Tendulkar, he world’s best batsman is happy with the way things are. And why shouldn’t he?
Sachin Tendulkar, the name itself commands respect. Still not 31, Tendulkar is already an icon. Regarded as a world class batsman, he is inarguably, the best in his game. Sir Donald Bradman, called him the modern reincarnation of himself which itself speaks volume of the class and stature of Tendulkar.
He came to Pakistan as a 16-year-old boy and showed his class against the likes of Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Abdul Qadir. He never looked back after that tour and established himself as the world’s leading performer. Now Tendulkar is well on his way to becoming the most productive Test run-scorer in the game’s history. His 33 Test hundreds are just one shy of the record held by his countryman Sunil Gavaskar. Remarkably, his One-Day record is even better and with 37 hundreds and 13,000 plus runs he has left other way behind.
Dawn Magazine caught up with the Master, just as the Indians were on the verge of their first Test win in Pakistan. Thanks are due to the Indian team management which, despite the stiffling security and hectic schedule, made this interview possible. Here are the excerpts:
Q: You came to Pakistan on India’s last tour 15 years ago as a 16-year-old and now you are the senior most player in the game today. How different this tour is for you?
A: Personally speaking, this tour is different from the one in 1989, because then I was the junior most and now I am the senior most. In 1989 I just wanted to go out and play to establish myself and was excited to play for India. Now I am playing a totally different role altogether.
This tour is taking place after 15 years and its not only cricket but both the countries are getting together. Before coming here we met the Prime Minister (Atal Behari Vajpayee) and he said not only win the game but also win hearts. So this tour is different, its much more than cricket and a special tour. People are taking care of us and are very hospitable.”
Q: Did you ever think you would achieve so much?
A: I have never targeted any thing to do, just go to the ground and watch the ball closely. I don’t think about the result and keep it simple. It was a dream to play for India for as long as possible but never got into pressure to think that if it does not happen, what will happen? All the time I had thought positively. I don’t know how long I will go. When I started I had never thought that I will score that many centuries.
Q: So are you happy at what you have achieved in life and would you want to reborn as Tendulkar again?
A: I am very happy with my life. It has been wonderful playing for India and as I said I had always wanted to be a cricketer and there are no words to express how I feel. Cricket means everything to me and plenty of other things have happened around. But cricket remains right up there and then comes rest of the things.
It has been a tremendous journey. I don’t want to end this soon. I am very happy.
Q: Do you get unnerved by popularity or is it something which has snatched easy life from you?
A: I don’t really think about popularity unnerving me because I try to keep my life simple. But it’s difficult and different. It’s difficult that’s why I am a reserved guy. I don’t open out and plenty of people misunderstand me for that. But I am not a person who is loud so I keep myself home.
Q: You have played against all countries but is it special to play against Pakistan with the tension soaring and rivalry so intense?
A: It is little more than playing any other team when you play Pakistan because the atmosphere changes around you and you get friends’ calls about playing Pakistan. The talk remains about India and Pakistan. It surely is competitive, like any other match, but from my personal point of view it is more important that I am playing for India; doesn’t matter against which country because I don’t want to fool around on the ground and try to make the most of the six hours on the ground. Obviously, it is more pressure when you play Pakistan, expectations of people are higher but we eventually play cricket.
Q: So how cherishing to win the One-Day series against Pakistan, was it different from the win in the 2003 World Cup?
A: It’s been good to win, the World Cup game was different, it had a different significance because that was a crunch game for us and also for Pakistan before that we hadn’t done well so we were desperately wanted to do well. Here too, on this tour, the preparation has been there. We played well in Australia and we spent some four months, two months in India and then in Australia together and that was good before the Pakistan tour. The tour of Australia helped well and as a team we sorted out our problems. The five One-Day games were exciting, the pressure was more but I wouldn’t say it was as much as in the World Cup match.
I think the One-Day series win has been great, a collective performance and team’s win is most important thing and this time we have proved that different players have done well in various games and nicely supported by others. A good 20 run innings, good 40 runs, good wickets, good overs and good catches and all those have clicked together. We put good totals and Peshawar wickets was difficult to bat on and the toss was crucial, but we played well as a team.
Q: Will this One-Day series win silence the critics who say that Indians are chokers and don’t win crucial games?
A: It’s an opinion all we can do is to perform and we can’t respond so if we talk to ten different people they have different opinions. I mean earlier we came so close to winning, in the World Cup we lost two games and both were against Australia and to look at the other way they were the only side to beat us. We won the final game in the West Indies but people forget about that and focus on the negative things; things keep happening around us but you have to overlook some of them. As a team we have been really focused and when we were playing against New Zealand at Hyderabad and that was a crunch match and we won that, no one considered that. We won in England and no one considered that.
Q: How do you rate Pakistan’s bowling now?
A: Pakistan have a good bowling attack which is a blend of youth and experience, Shoaib has played for five years so he is an experienced player and then they have Mohammad Sami and Shabbir Ahmed who are young and talented. Saqlain is there who is also an experienced campaigner. When we played here in 1989 their attack was more mature with Imran, Wasim and Waqar.
Q: What were your thoughts when you were embarking on the tour?
A: Before coming here I had minor back trouble and the thought came to my mind that whenever I play against Pakistan something happens. So I prayed everything goes well. It happened to me at Chennai, in the World Cup 2003 match and then while coming here.
Q: Going back to the Chennai Test, on Pakistan’s last tour, how huge was the disappointment of losing that Test despite coming so close?
A: Chennai was definitely a huge disappointment because we came so close but couldn’t make it.
Q: There is a lot of talk about the use of technology, are you in favour of it?
A: It’s good for the game not only me but all the guys are happy over it. You have the advantage of going frame by frame and all things are done on the screen. It’s a nice change in the game and I am sure it will change with the time and cricket is getting more and more exciting for the spectators. I take help from the technology and see my batting, not only when I am doing badly but even when I am doing well.
Q: Who do you go to when you have problem in your batting?
A: Well, I always speak to my brother whenever I have problem in my batting because he knows my batting and the mind better than anyone else. I discuss about my batting and go about the whole game and where he feels and I feel the bowler might bowl to me. So we discuss that and that has helped throughout my career and since he has played cricket so he knows the game very well. I also talk to senior cricketers and detect my weaknesses in the nets. Also I sit in the room and decide what shots I have to cut down and that I do.
Q: The world wants to see Tendulkar bat, but who do you want to see, who’s your ideal batsman?
A: I have always admired Viv Richards, the way he played shots was something very amazing and he was someone who used to hit the ball so hard.
Tendulkar, he world’s best batsman is happy with the way things are. And why shouldn’t he? 
