The Hindu : Sport : Sachin is a giant in his own right

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 11, 2005

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Sport

Sachin is a giant in his own right

Tendulkar is my favourite overseas player. For patriotic reasons, Brian Lara is the best from the Caribbean. They are different because of the different culture they come from. Lara, because he is a left-hander is flashy and elegant. There is a certain panache about his batting; his bat comes down on the ball with a high backlift.

Tendulkar stands still at the crease but loves to attack and is very positive. He could have scored more runs but then he is no Geoff Boycott. As a person, Tendulkar has invited less controversy than Brian. On a different note, I can't help commenting that when it comes to style, I find Rahul Dravid most stylish. In boxing parlance, he gets his punches without anyone noticing it. At the end of it, his opponent is bruised!

I didn't change my style but then Tendulkar is finding his own challenge in a different way. It doesn't make him any less passionate. He has wonderful love for the game. I lasted up to 38 and could have gone on and tried to accomplish a few more things. Under Dennis Waight the fitness levels we had could have matched any of today's top teams.

When I left, my mind was willing but wear and tear and ageing had begun to show up at the door. Thank God I never really was seriously injured. I kept working hard, trying to be super-fit and a healthy athlete.

Accepts decisions

I wore my heart on the sleeve and showed more emotion on the field. Tendulkar never contests a decision. But then not everyone is the same. His affair with the game has lasted long. It can continue for at least four more years. He must have set himself targets that he could achieve.

I have always called him Kid. I first heard of him through Ian Bishop. The Indians were in England in the late 80s and playing against Derbyshire in a first class fixture when he smacked Bishop back over his head for a six. Now Bishop was definitely one of the meanest. He tried to be aggressive to the young man and the little man dispatched him. I remember Bishop telling me with urgency in his voice: The little guy is dangerous. Now Bishop wasn't the one to praise a batsman easily. I asked who he was talking about and why did he say so. His talk had the feeling about somebody who would become an icon in years to come. Tendulkar, as we know, has turned out to be of some rare value.

I have met him a few times, with his wife and kid around in England, shared a flight with him and his family. We have discussed cricket at times.

I remember my chat with him in Antigua. The Indians were touring the West Indies in 2002 and he was struggling for runs.

I went to the dressing room and he was very accommodating. I said to him: Sometimes negative thoughts could occupy the mind. There are times when because of the attacking style of ours we could do something silly, hit in the air or make a wrong judgment. We hear a lot of boo-boos from critics. But that is our style. We could have hiccups, bad times. But when on song, it is a sheer pleasure for people. It removes boo-boos. More often than not he would succeed. He just needed to be resilient.

Resilient he sure has been. In Sydney he made 241 after a poor decision he received in the previous Test. But he didn't let it get to him. It was typical of him. If you could score against Australia then against any opposition on any surface, you are allright.

Too much pressure

This kid has been brought up on pressure. Ever since he was young, he shouldered responsibility. When he was captain, I always thought a big burden had been placed on somebody so young. Something we all ignore is the commercial pressure he works under. It's a huge factor, an obstacle. There is an impossible demand on your time and attention from sponsors. There must be so much running on the young man's mind. Tendulkar, through his passion, has shown that cricket remains his priority.

I've always looked at him as somebody who loves the game. That's why he is successful. He is level-headed and his interviews show it. He is well respected, and let's say — an icon. One of the coolest characters the game has seen. If he was to walk off the field today, without ever lifting a bat again, he would still be one of the icons, a true legend. Let's not confuse things by comparing him with Viv or anyone else. He is a giant in his own right. — PTI

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