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At our first editorial meeting to discuss ideas for Indias 500th Test, inevitably the thought strayed to the future and temporarily the mood turned sombre. It had taken just over eight decades for India to reach 500, but how many more to the 1,000th? Will there be a 1,000th?But it was apparent in a moment how absurd and incongruous that thought was. It was an occasion not for foreboding, but for gratitude. For as long as it has existed, Test cricket has been a reminder that higher and lasting pleasure can be derived from engagement and absorption, from anticipation and waiting, and from enjoying the journey as much as the destination.And it is more relevant and resonant than ever before in a world that is prone to living in moments. Few other sports are as sharply defined by singular moments as cricket, but its the sum of those moments that makes Test cricket the grandest, the deepest and the most profound of sporting experiences. Once you make the connection, it usually lasts for life.Mine started nearly four decades ago, with a small transistor radio clutched to my ear in the early winter mornings. India were playing the Bobby Simpson-led, Kerry Packer-depleted Australia, and the series, swinging one way and the other, ended in an epic six-day Test, with India falling short of a 493-run target by only 47 runs to concede the series 3-2.I was yet to hold a bat, and beyond the short Films Division news reels that played in movie theatres, I had seen no other cricket. I read up a short book by Vijay Merchant on the basics of the game, and it might have been an aunt who filled me up with some background, but the rest the mind imagined. I can swear I had a fairly graphic image of Sunil Gavaskars forward-defensive shot even before I watched him play.The colour of the game has changed immeasurably in the last four decades. The World Cup arrived in the 80s; Sachin Tendulkar ruled the heart in the 90s when India only won at home; the Test team truly arrived in the first decade of the new century; and in the last 10 years, the IPL has rewritten the rules of the game, both of how it is played and watched. But even more significantly, from the transistor radio in the 70s, Indians have at their command home-entertainment options that are no longer limited to even to the 1,700-odd television channels available.For Test cricket, this challenge also brings an opportunity. There is no doubt that the base has shrunk and will shrink further. But a niche is not necessarily an obscure corner. It can be distinct, high-profile and aspirational. It can be clutter-breaking, the rarer pleasure requiring fans to spend the commodity considered the most scarce: time. The faithful will be rewarded, and they will enlist more. In many ways, it is already a miracle that a sport lasting 40 hours a game has lasted 140 years. It will endure.It is perhaps no more than a coincidence, but what can be a bigger celebration of Indias 500th Test than the fact that it marks the beginning of Indias biggest home Test season in memory. Fault them for whatever else, BCCI officials, current and those just out of office, have shown a remarkable commitment to Test cricket. Thirteen is a significant number. With 103 Tests, the previous decade was Indias most prolific, and this decade, with 66 Tests already, is well on its way to match or exceed it. And if India stay the course, the 1,000th could come in double-quick time. Institutionalising a home season would be a progressive use of the BCCIs clout.It is also pertinent that Test cricket is going to smaller towns, with as many as six new Test venues being added. Players occasionally grumble about smaller venues that lack the attractions of the big cities, but arousing fan interest is a greater imperative. Test cricket needs spectators in the grounds, and it is worth taking the chance on smaller venues, which now have excellent playing facilities. It is now incumbent on the state associations to make fans feel welcome. They could start by making daily tickets easily available instead of the take-it-or-leave-it season tickets. Clean toilets and drinking water would be nice too. Love cant forever be one-sided, and it can no longer be taken for granted.?But it matters as much, if not more, that the players care. And in Virat Kohli, India have at the helm a cricketer not merely of considerable skills but with a passion to match. Kohli is a man of the times, a hero and an icon that the fans of his generation identify with. And he brings to Test cricket both the edge of his personality and the syntax of the shorter formats, in which he first earned his fame. He respects the challenges of Test cricket, but plays it on his own terms. His rage not only fuels the engine of his young team, it also fires public imagination.The 500th is a good reason for celebrating the past, and we will do so on these pages through the course of this Test. But there is much to look forward to too. The best way to celebrate this season would be to turn up at the grounds, tune in to the action on TV, or simply log on to our sites. We will be doing our bit, ball by ball. If you think Test cricket is worthy, its time to show it. Melker Karlsson Jersey . Kyle Denbrook, a soccer player from Saint Marys University, took the CIS male athlete of the week honour. Stanley, a fourth-year business administration student from Charlottetown, scored both goals in a 2-0 win over Dalhousie on Friday and tallied again in a 1-0 win over Saint Marys on Sunday. Martin Jones Sharks Jersey .7 million, one-year contract, a raise of $2.2 million. Wieters had asked for $8.75 million and the Orioles had offered $6. http://www.officialsharksnhlshop.com/brenden-dillon-jersey/ . The Vancouver coach and an announced sellout crowd of 18,910 watched in dismay as the Canucks lost 7-4 to the New York Islanders on Monday night by squandering a 3-0 lead in the third period. Brenden Dillon Sharks Jersey . -- New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis is retiring after a 16-year career to become the goalie coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy. Aaron Dell Jersey .C. -- Rodney Hood connected from all over the court while freshman Jabari Parker was busy swatting shots and scoring in transition.Louis van Gaal says he has been involved in planning for next season at Manchester United. Speculation continues to surround the Dutchmans future, despite leading United to their first FA Cup final for nearly a decade and with his team still in the running for a top-four spot.Jose Mourinho is reportedly keen on the post should United look to replace Van Gaal in the summer, however, Sky Sports News HQ understands no agreement has been reached between the club and the former Chelsea and Real Madrid boss. Speculation continues to surround Van Gaals future at Manchester United When asked if he has been involved in the planning for next season, Van Gaal said: Yes, I am involved so thats not any discussion and its also logical because I am the manager.We have seen that we are in a transition period and when I was mentioned as the coach it was also about that we have discussed and when I took over we had more than five or six players above 32 or 33 and then you have to select and you have to buy other players. Van Gaal has led Manchester United to the FA Cup final Van Gaal was speaking ahead of his sides clash with Leicester on Super Sunday and he believes United will need to win all of their remaining league games if they are to sneak into the top four.United sit fifth in the table, five points adrift of Manchester City and Arsenal in third and fourth respectively, though they do have a game in hand and those two sides still have to play one another.However, the Red Devils face a difficult game this weekend as they host the Premier League leaders and Van Gaal knows anything less than three points would be a hammer blow to his teams top-four chances. Louis van Gaal thinks Manchester United can only postpone Leicester winning the Premier League. I think we have to bbeat Leicester because we are still in the race for the first positions so we have to beat them, Van Gaal said.dddddddddddde have to close the gap so the pressure is on us still. We have to win every game that we have to play. City still have to play against Arsenal, though, so one of those shall lose points.We are fighting for the qualification of the Champions League and we are still in the FA Cup, so we have to fight for something and we shall do it. Hopefully, we can beat Leicester City. A win for Leicester on Sunday would secure the league title and cap a fairy-tale ending to one of the more remarkable sporting stories in recent memory.Van Gaal admits even he would be pleased to see Leicester crowned champions but hopes United can postpone their celebrations for one more week. Jamie Redknapp joins Ed Chamberlain to preview Super Sunday It is good for the Premier League and the sport of football that not always the same teams are the champion, Van Gaal saidWe cannot allow that they are the champions this weekend at Old Trafford. I think they shall be the champion a week later, so we dont spoil the party, just postpone it a little bit.On the injury front, Van Gaal says England full-back Luke Shaw has now recovered from his broken leg but is unlikely to figure in next months FA Cup final against Crystal Palace. FA Cup final may come too soon for United full-back Luke Shaw Speaking to MUTV, the Dutchman said: We dont have any injuries, except Shaw, who is already not injured any more but is building up, and Schweinsteiger.Asked if Shaw could be ready to face Palace, he added: He can, maybe, but it shall be difficult because he has to play first a lot of matches in the second team. We have to wait and see because you cannot say anything. Its going very well with him. Also See: Man Utd video Man Utd fixtures Man Utd stats Get a ￡10 free bet! ' ' '