I am a huge Sachin Tendulkar fan, says Daniel Radcliffe

Harry Potter fans can more than just watch their favourite hero's final battle against Lord Voldemort. They can take heart in the fact that Daniel Radcliffe, known for most of his 22 years of life as Harry Potter, is an unabashed Indophile and plans to visit India soon.

For one, he is a big fan of cricket and Sachin Tendulkar and not necessarily in that order. Daniel cherishes an autograph of the Master Blaster. "My friends and I were thrilled to meet Sachin and get his autograph. I am a huge fan, he is truly a legend."

"I wanted to visit India during the Cricket World Cup but got so caught up with my Broadway musical, How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, that it left me with no time. But cricket or no cricket, I am certainly planning a trip to India soon," he told TOI.

The British actor knows a lot about India. He said, "I have heard and read a lot about India, especially Midnight's Children, and would like to know more about the country. Indians are huge cricket fans, just like me."

As the Harry Potter film series draws to a close, the actor wants to take home two pairs of glasses that his onscreen persona sports as a reminder of the memorable time he spent on the sets. "I will also take home friendship which will last me a lifetime."

Daniel has been portraying the boy wizard for nearly a decade. "I do not want to break my Harry Potter image, but have been trying other characters and hope the audience will like them the way they did Harry Potter." The actor is confident that his Harry Potter image will not come in the way of his future films. "I don't think of it, but one has to move on. My next film, The Woman in Black, will release in 2012."

The British actor knows about Shah Rukh Khan starrer Chak De. "I have watched a couple of Bollywood films and found them every entertaining."

Though Emma Watson, known for her portrayal of know-it-all Hermione Granger, is paired alongside Daniel in the film, he looks at her as his sister. "We have been working together for over a decade and are very good friends. In the beginning, we felt a little awkward doing the romantic scenes but both of us are professionals and we gave our shots."

So finally what does he have to say to all his fans. "I hope you've been satisfied with the films and I'm sorry we haven't been able to keep everything in. I think Harry Potter fans have a literary curiosity and imagination that is not necessarily associated with fans of all other big franchises, both past and present," said the actor. "Take that curiosity out into the world, do extraordinary things."

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Tendulkar eyes landmark 100th Test century during series with England

Sachin Tendulkar will be reunited with his India team-mates this week, aiming to achieve his 100th international hundred against England in the first of their four-Test series at Lord's, starting on Thursday week. 

But even if he does so on a ground where his highest previous Test score is 37, do not expect the 38-year-old to mark this milestone any differently from the way he has celebrated any other in his 22-year career. 

'I am still learning about the game,' said Tendulkar, who has been rested while India have moved triumphantly through a tour of the West Indies.

'You have to keep your mind open. I figure something out about my batting all the time. Those small adjustments with your footwork or bat-swing improve your game. I love doing that.' 

The Little Master's passion for the game remains so strong that even if he brings this plot-line to its Bollywood conclusion, do not expect the credits to roll just yet. 

'Life without cricket is unthinkable,' he added. 'I still love cricket as much as ever. It is my job, but it is also my passion. I dreamed of playing for my country when I was young (he made his debut at 16) and it is still my dream, it is still fun for me.'

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Mukund disappointed to miss out on a century

Young opener Abhinav Mukund was crestfallen to miss out on an opportunity to score a century after his patient 62 laid the foundation of India's first innings during the third day of the final cricket Test between India and the West Indies at Windsor Park on Friday.

"I am really disappointed. After doing all the hard work when the ball was swinging in the morning, I tried to stick on and then got out to a ball, I must not have got out to many a times," said an earnest Mukund whose 62 laid the foundation of India's strong reply to West Indies total of 204 all out.

Mukund tried to flick a delivery from spinner Devendra Bishoo which rose from a length and took the edge of his bat to go into the hands of forward short leg fielder.

"The first two tracks had a lot of bounce. This one, frankly, looked like an Indian wicket to me," he said.

"But still planting your feet and playing out forward took a lot of effort. But then I started trusting the wicket and could go forward a lot more than in Barbados."

A feature of Mukund's batting on Friday was his backfoot play and the way he handled short-pitched bowling.

"I have played a lot on matting wicket while I was growing up. My dad always told me that a lot of deliveries in international cricket are short so I practiced and can play short-bowling much better."

While Mukund has has moved up the ladder, his friend and fellow opener Murali Vijay is having a wretched series and once again got dismissed for one.

"It's disappointing that he's been struggling a little bit. We are good friends off the field and knowing him, he doesn't allow much to affect him. It's amazing how cricketers can go through ups and downs," Mukund said.

Mukund also felt for VVS Laxman who hit his third straight half-century against the West Indies but failed to convert anyone of them into a hundred.

"He was very disappointed. He has now hit three half centuries in a row. I haven't seen that kind of dismissal and a lot of us even thought if it was legal," he said.

Laxman was dismissed when he let a leg-spin from Shivnarine Chanderpaul go into the gloves of wicketkeeper Calrton Baugh.

He then lifted his leg mindlessly and Baugh, sensing an opportunity, removed the bails that very instant.

India didn't bat with extra freedom in the final session even though the West Indies were running ragged in the field with injuries and sapping heat.

"It might have looked so from the outside since the part-timers were bowling but a lot of those deliveries were outside the off-stump. There were not many run-scoring opportunities," Mukund said.

The 21-year-old feels, weather permitting, India should go on to win the third and final Test over the next two days.

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