Sachin Zone{Updated dialy}

First topic message reminder :


Sachin Tendulkar
India

Player profile

Full name Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar
Born April 24, 1973, Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra
Current age 34 years 207 days
Major teams India, ACC Asian XI, Mumbai, Yorkshire
Nickname Tendlya, Little Master
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm offbreak, Legbreak googly
Height 5 ft 5 in
Education Sharadashram Vidyamandir School




Batting and fielding averages



Mat
Inns
NO
Runs
HS
Ave
BF
SR
100
50
4s
6s
Ct
St


Tests
140
226
23
11150
248*
54.92


37
45

42
93
0

ODIs
406
396
37
15932
186*
44.37
18642
85.46
41
87
1741
166
120
0

T20Is
1
1
0
10
10
10.00
12
83.33
0
0
2
0
1
0

First-class
239
373
38
19894
248*
59.38


63
91


160
0

List A
493
481
51
19484
186*
45.31


52
105


155
0

Twenty20
5
5
0
198
69
39.60
119
166.38
0
2
30
5
2
0


Bowling averages



Mat
Inns
Balls
Runs
Wkts
BBI
BBM
Ave
Econ
SR
4w
5w
10


Tests
140
115
3718
2135
42
3/10
3/14
50.83
3.44
88.5
0
0
0

ODIs
406
263
7985
6774
154
5/32
5/32
43.98
5.09
51.8
4
2
0

T20Is
1
1
15
12
1
1/12
1/12
12.00
4.80
15.0
0
0
0

First-class
239

7077
4024
67
3/10

60.05
3.41
105.6

0
0

List A
493

10161
8402
201
5/32
5/32
41.80
4.96
50.5
4
2
0

Twenty20
5
4
57
65
2
1/12
1/12
32.50
6.84
28.5
0
0
0


Career statistics


Statistics
Statsguru Tests | Statsguru ODIs | Statsguru T20Is

Test debut
Pakistan v India at Karachi, Nov 15-20, 1989

Last Test
England v India at The Oval, Aug 9-13, 2007

ODI debut
Pakistan v India at Gujranwala, Dec 18, 1989

Last ODI
India v Pakistan at Gwalior, Nov 15, 2007

Only T20I
South Africa v India at Johannesburg, Dec 1, 2006

First-class debut
1988/89

Last First-class
England v India at The Oval, Aug 9-13, 2007

List A debut
1989/90

Last List A
India v Pakistan at Gwalior, Nov 15, 2007

Twenty20 debut
South Africa v India at Johannesburg, Dec 1, 2006

Last Twenty20
Bengal v Mumbai at Ahmedabad, Apr 19, 2007




NotesWisden Cricketer of the Year 1997





Profile

Sachin Tendulkar has been the most wholesome batsman of his time, and arguably the biggest cricket icon as well. His batting is based on the purest principles: perfect balance, economy of movement, precision in stroke-making, and that intangible quality given only to geniuses, anticipation. If he doesn't have a signature stroke - the upright, back-foot punch comes close - it is because he is equally proficient in each of the full range of orthodox shots (and plenty of improvised ones as well) and can pull them out at will.

Though he has adopted a noticeably conservative approach in the last quarter of his career, there are no apparent weaknesses in Tendulkar's game. He can score all around the wicket, off both front foot and back, and has made runs in all parts of the world in all conditions.

Some of his finest performances have come against Australia, the overwhelmingly dominant team of his era. His century as a 19-year old on a lightning fast pitch at the WACA is considered one of the best innings ever to have been played in Australia. A few years later he received the ultimate compliment from the ultimate batsman when Don Bradman confided to his wife that Tendulkar reminded him of himself.

Blessed with the keenest of cricket minds, and armed with a loathing for losing, Tendulkar set about doing what it took to become one of the best batsmen in the world. This was after he was turned away from a fast-bowling camp in Chennai by Dennis Lillee.

Tendulkar's greatness was established early: he was only 16 when he made his made his Test debut. He was hit on the mouth by Waqar Younis but continued to bat, in a blood-soaked shirt. His first Test hundred, a match-saving one at Old Trafford, came when he was 17, and he had 16 Test hundreds before he turned 25. In 2000 he became the first batsman to have scored 50 international hundreds, and he currently holds the record for most hundreds in both Tests and ODIs - remarkable, considering he didn't score his first ODI hundred till his 79th match.

Tendulkar's considerable achievements seem greater still when looked at in the light of the burden of expectations he has had to bear from his adoring but somewhat unreasonable followers, who have been prone to regard anything less than a hundred as a failure. The aura may have dimmed, if only slightly, as the years on the international circuit have taken their toll on the body, but Tendulkar remains, by a distance, the most worshipped cricketer in the world.
Sambit Bal October 2007

i am also the fan of sachin what a superb player

nice site....

http://www.sachinandcritics.com

"Nothing bad can happen to us if we're on a plane in India with Sachin Tendulkar on it."
- Hashim Amla, the South African batsman, reassures himself as he boards a flight.



"Sometimes you get so engrossed in watching batsmen like Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar that you lose focus on your job."
- Yaseer Hameed in pakistani newspaper.



"To Sachin, the man we all want to be"
- Andrew Symonds wrote on an aussie t-shirt he autographed specially for Sachin.



“Beneath the helmet, under that unruly curly hair, inside the cranium, there is something we don't know, something beyond scientific measure. Something that allows him to soar, to roam a territory of sport that, forget us, even those who are gifted enough to play alongside him cannot even fathom. When he goes out to bat, people switch on their TV sets and switch off their lives."
- BBC on Sachin



"Tuzhe pata hai tune kiska catch chhoda hai?"
- Wasim Akram to Abdul Razzaq when the latter dropped Sachin's catch in 2003 WC.



Sachin is a genius. I'm a mere mortal.
- Brian Charles Lara

"We did not lose to a team called India...we lost to a man called Sachin."
- Mark Taylor, during the test match in Chennai (1997)



"The more I see of him the more confused I'm getting to which is his best knock."
- M. L. Jaisimha



"The joy he brings to the millions of his countrymen, the grace with which he handles all the adulation and the expectations and his innate humility - all make for a one-in-a-billion individual,"
- Glen McGrath



"I can be hundred per cent sure that Sachin will not play for a minute longer when he is not enjoying himself. He is still so eager to go out there and play. He will play as long as he feels he can play,"
- Anjali Tendulkar



"Even my father's name is Sachin Tendulkar."
- Tendulkar's daughter, Sara, tells her class her father's name after the teacher informs them of a restaurant of the same name in Mumbai.


Question: Who do you think as most important celebrity ?
Shah Rukh Khan: There was a big party where stars from bollywood and cricket were invited. Suddenly, there was a big noise, all wanted to see approaching Amitabh Bachhan. Then Sachin entered the hall and Amitabh was leading the queue to get a grab of the GENIUS!!
- Shah Rukh Khan in an interview.

“India me aap PrimeMinister ko ek Baar Katghare me khada kar sakte hain..Par Sachin Tendulkar par Ungli nahi utha Sakte.. “
- Navjot Singh Sidhu on TV

He can play that leg glance with a walking stick also.
- Waqar Younis

'I Will See God When I Die But Till Then I Will See Sachin'
- A banner in Sharjah

Sachin Tendulkar has often reminded me of a veteran army colonel who has many medals on his chest to show how he has conquered bowlers all over the world. I was bowling to Sachin and he hit me for two fours in a row. One from point and the other in between point and gully. That was the last two balls of the over and the over after that we (SA) took a wicket and during the group meeting i told Jonty (Rhodes) to be alert and i know a way to pin Sachin. And i delivered the first ball of my next over and it was a fuller length delevery outside offstump. And i shouted catch. To my astonishment the ball was hit to the cover boundary. Such was the brilliance of Sachin. His reflex time is the best i have ever seen. Its like 1/20th of a sec. To get his wicket better not prepare. Atleast u wont regret if he hits you for boundaries.
- Allan Donald



On a train from Shimla to Delhi, there was a halt in one of the stations. The train stopped by for few minutes as usual. Sachin was nearing century, batting on 98. The passengers, railway officials, everyone on the train waited for Sachin to complete the century. This Genius can stop time in India!!
- Peter Rebouck - Aussie journalist

"Sachin cannot cheat. He is to cricket what (Mahatma) Gandhiji was to politics. It's clear discrimination. "
- NKP Salve, former Union Minister when Sachin was accused of ball tempering



There are 2 kind of batsmen in the world. One Sachin Tendulkar. Two all the others.
- Andy Flower

"I have seen god, he bats at no.4 for India"
- Mathew Hayden

" SACHINISM INSIDE OUT "
An ' E Magazine ' on Sachin to be jointly launched by
Sachinism Orkut Community and www.sachinism.com

1st edition: http://www.4shared.com/file/125492910/f9c17eab/E-Mag.html

2nd: http://www.4shared.com/file/136291320/e6d5fe4e/Sachinism_Inside_Out_Aug-Sep_09.html

Sachin's mind is still strong
http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/433347.html

Updating again:

Sachin Tendulkar - Rare Photo Collection..

Sachin Childhood Photos...



Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, the most famous cricketer ever was born on April 24, 1973 in Mumbai.



Sachin With His Father Ramesh Tendulkar



Sachin Cricket Career



Sachin And Kambli During Practice





His childhood idol in sport is John McEnroe, and this early photo reveals his interest in tennis.



Sachin During InterSchool Match



Sachin With Ajit Ranade



Match Against Don Bosco



Coach Achrekar And Sachin



sachin's century during interschool matches



Sachin At the Age Of 12



Guyles Shield Winning team



sachin holding palm beach cup



sandip patil giving prize to Sachin



Sachin With Sports Star Trophy



1987 Sports Star Trophy Winning Team



1987, Place : Baroda , Under 17 Team for Mumbai



Sachin, at the end of 2nd day of Harris Shield finals scored Unbeaten 286 Runs



Harris Sheild Finals





Star Cricket club's England Tour



Sachin The Youngest Player to Score Ranji Century



Sachin With Dilip Vengsarkar in the middle









Sachin And Kambli Knocks 664 runs



Sachin
Tendulkar & Vinod Kambli's World Record Partnership Of Unbeaten 664
Runs During InterSchool Match Playing for Shardashram School





he adds a century on home soil against England in Madras, and celebrates in style



Sachin's
debut match was against Pakistan in a test match on 1989. His one-day
international (ODI) debut was on December 18 against Pakistan. His
maiden ODI century came on September 9, 1994 against Australia in Sri
Lanka at Colombo, just six years after his debut.



















On
December 11, 1988, aged just 15 years and 232 days, Tendulkar scored
100 not out in his debut first-class match for Bombay against Gujarat,
making him the youngest Indian to score a century on first-class debut.








Sachin Family Photos

Family: Father - Ramesh Tendulkar, Mother - , Wife - Anjali Mehta, Daughter - Sarah, Son - Arjun, Brothers - Nitin & Ajit Tendulkar, Sister - Savita.



In 1995, Sachin Tendulkar married Anjali (born November 10, 1967), a paediatrician
and daughter of Gujarati industrialist Anand Mehta. They have two
children, Sara (born October 12, 1997), and Arjun (born September 24,
1999).














As captain on the 1999-2000 tour of Australia, Sachin Tendulkar practises his bowling - but he struggles as a leader

















Sachin now holds the record for having taken most one-day runs (16953+) and centuries (44).
Highest
Score - 186*. He belongs to the group of rare sportsmen and his records
might never be broken. Sachin Tendulkar has also captained India for
few years. (More Details : http://www.cricinfo.com/indvaus2009/content/current/player/35320.html)

Waw sakkkath collection.... TFS

I have delayed my shoots many times to watch Sachin bat: Amitabh Bachchan


Sachin Tendulkar is going to complete 20 years in international cricket. Your
reactions on this awesome feat by the little great man of Indian
cricket...


AB: Incredible! It is a marvel that a sportsman can
have such an extended, achievement-filled life. His recent performance
(referring to Sachin’s 175 in Hyderabad) was better than all those much
younger than him. He is a true
genius!



TOI: How does it feel to know that despite being an icon himself, Tendulkar has been a huge fan of yours since he was a kid?


AB: I am so, so humbled by this fact. It is Sachin’s greatness that he should consider me to be capable of his
affection and love.



TOI: What is it that you admire about Sachin’s batting?


AB: It is the absolute confidence his stance exudes, and also the imperious manner in which he dismisses each delivery. All his strokes are poetry in motion but, for me, his punched off-drive is simply breathtaking.



TOI: You are a legend yourself and have been in the limelight for so many years now. Do you appreciate
the way Tendulkar has handled pressure, both on and off the field?


AB: I am no legend, but Sachin is a consummate artist and all such artists are gifted in handling pressure under all circumstances. Indeed, I believe if there were to be no pressure in an artist’s life, his best would never emerge.


TOI: Have you ever delayed a shoot, or postponed an appointment, just because Tendulkar was
going great guns during a match?


AB: Yes, innumerable times!


TOI: When Tendulkar is playing well, he puts a smile on a billion faces. Suddenly, people everywhere
seem to be more accommodating and friendly, and even the cashier at the bank serves you with a smile! Have you experienced similar feel-good vibes at yours hoots?


AB: There is an atmosphere of positivity when Sachin is doing well and, at shoots, there is a constant, uplifting
buzz.


TOI: Talk us through some of the innings you cherish...


AB: Look at his record! Do you really think anyone has the capacity to talk through his best innings? As far as
I am concerned, they have all been the best.


TOI: When did you first meet Sachin and what was your first impression about him?


AB: I cannot remember when exactly I first met him. But I do remember that from the day I met him to this day, he has remained the same humble, quiet and shy person, one who almost wishes that he could avoid all the attention he gets in public.



TOI: Tendulkar has appeared on Kaun Banega Crorepati and also featured in a few commercials with you. What was the chemistry like during those shoots?


AB: There was instant rapport between us and he was clinically correct in the execution of whatever he took up.



TOI: Facing controversy is part of being a celebrity. Do you sometimes wonder how someone
like Tendulkar has managed to stay away from controversies despite being under the microscope for two decades?


AB: It is the able manner in which he conducts himself in public and private that has made him what he is
today. It requires great restraint and mental rectitude to achieve that. It is not easy to remain unaffected and aloof from controversy, but Sachin has always exercised the qualities most achievers do: he has remained patient and allowed his bat to do the talking. When his bat talks, controversy — right or wrong — can take a walk.



TOI: Apart from his batting, what are the qualities you admire in Tendulkar?


AB: His gentle, unobtrusive manner.


TOI: Besides yourself, who else in your family is a Tendulkar fan?


AB: Everyone in my family is a huge Tendulkar fan.



TOI: Like in your case, age appears to be just a number for Tendulkar. Retirement seems far off...


AB: Do not compare or put Sachin in the same class as me. May he continue to be with us, in our team, and be our inspiration forever. At a public function for the promotion of his film, Aamir Khan made a very pertinent remark. He said despite the fact that they know they are the best, Lata Mangeshkar and Sachin Tendulkar have never been heard saying so themselves. I would look at this remark in two ways. 1. Those who think they are the best,
need to keep saying it because others do not. 2. Those who know they are the best do not need to say it because others say it! So if they are not saying they are the best, it probably means they still believe there is room for
improvement. That’s the true mark of a master.

Super...

Lata wants Sachin to continue for another decade



NEW DELHI: She calls him the god of cricket and as Sachin Tendulkar completes 20 years of a glorious international career on Sunday, melody queen
Lata Mangeshkar hopes the batting maestro plays for another 10 years before even considering retirement.

A self-confessed Tendulkar fan, Mangeshkar said she wants the veteran right-hander to win the 2011 World Cup for India.

"I want Sachin to win the 2011 World Cup. Not only that, I wish he continues as long as he is playing well, hopefully at least for the next 10 years. He has a lot of cricket left in him," Mangeshkar said.

Mangeshkar said she gets upset every time there is speculation about Tendulkar's retirement.

"I don't know why people start talking about his retirement despite the fact that he is playing so well. I don't like any criticism directed at Sachin.

Asked if she considered Tendulkar as the world's greatest batsman, Mangeshkar said, "Sir Donald Bradman has acknowledged Sachin's greatness, can I say more? Bradman saw glimpses of himself in Sachin, I don't think there is any better compliment for him than this."

"He was and remains a very good player. Bowlers are still scared of him. Nothing has changed," she said.

The veteran singer, who follows every series that Team India plays, said winning and losing are part of the game and we should not get too critical in case of a defeat.

"We like winning but we should be prepared for losses as well. Australia beat us recently, I didn't like it but this happens.


Tendulkar fondly calls Mangeshkar 'mother' and the legendary singer recalled the story behind the bond.

"Both Sachin and my father have their birthday on April 24. I once met Sachin a day before his birthday and journalists asked him what he would like to say about me.

"He replied 'how can I say anything about my mother'. Since then, he addresses me as mother," she said.

Also a fan of Sunil Gavaskar, Mangeshkar said she got very upset when he retired from cricket in 1987 and even asked him why he took the decision.

"Critics had made life miserable for him at that time and I felt perhaps he retired because of that. I asked him a year after why he retired, he said 'My time is over but Sachin is there for you'."

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/top-stories/Lata-wants-Tendulkar-to-continue-for-another-decade/articleshow/5222721.cms

2 more days to complete 20Year......!!!!!

some articles on his Sunday:


There can be no one like Tendulkar, says Muralitharan
"I read in the newspapers
somewhere recently that a boy in Mumbai scored 400-odd runs. The papers said
he's going to be the next Sachin. How can anyone say that? There'll never be
another Sachin!"


This was world's highest wicket-taker Muttiah
Muralitharan's immediate reaction when asked what he thought of Sachin Tendulkar
completing 20 wonder years in international cricket.... more



Tendulkar's greatness is beyond comprehension

Just when the Berlin Wall was being broken down 20 years ago, the cricketing world started talking about a boy wonder who would rise to be a cricketing colossus. Two decades in sport is more than a generation and Sachin Tendulkar carries on and on - not wanting to think about the day he would have to stop playing the game.

Everyone who writes about cricket has to write about Tendulkar. The two are inseparable entities. It clearly underscores the fact that he is one of the greatest cricketers and in modern day parlance an entertainer par excellence with the highest TRP rating because he scores runs by tons with relentless brilliance. more

Sachin's focus made him more successful: Imran Khan

In 1989, there was a void in India's public imagination after the departure of Sunil Gavaskar two years before that. It was only fitting that another youngster from his own city Mumbai, should fill that void.

My first memories of the debut-making Sachin Tendulkar are of him taking a blow early in his innings, and saw glimpses of his talent in the Tests but more in a charity game where he took on Abdul Qadir in a benefit game.

Today, at a time when Twenty20 creates stars in a matter of three hours, it is very difficult to gauge a cricketer's true merit. I have always said that Test cricket is the best test of a cricketer's mettle, and Sachin has been a very major figure in the last two decades of Test cricket.... more

Challenges change with time: Sachin Tendulkar







The one and only Sachin Tendulkar (saluted as a “consummate artist” by another living legend, Amitabh Bachchan) spoke to The Telegraph for
well over an hour in the lead up to completing 20 years of
international cricket, on Sunday. It has, of course, been an incredible
career marked by achievements.




Here go excerpts from the interview



Q What’s the India of your dreams?




A (Pauses) One where everybody has
clean water to drink... Where everybody has access to education, right
from childhood... For me, both are critical issues...




How do you look at the India of 2009?




I’m not disappointed with the way things
are, I know those in authority are making an effort... There’s no point
sitting back and criticising for the sake of doing so... An effort is
being made to change India for the better and I’m appreciative of
that... I’m the positive sort and like looking at the positive side.
Sure, one would like to have certain things in place, but I do realise
that doing so could take time. It may not be easy... The question is
whether India is heading in the right direction... It is.




What, for you, would be a nightmare-like situation?




India being hit by natural calamities.




Your vision...




I’d like all citizens to have the basic
amenities of life... Nobody, ideally, should be deprived... I’m not
talking of the big things, like cars or hi-fi music systems, but clean
drinking water and education... You could add health care.




Is there an Indian you’ve admired?




Certainly somebody who made India her
home, Mother Teresa... Throughout her life, she helped those whom
others would shun... She made a difference to the lives of so many.




Did you get to meet her on one of your visits to Calcutta?




I couldn’t and that remains a regret.




Are you interested in politics?




No.




But you do vote, don’t you?




I exercise my right, that’s it.




So, there’s no chance of you going the way of an Imran Khan or an Arjuna Ranatunga?




(Laughs) Not at all!




Generally, how do you see life?




I consider myself fortunate... Blessed to
have been part of the family I belong to... I like giving something to
others, which is why you found me endorsing The Joy of Giving Week. As
I’ve told you, nothing is ever too small to give. What matters is
supporting a cause from the bottom of your heart... A shirt or a pair
of shoes may not mean much to you, but would be like gold to somebody
who needs that pair of shoes or that one shirt...




Just how much should icons be doing for the lesser privileged?




Look, it has a lot to do with how an
individual feels about the whole thing, the way he sees his role (in
society)... It can’t be that somebody has to compel an individual to do
something. It has to come from within, not otherwise.




You’ve often interacted with terminally ill children. Have those experiences left you very distressed?




Yes... Each time that I’ve met them, I’ve
come away feeling how lucky I am... Often, we take things for granted
and just wait to complain about this or that... Yet, the terminally ill
children have no complaints, despite probably having only weeks or
months to live... I’ve always been moved... Meeting such children makes
one appreciate the importance of good health, of not being handicapped
in any way.




Would an Imran, who has built a
cancer hospital in Lahore, score higher marks than cricketers of equal
stature because of that one achievement?




I wouldn’t club the cricketing and non-cricketing sides together...




You were part of the Indian team which visited the hospital on the 2005-06 tour of Pakistan. Anything you remember off hand?




I remember it as a very fine facility
where even the common man can get himself treated... Imran’s done an
absolutely incredible job.




Now, for some cricket-specific
questions... On the eve of his 60th birthday, in July, Sunil Gavaskar
picked Kapil Dev and you as India’s “greatest” cricketers. Your
thoughts?




Makes me feel special... Mr Gavaskar was an idol.




In your book, where would Gavaskar rank?




Without a doubt, he’s one of our best... I’d rate Rahul Dravid very highly, too, as also Anil Kumble.




How should greatness be measured?




(Pauses) One has to judge a
player’s contribution to the team... It can’t be about having one
terrific series or one very successful tournament... One has to judge
over a period of time, take the consistency into account.




You continue to show the passion of
somebody making his debut, not one around for 20 years. What, indeed,
makes you tick so phenomenally?




Passion... The hunger for runs comes out
of enjoyment... I continue to live my dream, which was to play for
India... I have a responsibility to do well and carry the team on my
shoulders... It’s not a small responsibility, but I’ve never felt
burdened... Never thought that I’ve had to make sacrifices to get to
where I am.




The motivation, therefore, comes from within?




It does... I don’t need an external factor to motivate me.




One target, it seems, is 15,000 Test runs...




Not a target... If it has to happen, then it will.




You’re already close to 13,000 in Tests. Would 15,000, then, be a driving force, so to say?




I wouldn’t look at it that way... I’ll
keep playing, keep doing my job... If I’m destined to get there, I
will. My job is to give my best shot (not aim for records).




When will you start focusing on the 2011 World Cup?




Can’t say...




Twenty years ago, how long did you expect to play?




If you’d phrased your question
differently and asked me, on the second day of my Test career when I’d
got out for 15, just how long would I be playing, my answer would’ve
been that the first Test would also be my last! I felt out of place,
everything was new... I recall (manager) Chandu Borde spent quite some
time talking to me and that made me feel better. The intensity of
international cricket was so much more different.




You’d been so tired after the first day (November 15) that you went off to sleep on returning to your hotel room...




(Grins) I did, yes, for a couple of hours... That first day, in such a different environment, had left me drained.




Over the past 20 years, cricket has seen a number of changes. Your take?




Well, because the number of matches have
increased, it’s more demanding physically... Some of the changes were
needed, they’ve been important.




In terms of skills, is it that today’s cricketers have to be more skilful?




Even earlier, one needed to have the
skills... That, surely, hasn’t changed much... But, yes, the quality of
the equipment has changed. That’s progress.




Okay... Let me put it this way: Is surviving more challenging in 2009 than it was in 1989?




Twenty years ago, there were different
challenges... The challenges and expectations change with time and
differ from one level to the other. One has to stay focused and adapt
to the changing demands.




Isn’t there a fear that T20 will produce rather mediocre cricketers?




But T20 demands that some batters come
and just throw their bat around... If somebody does well, that way,
then I don’t have a problem... At the end of the day, we’re talking of
the same ball and bat... I don’t see why anybody should have a problem
if somebody becomes a hero in a matter of seconds or minutes... You may
not remember who holds the record for the marathon, but you’ll know
about (Usain) Bolt... There’s space for all forms and each has its
challenges... So many dream of playing for India, but you’ve got to be
realistic, as well... Very few actually get to realise that dream and,
if some can make a career out of T20, with one of the (IPL) franchises,
then so be it... They will be able to look after themselves and their
families.




Exclusively T20, then, is a viable option...




Absolutely... As I’ve said, somebody may
never get to play for India, but could live his passion through a T20
career (in the IPL)... T20 has become hugely popular and will help
globalise cricket... Will help increase viewership, expand the market.




But the easy money could actually ruin some cricketers, isn’t it?




(Pauses) There’s a downside to any
positive... Surely, how one acts and behaves is in the hands of that
person alone... Why blame the IPL? What makes you believe Test cricket
cannot spoil a player? I don’t wish to go into details, but there have
been instances of that...




Test cricket, though, remains supreme...




Of course, it’s the No.1 form. Has been
so, still is and will remain at the top. Test cricket requires more
imagination, better planning, sharper execution.




Are you in favour of four-day Tests and such matches being played under lights?




I’m for five days... Test cricket is a
challenge and that challenge should be over that many days... As for
day-night Tests, the balls could well be an issue... Day-night cricket
should first be attempted at the first-class level.




You’ve suggested a change for the 50-over ODIs...




A bit of imagination is needed to take it forward... Indeed, people are putting their heads together.




Aren’t you disappointed that the Deodhar Trophy has been dropped by the Board this season?




Yes... Having said that, the Board
introduced the Corporate Trophy, instead... I see that as a good move,
for companies can only field permanent employees... Employment
opportunities have opened... It’s a win-win situation and I’d like to
compliment the Board.




Your advice for this generation?




The young players should live their
dream... The desire to play for India fired me up... It should drive
today’s generation, too... I’d say don’t look for big things
straightaway... Work towards and on the small things and climb from
there.




What goes into the making of a successful individual?




A dream... Then, the desire to chase that
dream and to make it happen... Honesty towards the job, a sense of
commitment... Vision, too, is needed. You can’t guarantee X or Y is
going to be successful, but if the attributes are there, then there’s
every chance that X or Y would end up being so.




How do you think the millions will remember you, once you’re through with cricket?




Not only as a record-breaker... I guess
they will also remember me as somebody who inspired the next generation
to take to cricket in a big way... Personally, I see that as my biggest
contribution.




At any point, have you thought of what you could be doing after retiring?




No.




What if India hadn’t won the 1983 World Cup, inspiring you to make a career out of cricket...




Oh, I would certainly have been playing some sport... By nature, after all, I’m a sporty person.




Finally... As we speak, who are you most thankful to?




(Emotionally) My family, immediate
and extended... All my coaches, starting from Ramakant Achrekar Sir...
Teammates... People tend to forget groundsmen, but I’d also like to
thank them... I can’t, at this moment, forget to thank friends —
cricketing ones and those outside cricket... I hope I haven’t missed
anybody...

DEFINING MOMENTS FOR THE
MAESTRO

No.1: Beating England by six wickets in the Chennai Test, last December, just weeks after Mumbai’s 26/11... That will always remain my most special moment... Our win there was for all those who’d lost their lives in the terror strike... I’m happy that I contributed an unbeaten hundred (103) in our chase.

No.2: My Test debut (November 15, 1989), in Karachi... A very special day... Also, my first Test hundred (119 not out, at Old Trafford, in August 1990).

No.3: The 35th Test hundred, which took me past Sunil Gavaskar’s 34... I got 109 (against Sri Lanka, at the Kotla, in December 2005)... I’d put my getting beyond Brian Lara’s record for the maximum runs in Tests, in Mohali last year
(with 88 in the first innings against Australia), in the same category... Will stay a very special moment... A defining one.

Tendulkar controls the game

The first time Virender Sehwag met Sachin Tendulkar was in March 2001, at a practice session ahead of the first ODI
of the home series against Australia. For Sehwag, Tendulkar was the man who had inspired him to skip exams in school and allowed him to dream of cricket as a career. Sehwag was shy then, and didn't speak to his hero. He got 58 off 51 balls and picked up three wickets. Tendulkar later walked up to him and said, "You've got talent. Continue playing
the same way and I'm sure you will make your name." That ability to motivate youngsters is one of the traits, Sehwag says, that makes Tendulkar special. Here he tells 10 things that make Tendulkar stand out.


Discipline
He never comes late to any practice session, never comes late to the team bus, never comes late to any meeting - he is always five minutes ahead of time. If you are disciplined, it shows you are organised. And then he is ready for anything on the cricket field.


Mental strength
I've learned a lot of things from him as far as mental strength goes -
on how to tacke a situation, how to tackle a ball or bowler. If you are
not tough mentally, you can't score the number of runs and centuries he has in the last two decades. He is a very good self-motivator.


He always said to me: whatever the situation or whichever the bowler
you face, always believe in yourself. There was this occasion in South
Africa, early in my career, when I was not scoring runs fluently, so he
suggested I try a few mental techniques that had worked for him. One of the things he said was: Always tell yourself you are better than
others. You have some talent and that is why you are playing for India, so believe in yourself.


Picking the ball early
He can pick the ball earlier than other batsmen and that is a mark of a
great batsman. He is virtually ready for the ball before it is bowled.
Only great players can have two shots for one ball, like Tendulkar does, and a big reason is that he picks the ball very early.

Soft hands
I've never seen him play strokes with hard hands. He always tries to play with soft hands, always tries to meet the ball with the centre of the bat. That is timing. I have never been able to play consistently with soft hands.

Planning
One reason he can convert his fifties into hundreds is planning: which bowler he should go after, which bowler he should respect, in which situation he should play aggressively, in which situation he should defend. It is because he has spent hours thinking about all of it, planning what to do. He knows what a bowler will do in different situations and he is ready for it.


In my debt Test he scored 155 and he knew exactly what to do every ball. We had already lost four wickets (68 for 4) when I walked in, and he warned me about the short ball. He told me that the South African fast bowlers would bowl short-of-length balls regularly, but he knew how to counter that. If they bowled short of a length, he cut them over slips; when they bowled outside off stump, he cut them; and when they tried to bowl short into his body, he pulled with ease. Luckily his advice had its effect on me, and I made my maiden hundred!


Adaptability
This is one area where he is really fast. And that is because he is such a good reader of the game. After playing just one or two overs he can tell you how the pitch will behave, what kind of bounce it has, which length is a good one for the batsman, what shots to play and what not to.

A good example was in the Centurion ODI of the 2006-07 series. India were batting first. Shaun Pollock bowled the first over and fired in a few short-of-length balls, against which I tried to play the back-foot punch. Tendulkar cautioned me immediately and said that shot was not a good option. A couple of overs later I went for it again and was caught behind, against Pollock.


Making bowlers bowl to his strengths
He will leave a lot of balls and give the bowler a false sense of security, but the moment it is pitched up to the stumps or closer to them, Tendulkar will easily score runs.

If the bowler is bowling outside off stump Tendulkar can disturb his line by going across outside off stump and playing to midwicket. He puts doubts in the bowler's mind, so that he begins to wonder if he has bowled the wrong line and tries to bowl a little outside off stump - which Tendulkar can comfortably play through covers.

In Sydney in 2004, in the first innings he didn't play a single cover drive, and remained undefeated on 241. He decided to play the straight drive and flicks, so he made the bowlers pitch to his strengths. It is not easy. In the Test before that,in Melbourne, he had got out trying to flick. After that when we had a chat he said he was getting out playing the cover drive and the next game he would avoid the cover drive. I thought he was joking because nobody cannot
not play the cover drive - doesn't matter if you are connecting or not. I realised he was serious in Sydney when he was on about 180-odd and he had missed plenty of opportunities to play a cover drive. I was stunned.


Ability to bat in different gears
This is one aspect of batting I have always discussed with Tendulkar: how he controls his game; the way he can change gears after scoring a half-century. Suddenly he scores 10-12 runs an over, or maybe a quick 30 runs in five overs, and then again slows down and paces his innings.


He has maintained that it all depends on the team's position. If you are in a good position you tend to play faster. He also pointed out that the batsman must always think about what can happen if he gets out and the consequences for the team. The best example is the knock of 175. I was confident he would pull it off for India and he almost did.


Building on an innings
I learned from Tendulkar how to get big hundreds. He told me early on that once you get a hundred you are satisfied for yourself. But it is also the best time to convert that into a bigger score for the team because then the team will be in a good position.

If you look at my centuries they have always been big. A good instance of this was in Multan in 2004, when he told me I had given away a good position in Melbourne (195) the previous year and the team lost, and I needed to keep that in mind against Pakistan. In Multan, in the first hundred of the triple century I had hit a few sixes. He walked up to me after I reached the century and said he would slap me if I hit any further sixes. I said why. He said that if I tried hitting a six and got out the team would lose the control over the game, and I needed to bat through the day. So
I didn't hit a single six till I reached 295. By then India were 500-plus and I told him I was going to hit a six!


Dedication
This is the most important aspect of his success. In his life cricket comes first. When he is on tour he is thinking about nothing but cricket, and when he is not on tour he dedicates quality time to his family. That shows his dedication to the game and to his family. He has found the right balance.

Great interview....

Great Man !!!

Wow

Rare and Old pictures,

Thanks for sharing