing infiltrators and triggering violence in Jammu and Kashmir. Infiltration attempts from across the Line of Control increased in the last nine months as compared to 2009.

Nearly 110 terrorists had infiltrated into the border state in 2009 through 413 infiltration attempts, in which 93 terrorists were killed. This year from January to September, nearly 285 terrorists have attempted to infiltrate.

Around 90 of them are believed to have been successful in their attempts. Officials said nearly 700 terrorists, half of them foreign mercenaries, are active in Jammu and Kashmir.

According to an intelligence input, there are an estimated 42 terrorist training camps in Pakistan. The total number of militants staying in these camps is roughly between 2,000 to 2,500.

The security forces have successfully eliminated 59 terrorists between January to June this year in the state. "The successive attempts of infiltration into Jammu and Kashmir is a matter of serious concern as many militants have been able to cross over into India," the official said.

Last year was the most peaceful in Jammu and Kashmir in more than a decade with violent incidents dropping by nearly a third over 2008. Nearly 80 civilians were killed but this was 15 per cent less than the previous year.

However, a total of 395 cases of apprehension of infiltration were reported last year as compared to 342 in 2008. There were 573 such cases reported in 2006 and 535 in 2007 along LoC. "There has been no change in the attitude of Pakistan.

They are infiltrating terrorists from the border. It is borne by the facts on the ground," the official said.

India and Pakistan share a 740-km Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir and a 110-km Actual Ground Position Line that extends up to Siachen Glacier, the world''s highest battlefield.

Archers Deepika claims gold, Dola settles for bronze

TapanMohanta New Delhi, Oct 10  India''s ''baby'' archer Deepika Kumari today made a giant leap to stardom, claiming the gold medal in the women''s recurve individual event at the Commonwealth Games here today. On a day when India''s most experienced, Dola Banerjee had to settle for bronze, the 17-year-old Ranchi girl maintained her cool composure and defied the windy conditions at the Yamuna Sports Complex to thrash Olympic bronze medallist Alison Wiliamson in straight sets (6-0) for the yellow metal.

This was India''s second gold in archery after the women''s trio of Deepika, Dola and Bombayala Devi Laishram won the gold in the recurve team event. Double Olympian and winner of 2007 World Cup finals Dola went down to Athens bronze medallist Williamson 2-6, while Deepika beat Anbarasi Subramaniam of Malaysia 7-1 in the semi-finals.

In the bronze medal play-off, Dola got the better of Subramaniam of Malaysia 6-2. "The wind was blowing from right to left very strongly, something that did Dola in.

I asked Deepika to maintain her cool and not to get disturbed by the wind factor. She did just that.

I am so happy for her," women''s team coach Poornima Mahato told . Daughter of an autorickshaw driver, Deepika is the reigning cadet world champion and she recently won a silver medal at the World Cup stage 4 held in Shanghai last month, a performance that enabled her qualify for the coveted World Cup finals in Edinburgh. In today''s final, an unruffled Deepika shot 10-9-8 to win the first set 2-0 by a slender one point margin that put pressure on Williamson.

With the crowd cheering ''Come On Deepika.

Jai Ho.

", for the Indian, the pressure was evident on the veteran 29-year-old Englishwoman as she managed 8-9-8 compared to Deepika''s 9-10-9 to lose the second set by three points. Leading 4-0, Deepika was at her best in the third set as she shot three perfect 10s to clinch the issue.

Williamson could only manage 9-8-7 to go down 0-6. Crediting her parents, coaches (Poornima and Dharmendra Tiwari) at the Tata Archery Academy for her triumph, Deepika said, "I am over the moon.

I am thankful to my parents, coaches who have supported through out." "I just focussed on not to lose hope and concentrate on my shooting.

I was hopeful to win this medal. I just wanted to be more confident," he said.