EPL: Ryan Giggs signs new contract at Manchester

Manchester, Mar 1: Ryan Giggs has signed a one-year contract extension to stay at Manchester United until the summer of 2014. The deal will take Giggs, 39, into his 23rd season as a first-team player at Old Trafford. Sir Alex Ferguson said that Giggs will be offered a coaching role after his playing career ends and that no other footballer will emulate his success. Giggs made his United debut in March 1991 and is on course to make his 100th senior appearance against Norwich City on Saturday. The veteran midfielder said he is 'delighted' to have extended his stay at the club. 

 "I am delighted to have signed a new contract. I would like to thank Sir Alex and the coaching staff and I would also like to thank David Gill who has been a tremendous support over my many years here," Giggs told the club's official website. "This is an exciting team to be part of, with great team spirit, and we are again pushing for trophies as we head towards the business end of the season." "I am feeling good, enjoying my football more than ever and, most importantly, I feel I am making a contribution to the team," he said. Giggs has struck in all 23 seasons in the top flight for United. The Welshman has won 12 Premier League titles, four FA Cups, three League Cups, two UEFA Champions Leagues, one Super Cup, an Intercontinental Cup and a Club World Club. Ferguson hailed Giggs' recent form in the league and said the midfielder deserves the contract extension.

 "He is a marvellous player and an exceptional human being. Ryan is an example to us all, the way in which he has, and continues to, look after himself," Ferguson said. "He could be playing his 1,000th game tomorrow and I don't think that will ever be achieved again, the way players contracts seem to work these days." "He deserves this contract as his form has never changed. He still has great balance and touch on the ball and great fitness," he said. United host Norwich City on Saturday before playing Real Madrid in the last-16 second-leg match at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

1st Test: Records galore for double-centurion MS Dhoni

With a magnificent maiden double-hundred on a dusty Chennai track, Indian skipper MS Dhoni achieved many unprecedented heights. Not only did he break Sachin Tendulkar's record of highest Test score by an Indian skipper, Dhoni also became the first Indian wicketkeeper to achieve this feat in the history of Test cricket. 

In the 144th over, Dhoni smashed a huge six off offspinner Nathan Lyon to reach 217 and then stole a single to surpass Tendulkar's score of 217 which he scored against New Zealand on October 29, 1999 at Ahmedabad. 

Here is a look at the various records that Dhoni broke during his brilliant knock against Australia. 

# Dhoni registered the highest Test score by an Indian wicketkeeper. In 1964, Budhi Kunderan set this landmark after scoring 192 against England in Chennai. 

# Dhoni registered the highest Test score in history by a wicketkeeper-captain, surpassing Alec Stewart's 164 of England against South Africa in 1998. The Indian captain also became the first Indian wicketkeeper to register a double-hundred. Dhoni is the seventh wicketkeeper in the world to register 200. 

# During his innings, Dhoni also became the first Indian wicketkeeper to complete 4,000 Test runs. 

# 224 is Dhoni's career best Test score. His previous best was 148 against Pakistan in 2006. 

# This was also the highest score by an Indian captain against Australia. Previously, Mohammad Azharuddin scored 163 not out against Australia in 1998 at Eden Gardens. 

# Dhoni also became the first wicketkeeper to score a double-century in a single day as well as the first Indian batsman to score a double-century against Australia in a single day. The previous best was 195 by Virender Sehwag against Australia in Melbourne in 2003. 

# Dhoni is the fourth Indian captain in Test history to score a ouble-century after MAK Pataudi (203) against England, Sunil Gavaskar (205) against West Indies and Tendulkar (217) against New Zealand. 

# Dhoni's 224 is the third highest score by any wicketkeeper in Test cricket history, behind Andy Flower's 232 against India in 2000 at Nagpur and Kumar Sangakkara's 230 against Pakistan in 2002 at Lahore. 

# This is the third highest individual Test score in Chennai after Virender Sehwag's 319 against Pakistan and Gavaskar's 236 not out against West Indies in 1983. 

# Dhoni is the third captain in Test cricket history to slam a double-century at No. 6 after Don Bradman (236) and Hanif Mohammad (203).

Ashwin refuses to speculate on bowling

"It is a different game and a different occasion. What happened is past. We need to continue to be positive," said Indian off-spinner R. Ashwin. 

Responding to a query on competition for the spinners' slots in the Indian team, Ashwin said it was not new. "I don't think about it. It is up to people like you to draw a comparison and judge who is better," he added.. 

Ashwin, when reminded that India won the first Test against England and then lost the series recently at home, said the team was not thinking about that. "We had a clinical start in the first Test match at Chennai against the Aussies. We want to take the positives from that victory into the remaining Tests." . 

Ashwin refused to entertain any debate on possible spin combination saying a decision would be taken later in the evening. 

On the impact of captain Dhoni's double century on the team in general, Ashwin emphasised that Dhoni himself had said he was not sure whether he could replicate the effort. "It is that you set the tempo as a captain and it boils down to your field settings, bowling changes...everything," the star off-spinner said. "Honestly, I have not seen such a knock. I mean it can be demoralising to any side in the world," Ashwin said.