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Top 5 flat-belly foods

2012-01-07T19:11:00.001-08:00

.Dreaming of a flat stomach without hitting the gym? The good news is your dream may not be too far away. Whether you’re hoping to blitz away a muffin top or are battling with bloating, your diet is integral to shaping up this problem area. Start eating your way to a trimmer waistline with these top 5 foods for a flat stomach.

Flax seeds
Flax seeds (often referred to as linseeds) are nutritious seeds packed with monounsaturated fats (MUFAs) - which are actually a lot more diet-friendly than they sound. Monounsaturated fats, unlike saturated fats (the "bad" fats found in junk food), not only lower cholesterol levels but they can also help to reduce body fat. Liz Vaccariello, author of The Flat Belly Diet, advocates these healthy fats for those wanting to specifically target belly fat.

Not only will these super seeds tackle love handles, but they are great for those suffering from bloating. Flax seeds provide high levels of fiber and can help to keep the digestive system running smoothly, helping to banish bloating, constipation and other digestive problems. Try adding a tablespoon of freshly ground flax seeds to your morning cereal, lunchtime salad, or homemade smoothie to start enjoying their belly-flattening benefits.

Read more:

•Ask the weightloss coach
•How to lose weight
•The ugly truth about being fat
•Forget gym, now burn calories by sexercise!
•Want to cut the flab? Then use a fork!

Berries
Blackberries, blueberries, acai berries... what do these fruits have in common? They could all help you to squeeze back into your skinny jeans. Studies have suggested that those wanting to lose their belly fat should opt for fruit that is blue or red in colour (such as cherries, red grapes and many types of berries). In fact, it is the chemicals that are responsible for giving these fruits their colour (anthocyanins) that, according to recent research, also burn abdominal fat.

Yoghurt

Not only is yogurt low in fat and calories, so good as a weight loss food, but many yogurts also contain active cultures (probiotics) which promote the growth of good bacteria in the gut and help with digestion, excess gas and bloating. Yoghurt is luckily easy to fit into any diet plan as part of a meal or a snack between meals. You could also try combining natural yogurt, berries and flax seeds in a morning smoothie or bowl of cereal, getting you off to a great tummy-trimming start before you even leave the house.

Whole grains
Whole grains are great for weight management and shedding those excess pounds. Not only are they a low-fat source of slow-release energy but, due to their high levels of fiber, they will help to regulate the digestive system and also keep you feeling fuller for longer. Eating whole grains also helps to lower levels of cortisol (the stress hormone) and insulin in the body, both of which encourage fat to be stored around the belly.

Many people, however, instinctively opt for wheat as their primary source of whole grains, which is often not the best choice. Not only is wheat difficult to digest - which can cause bloating in some - but it is better to eat grains in their natural form rather than as a processed flour. Good alternatives to try are brown rice, oats, buckwheat and spelt. Quinoa - although technically a seed - is also a nutritious alternative that can be used in the place of grains such as pasta and couscous.

Water
While it's not technically a food, a lack of water in your diet could be the one thing still standing in your way of a flat stomach. Bloating is something that affects many women and the problem is often worsened - or even instigated - by a lack of fluids in the system. Drinking water will help to flush toxins out of the system, curb hunger, improve the digestive system and reduce fluid retention, all of which will leave your stomach looking flatter.

If you are aiming for a flat belly, it is important to drink a minimum of eight glasses of liquids a day. Although this does not have to be water, it is best to go for liquids that are still (fizzy drinks can cause bloating) and low in calories. If you don't fancy plain water, a good alternative is green tea - which is also rumoured to have fat burning benefits - or fennel, dandelion or peppermint teas, all of which can combat bloating.

क्या खाएं

2011-11-02T08:22:00.001-07:00

Tired of not knowing what kinds of foods to eat? Not sure how much fat, calories and sodium you should be consuming everyday? All the tips you need are here....

In addition to regular exercise, you'll also want to add some fat burning foods to your diet to help trim your waistline.

Foods that are high in protein and fibre are the best kinds of food to eat if you want to burn fat around your middle.

Did you know that it takes more energy to digest protein than it does to digest fat? So the more protein you eat, the more calories your body burns.

Eggs
Eggs are super high in protein and can help you burn that unwanted belly fat. They contain the vitamin B12 - a great supplement for breaking down fat cells.

You may have heard all the warnings about eggs and your health. That's because a couple of eggs will put you over the recommended daily amount of cholesterol.

Well, more recent studies have shown that dietary cholesterol has a minimal impact on blood cholesterol. Dietary fat is the real culprit. It's what raises your bad cholesterol levels.

However, if you're still worried about your overall cholesterol intake from eating too many eggs, you can remove the yolk and still benefit from the high protein contained in eggs.

Low fat dairy products
According to an article in Obesity Research, women who ate low-fat dairy products, such as nonfat yogurt and low-fat milk, three to four times a day, lost 70 per cent more fat than low-dairy dieters.

In another study done at Purdue University those who consumed 3 cups of fat-free milk gained less weight over the course of 2 years than those on low calcium diets.

So, not only do dairy products help you strengthen your bones, they can also play an essential role in burning that unwanted body fat.

If you are a regular consumer of milk and other dairy products, that's great, just watch your proportions and perhaps switch over to the low or no fat varieties.

Beans
While beans are often associated with the gastrointestinal disturbances they may cause, they are also very good sources of protein, fibre and iron.

Some of the best kinds of beans to eat are:
- Navy beans
- White beans
- Kidney beans
- Lima beans

And as always, limit baked and refried beans in your diet as refried beans contain tons of saturated fat, while baked beans are usually loaded in sugar. Sure, you'll be getting your protein but you'll also be consuming a lot of fat and sugar that you don't need.

Here's something else to remember. Be sure to cook your beans thoroughly because our digestive tracks are not adapted to breaking down some proteins that are contained in certain beans.

Tip: A vegetable called Edamame (pronounced ed-uh-ma-may) - an organic soybean in a pod often served at Japanese restaurants.

All you do is boil them for three minutes, add a pinch of salt and eat the soybeans out of the pods. They are surprisingly tasty and very good for you. One serving contains 10 grams of soy protein. The best place to find them is at a store that sells organic foods.

Oatmeal
While it may not be the tastiest thing you can eat, oatmeal definitely has some great nutritional qualities.

You may have noticed that many of the oatmeal brands are now boasting that eating more oatmeal will help lower your cholesterol level. That's because oatmeal is loaded with soluble fibre which helps reduce blood cholesterol by flushing those bad digestive acids out of your system.

The best kind of oatmeal to eat is unsweetened and unflavoured. While it's tempting to select the apples and cinnamon flavour and load it with butter and sugar - you really lose out on all the health benefits. If you must sweeten your bowl of oatmeal, do so by adding fruit.

Or add a spoonful of honey (much better for you than sugar) and a handful of raisins or dried cranberries.

Oatmeal is also beneficial in fighting colon cancer and heart disease.

Olive oil
Certain fats are good for you and your body needs them. Olive oil is one of those 'good fats'. In fact, it's so good that it helps you burn fat and keeps your cholesterol down.

Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat, a type of fat that researchers are finding provide outstanding health benefits. One ounce of extra virgin olive oil contains about 85 per cent of the daily value for monounsaturated fat.

So instead of taking a swig of orange juice in the morning, many dieters are picking up a bottle of extra virgin olive oil.

Whole grains
These days everyone seems to be screaming "No carbs!" It's as if the world has gone no-carb crazy and everyone is running from sliced breads and pastas.

Well the truth is, your body needs carbohydrates. If you go without them completely your body will start to crave them. So it's not a good idea to exclude all carbs because the right kinds are actually good for you.

It's the processed carbohydrates that are bad for you - the white breads, bagels, pastas, and white rice to name a few.

The above foods have all been processed, thus stripping out all the nutrients leaving you with loads of starch.

The key is to eat 'whole grain' foods because they haven't been processed and contain the fiber and minerals your body needs.

So don't be fooled by a loaf of bread labeled 'wheat'. Regular wheat bread is still lacking in vitamins and minerals. Manufacturers add molasses to it so it turns brown.

Don't let them trick you. The only kind of bread that's good for you is the kind that's labeled 'whole grain'.

Meat and fish
Turkey and beef are great for building muscle and boosting the immune system, but as always you have to be careful as:

Basted turkeys are usually injected with fatty substances while beef contains saturated fat. If you are going to eat beef, be sure to consume the leanest cuts you can find by looking for 'loin' or 'round' on the labels.

Salmon and tuna are also good sources of protein. They both contain omega-3 fatty acids which may sound bad, but are actually healthy fats. These two foods are also good for giving your immune system a nice boost and should be consumed at least thrice a week.

Flat stomach food guide

2010-10-12T03:50:00.000-07:00

Tired of not knowing what kinds of foods to eat? Not sure how much fat, calories and sodium you should be consuming everyday? All the tips you need are here....

In addition to regular exercise, you'll also want to add some fat burning foods to your diet to help trim your waistline.

Foods that are high in protein and fibre are the best kinds of food to eat if you want to burn fat around your middle.

Did you know that it takes more energy to digest protein than it does to digest fat? So the more protein you eat, the more calories your body burns.

Eggs
Eggs are super high in protein and can help you burn that unwanted belly fat. They contain the vitamin B12 – a great supplement for breaking down fat cells.

You may have heard all the warnings about eggs and your health. That's because a couple of eggs will put you over the recommended daily amount of cholesterol.

Well, more recent studies have shown that dietary cholesterol has a minimal impact on blood cholesterol. Dietary fat is the real culprit. It's what raises your bad cholesterol levels.

However, if you're still worried about your overall cholesterol intake from eating too many eggs, you can remove the yolk and still benefit from the high protein contained in eggs.

Low fat dairy products
According to an article in Obesity Research, women who ate low-fat dairy products, such as nonfat yogurt and low-fat milk, three to four times a day, lost 70 per cent more fat than low-dairy dieters.

In another study done at Purdue University those who consumed 3 cups of fat-free milk gained less weight over the course of 2 years than those on low calcium diets.

So, not only do dairy products help you strengthen your bones, they can also play an essential role in burning that unwanted body fat.

If you are a regular consumer of milk and other dairy products, that's great, just watch your proportions and perhaps switch over to the low or no fat varieties.

Beans
While beans are often associated with the gastrointestinal disturbances they may cause, they are also very good sources of protein, fibre and iron.

Some of the best kinds of beans to eat are:
- Navy beans
- White beans
- Kidney beans
- Lima beans

And as always, limit baked and refried beans in your diet as refried beans contain tons of saturated fat, while baked beans are usually loaded in sugar. Sure, you'll be getting your protein but you'll also be consuming a lot of fat and sugar that you don't need.

Here's something else to remember. Be sure to cook your beans thoroughly because our digestive tracks are not adapted to breaking down some proteins that are contained in certain beans.

Tip: A vegetable called Edamame (pronounced ed-uh-ma-may) – an organic soybean in a pod often served at Japanese restaurants.

All you do is boil them for three minutes, add a pinch of salt and eat the soybeans out of the pods. They are surprisingly tasty and very good for you. One serving contains 10 grams of soy protein. The best place to find them is at a store that sells organic foods.

Oatmeal
While it may not be the tastiest thing you can eat, oatmeal definitely has some great nutritional qualities.

You may have noticed that many of the oatmeal brands are now boasting that eating more oatmeal will help lower your cholesterol level. That's because oatmeal is loaded with soluble fibre which helps reduce blood cholesterol by flushing those bad digestive acids out of your system.

The best kind of oatmeal to eat is unsweetened and unflavoured. While it's tempting to select the apples and cinnamon flavour and load it with butter and sugar – you really lose out on all the health benefits. If you must sweeten your bowl of oatmeal, do so by adding fruit.

Or add a spoonful of honey (much better for you than sugar) and a handful of raisins or dried cranberries.

Oatmeal is also beneficial in fighting colon cancer and heart disease.

Olive oil
Certain fats are good for you and your body needs them. Olive oil is one of those 'good fats'. In fact, it's so good that it helps you burn fat and keeps your cholesterol down.

Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat, a type of fat that researchers are finding provide outstanding health benefits. One ounce of extra virgin olive oil contains about 85 per cent of the daily value for monounsaturated fat.

So instead of taking a swig of orange juice in the morning, many dieters are picking up a bottle of extra virgin olive oil.

Whole grains
These days everyone seems to be screaming "No carbs!" It's as if the world has gone no-carb crazy and everyone is running from sliced breads and pastas.

Well the truth is, your body needs carbohydrates. If you go without them completely your body will start to crave them. So it's not a good idea to exclude all carbs because the right kinds are actually good for you.

It's the processed carbohydrates that are bad for you – the white breads, bagels, pastas, and white rice to name a few.

The above foods have all been processed, thus stripping out all the nutrients leaving you with loads of starch.

The key is to eat 'whole grain' foods because they haven't been processed and contain the fiber and minerals your body needs.

So don't be fooled by a loaf of bread labeled 'wheat'. Regular wheat bread is still lacking in vitamins and minerals. Manufacturers add molasses to it so it turns brown.

Don't let them trick you. The only kind of bread that's good for you is the kind that's labeled 'whole grain'.

Meat and fish
Turkey and beef are great for building muscle and boosting the immune system, but as always you have to be careful as:

Basted turkeys are usually injected with fatty substances while beef contains saturated fat. If you are going to eat beef, be sure to consume the leanest cuts you can find by looking for 'loin' or 'round' on the labels.

Salmon and tuna are also good sources of protein. They both contain omega-3 fatty acids which may sound bad, but are actually healthy fats. These two foods are also good for giving your immune system a nice boost and should be consumed at least thrice a week.

Warne continues to cast a spell

2009-05-09T09:33:00.000-07:00

As far as gimmickry goes, the Super Over is a super idea. Just like the tie-breaker in football, it encapsulates all the thrills, frills and
heartbreaks that cricket can offer in miniature form। The important thing is, for the first time, the bowler has an equal chance in the contest. He begins with the assumption that he will go for a few boundaries; but if he can slip in a smart delivery or outwit the batter, the pendulum swings dramatically in his favour. Crucially, every player still has a role to play in the Super Over, unlike in , where it is a straight fight between the shooter and the goalie. A special catch, a brilliant runout and the pressure immediately hovers over the other side. After all, every dismissal is also a dot ball. The tension was palpable in both the dugouts, as Team Jaipur won the 6-ball slugfest on Thursday night; the ease with which they handled those nail-chomping moments clearly shows that Shane Warne hasn’t lost his magic. He might still spring a surprise even though his side doesn’t look as formidable as it did last year. This might be just the momentum he needed to shift gears and pick up speed. Warne was inspirational as the Knight Riders assailed their 150-run target too: he made bold bowling changes and took risks too, even by tossing the new ball to Yusuf Pathan. With Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum, two of the game’s biggest hitters opening for KR, it could easily have backfired. But as it usually happens in Warne’s case, with his chosen batsman or bowler suddenly transforming into a champion, it worked again. The choices of the two teams were fascinating though. Gayle and McCullum were automatic options but Ajantha Mendis as the man with the ball was curious. No doubt, he bowled a dazzling spell, conceding only 19 for two in his four overs earlier. But, despite all his mystery and guile, a spinner is always a risky choice when it comes down to one over. Add dew to the equation and it looks suicidal. Team Jaipur, on the other hand, opened with Yusuf and Ravindra Jadeja. Logically, Graeme Smith, with all his experience and knowledge of local conditions, would have been the best bet. But Warne opted for Jadeja which gave him a clean hitter and a left-right combination too. Jadeja didn’t need to do anything, with Yusuf smashing 6, 2, 6 and 4 to steal the match straight up. Warne gambled even more by handing the ball to Kamran Khan, a raw pacer with a gawky action. Why didn’t he bowl it himself? Was it because Kamran had bowled the last over too, just a few minutes earlier, and must have been charged up? The inexperienced lad conceded just three boundaries to Gayle who usually talks only in सिक्सेर्स. Fifteen runs in one over was always going to be as easy as polishing off macher-jol . For the Knight Rider, who were on the cusp of victory when Sourav Ganguly was batting, it was a devastating end. They are now in the familiar position at the bottom of the table. They may have unearthed the mystery blogger within their ranks, but their problems have only begun. As for the rest of the teams, keep your eye on Mumbai Indians and Team Hyderabad.

Sachin -a total paisa Vasool

2009-04-27T22:04:00.000-07:00

what a Knock?
Sachin is such a great form, well if the nation of one billion people is shouting,that he is god. they have reasons to say that. at the age of 36, he is showing the kind of form, that can put the money of youngesters run for there money...लगे रहो सचिन..what sharukh cant do and and vijay malaya must have been envying...mukesh ambani is having pride....mumbai Indians might ot win the IPL cup this time, but the shots are being played by this mastero...is a total paisa vasool

Long Live Sachin

2009-04-23T22:40:00.000-07:00

Today is Sachin's 36 BirthDay...want to say-Happy Birth Day sachin, got this photo on the net, it took me down the memory lane, 20 years before a boy came , hw smiled, he whacked the ball all around the ground, and he conqured the world with his charming curly hair,smile and unmatched talent, a whole generation saw him in admiration, this pic is befiting to that memory, that childhood, who dreamt to be like him, mind says that god bless us with that kind kind of chilhood, but heart says, no that is enough, we have schin, and should like to keep our own original Sachin...long live Sachin...

Robin as wicket keeper-its new form of the game

2009-04-21T20:06:00.000-07:00

well its the demand of the modern cricket, that barriers are being broken to play this game, cricket has passed many bridges since its inception, from test cricket to one day to T-20 to 6 a side, to beach cricket. we are accoustemed of seeing specialist players like batsman, bowlers and wicketkeeper. though there have been always captains who experemented with the format. now seeing specialist batsman like Robin utthappa keeping the wickets send cricket fans bit in a tizzy. what is he doing behind the wickets? but he is doing his new job convincingly well, and he has given this task inspite having a world class kepper mark baucher in his side. this is the demand of the game, and it gives loud and clear, that this game is evolving, now only those will get to play in the team who has the ability to mould accordingly. because who knows that in the future , we get to see a wicketkeeper bowling also, this is matter of demand....

Mr Malaya better luck next time

2009-04-20T10:32:00.000-07:00

it happened, it has happened in the past as well, its reminds me the final of 2003 world cup. when pressure mounts and the expectations are high, you are bound to crumble under pressure, and if its a T20, than chances are very unlikely, as it happened in port ellejabeth , south africa, what Heden did can not usually be done by others in a same day. and its proved right, when you have target of 180 on the board, and opponents have to chase 9 run per over. no matter if yo have players like Jack kallis, kevin Peterson and Robin Utthapa and Rahul Dravid.so it was very likely that the better played team won, only thing that disappointing was it turned out to be one sided.had it been full 20 over play, it would have been better, but no batsman could resist the tempatation to slog the ball....Dhoni well done

well done rahul -now sourav its your Turn

2009-04-18T21:41:00.002-07:00

well done Rahul,what a fantastic heart winning knock, it opened the lane of many memories, your debue in the cricket world, and your journey so far, this Inning was not merely fatched a victory for your team Banglore Royal challangers. this means many more, we could read out form your body language, from your eyes behind helmat, you wanted to say many things, to many people, to people who tried to pull you down, almost wrote you off, those flat track bullies , who were quick on that havenly made pitches, and made few knocks. and behaved like a god. but when ball talks ,it moves and wavers, those maggy-noodles players of modern era flounders,fails and fails misrably.they make not only there own mockery, but of the entire game, superstars of yesteryears who sqirm seening there shots, have had the reasons to squirm-with ahh ,what a shotttt-you ideot, its cricket not gilly danda, but nobody listenedbut you showed us the patience, that lagends are not made in a day and not by few itsy bitsy innings, more than 10000 runs in both Test and one day format is not a child play. people who have been busy making wines and purchasing jets and have been vocal in there approch, who would not mind splurging crores in a party of beautiful women, they tried to run the game like corporate world,could not wait for one edition of IPL, they removed you unceromoniously, this inning is for those who did not take you in one dayers, who tried to write your cricket obitury,you, sachin and Anil kumbley's innings have kindled hope in lakhs and crores of seasoned people that experence does count, you have been a batsman a class apart, went through of rigmaroll of cricket, have been made a wicketkeeper to survive, you did the job well, you were called a wall, but not fit for quick version of the game, but this inning changed a lot, i am very very very happy, now we all waited with bated breath for same inning from Sourav ganguly....your inning is has showed Mr Mallaya some thing, now we also want to Show Mr Shahrukh khan same thing-the massage should go loud and clear that money is not every thing....cheers Rahul

It's Money Honey, why cry?

2009-04-18T21:41:00.001-07:00

IPl second edition is being started today, there is so much Hype in Media that what is going to happen in South Africa is the biggest sporting event of the world. Well it’s the power of Indian Money, every body concerned and connected is dancing on tunes of IPL, and whoever is not connected has been suffering from envy. Obscenic amount of Money is being splurged, all the owner of the team are businessmen, they talk business and want result and profit at the end, where few of the leverages are given to perform, but no place for emotion, hire and fire is the norm. if you are not good, you have no place, no matter how big you have been, and these franchisees are right in there approach, its there Money, and its club cricket, whoever they want to play is there prerogative if tomorrow sahrukh Khan wants his son to play in KKR, he can nobody can stop him, if he does not want to make Sourav Captain Of his Team, he has every right and should be. Why most off the Bongs(though there are countable hooligans who want to catch media lime light) are upset, sourav can make Runs who would you prefer Macculum or sourav, if its your Team. Take another example of Rahul Dravid, the proverbial wall- has and should have the place in T20 format, when the same BCCi does not consider him for the squad, how can somebody expect the he should remain captain of Banglore Royal challengers, and what about Very Very special Laxman.I think these players should be criticized rather , not understanding the ground reality and still sticking to the chair for sake of the money. They are Millioners already and have earned the reputation. They cant and should not sit on there laurels . they should be more careful about there hard earned reputation. And should have been more wise by being flexible. If I had put the money In IPL and had the team, I would have done the same what Shahrukh Khan and Vijay Malaya have done. They are here to entertain people and earn some money by doing it, they are not doing charity, why there are commotion of sacking Sourav,Rahul, and VVS laxman, because they are not fit for T20 format, they can but they are not natural T20 player, sourav can hit few big shots, but after making 30 ,40 or 50 runs , he would be a liability as a fielder, and what about Rahul and laxman and kaif ?...can anybody in the world swear that they have been meted out a wrong treatment. Sourav ganguly have been given enough indications that he can go, and he should be sport enough to accommodate the new demand, You May not like Mr. John Buchannan, but Auusies are more professionals, we should not forget that no matter how we dislike MR. Greg Chapel but he was the first one , who broke the comfort zone in Indian Team, otherwise we all knew that few greats used to take there place in the team for granted. Chapel broke that comfort, he made few changes, put seniors on there toes, criticized them. Result you can see, now that same seniors are firing there all cylinders.No body is talking about replacing or sacking Verendre Sehwag or Yuvraj Singh or MS Dhoni, because fundamentally they are fit players for T20. Sachin is in the best form, and too big to touch…so one should be realistic enough that its tough world and Money talks here.

Eyes front as South Africa's 'lost' son is back for the IPL

2009-04-18T21:40:00.002-07:00

This week, apologies in advance: if you're sick of reading about Kevin Pietersen, you have this column's sympathy. But a chat with his temporary coach, Ray Jennings of the Bangalore Royal Challengers, has persuaded us that - in the week the Indian Premier League begins here in South Africa - the latest chapter in the Pietersen parable is just too good to ignore.English cricket is always flagellating itself for being soft and taking the easy option. It's one reason - that, and the weather - for the silly number of draws in the county championship (the figure for non-abandoned matches in 2008 was a snoozeworthy 53%). And yet English cricket remains stupidly suspicious of immodest excellence. Enter Pietersen, a man who takes hard options and knows he's good. It makes him gloriously unEnglish. The task he is about to undertake with the Bangalore Royal Challengers just about sums him up.Think about it for a moment. Pietersen is returning to a country where voluble sections of the crowd regard him as a traitor. He will be captaining two men - Jacques Kallis and Mark Boucher - who probably have their own views on his decision to leave South Africa. He will be playing for a coach who revels in his straight-talking toughness (yesterday, he told us Pietersen "doesn't score enough runs") and for an owner - the whisky, airline and F1 magnate Vijay Mallya - whose expectations of success are such that last year he sacked his chief executive mid-tournament. What does he think this is? Football?There's more. Pietersen will do the job for two weeks only, thus setting himself up for further accusations of being a mercenary, and his first game will be against Shane Warne, who used to regard him as a close friend but now thinks him "weird" and will do everything he possibly can to make him look a dummy. His second game? That's against Andrew Flintoff, the bloke who denies having anything to do with his downfall as England captain. And all this after he admitted to the Daily Mail that he was "at the end of his tether" in the Caribbean and wanted to go home.Parts of the scenario are of his own making and few will have much sympathy when his pro-rata earnings from a headline fee of $1.55m would be enough to buy a second-division centre-back. But the potential pratfalls are so many that you wonder about the sanity of an already very rich man in going along for the ride.There are a few explanations. Money is one, and let's not pretend otherwise. Ego is another, although Pietersen's famous self-regard is no more intact than that of certain other members of the England team: he's just more honest about it. A desire to show the England and Wales Cricket Board that he can thrive as a captain, however briefly, must have come into the equation.Then there's the notion of excellence, a simple enough idea that is easy to miss when the Pietersen peripherals are obscuring your vision. If the switch-hit symbolises his penchant for pushing himself that bit further, he also regards the IPL as an opportunity for English batsmen to catch up with Indians, Australians and South Africans. And he does so with a ruthless simplicity: "It's important for our players to learn how to hit fours and sixes," he said last month. "You can do that in Twenty20 cricket and you can practise it. You must practise it in order to play it." It was no surprise to learn that Pietersen, scheduled to arrive in Johannesburg this morning, had asked Jennings to organise an immediate net session.Lots could go wrong for Pietersen in the next couple of weeks. Lots of people here in South Africa certainly hope so. Failing that, he'll probably improve spectacularly on a Twenty20 record of three fifties in 29 innings. Either way - and regardless of your thoughts on the IPL - you have to admit the Pietersen parable is worth watching.

sacking Kaif and others...It had to happen

2009-04-18T21:40:00.001-07:00

Rajasthan Royals decision to sack 7 players and send them back to India is a Phenomenal incident,and eye opener and should be viewed as an outcome of corporatization of cricket, it’s a first sign of harsh reality in cricket, where there is no place for emotion, loyalty. Here performance is the key, as it happens in corporate world, the companies who are ready to squander crores of Rupees on god becoming /behaving cricketers, one should also keep in mind that nothing comes as a rider in big dirty world of money. Here employers can asked to sack top notch cricketers like VVS laxman, Rahul dravid, and can give signal to sourav Ganguly, that your time is to say Tata, and make way to others , who can perform, in Totality, it may sound too harsh and Inhuman to we emotional Indians, but it had to happen and in My opinion its happening for good, these cricketers have become too big for there boots, they behave so arrogantly as if they are born star, generally don’t behave accordingly in public, the public who run after them, is treated shabbily. Look what was the response of Mr Harbhajan singh when he was asked that where was he at the time of Padam awards were being given?. So its good that in future we listen that one top cricketer has been fired from the team and has sent back and later has called bac again..its a matter of Money honey!!!! Be ready for that, nothing comes free in this world,