Cricket the catalyst for break-up

More hot cricket-loving gossip from Mumbai... It looks like the international touring calendar has been responsible for another break-up in the world of cricket as Indian Yuvraj Singh and Bollywood actress Kim Sharma have split.

Best excerpt from Sharma interview:

Did you become friends with any cricketers during your relationship with Yuvraj?

I am sick of cricketers and I don’t want to talk about them. I am over with that stage of my life.

Brisbane to Bollywood

Gentle introductions to tours are a thing of the past. Such is the ICC programme these days, England have been up against the likes of New South Wales before the first Test in Brisbane and several likely members of the Australian squad.

So, early psychological battles have started for the players and, according to Line and Length, witty exchanges have begun in the stands too.

With the ever-growing support for England in these warm-up games, the Fanatics have released their player songs for both squads. Download Six, Jugs and Rock 'n Roll here.

Keeping on the music theme, it looks as if Indian 'keeper Mahendra (Singh, ahem) Dhoni is keeping up his record for off-field appearances with a venture into Bollywood.

Dhoni, India's latest pin-up boy, is set to showcase his acting and dancing skills in singer Rani’s music video “Dil Ko Churaya Re”; no doubt his flexibility and athleticism through wicket-keeping will hold him in good stead amongst the Bollywood elite.

Naked ambition

Middlesex are on a 10-day cricket tour in Mumbai, netting at the World Cricket Academy and playing three games.

Nobok gave a first interview of the season to Middlesex skipper Ben Hutton and what he hopes will also be the last. It was surprising when the stats told how his grandfather, the legendary Sir Len Hutton, never toured India with England.

The man to ask about touring is the Middlesex coach John Emburey. The former spinner toured three times with England, but he was dropped in a few Tests and underbowled in his eyes, while most of the memorable stories usually happened off the field.

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Bombay is obsessed with celebrity. This week the public's attention has turned to waiting en masse outside the Taj Hotel as the player buses file back from the ground.

They stare blankly, the odd shriek of excitement aside, and stay long after they have ventured indoors. They could no worse than stop on the main road near Chowpatty beach and stare at cricket's star players adorning the big posters.

One features present England captain Andrew Flintoff and Michael Vaughan advertising Kingfisher water, taken from the TV advert they filmed a few weeks ago. The players were given a sneak preview prior to the third Test, a different take on the usual video analysis they go through on these nights.

Flintoff took the whole episode in his stride, but here's the gist. Vaughan and Flintoff are seen in the showers (shoulder up) and the injured captain starts reciting an Indian melody. Freddie tries to repeat it but Vaughan keeps saying he can't get it right. Freddie insists he can do it but fails again.

It could be a serial to rival Beefy's Weetabix ads.