Sydney, Dec 26 : Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has been selected to lead the team of the year for his fighting and match winning strategies. The other Indian to make it to the team is opener Gautam Gambhir, who scored heavily in 2008.

Karachi, Dec. 25 : Pakistan it seems is trying everything to lure teams to tour the cricket starved country.

In a desperate step to save the proposed Sri Lanka tour from getting cancelled, the PCB has said that it will even use diplomatic channels to save the home series, if needed.

"We will use diplomatic channels if needed in a bid to save the proposed home series against Sri Lanka lined up for January-February next year," the News quoted Chief operating officer of Pakistan Cricket Board Saleem Altaf , as saying.

Mussoorie (Uttarakhand), Dec 25 : Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar today said that he respects the Government''s decision to call off Pakistan tour in the wake of the recent Mumbai terror attacks.

Tendulkar, who is on a vacation with his family in Mussoorie, said that he respected the government''s decision as the attacks were larger in scale than any cricket tour or any other sport.

London, Dec 25 : Former England skipper Michael Vaughan is again expected to be top of the agenda when selectors meet immediately after Christmas to choose the squad for the tour to the West Indies.

Vaughan resigned from his post in tears earlier this summer following South Africa's victory in the third Test at Edgbaston, claiming the pressure of leading the side and attempting to recapture his form had become too much to handle, The Independent reported.

Melbourne, Dec 25: Australia's rising fast bowler Mitchell Johnson has broken into the top five of the ICC bowling rankings for the first time after his 11-wicket haul against South Africa at the WACA last week.

Johnson climbed two places to fifth to leapfrog Australia teammate Brett Lee who slipped back to seventh spot, The Australian reported.

Despite being sidelined for the South Africa Test series, Stuart Clark remains the highest-ranked Australian bowler in fourth place, behind Proteas pair Dale Steyn and Makahya Ntini who are second and third respectively.