Warne: "You have to decide for yourself whether you're bowling well or not. He's going to hit you for fours and sixes anyway." Kasprowicz has a superior story. During the Bangalore Test, frustrated,he went to Dennis Lillee and asked, "Mate, do you see any weaknesses?" Lillee replied, "No Michael, as long as you walk off with your pride that's all you can do."
Warne says, he has enormous power
"It's a bit discouraging. In India he ran down the pitch and hit me off the toe of the bat. It should have gone to mid-on but it went for a six."
On that day in Sharjah,when he scored an epic 142, it was in evidence again. Gaekwad was stunned, for Tendulkar was running singles like a demon -- four 3s, fifteen 2s, thirty-five 1s -- yet hitting sixes (five of them) in between.
"The running tires you, yet he was never out of position for a shot."
"In an over I can bowl six different balls. But then Sachin looks at me with a sort of gentle arrogance down the pitch as if to say 'Can you bowl me another one?'" -- Adam Hollioke to a friend.
So what is it Tendulkar, what's the motivation, what moves you? Records? No. He just says, flatly, "It's the challenge that drives me."
Says Shastri: "I have never seen such arrogance, such contempt for bowlers since Richards."
Yet it takes work, talent bolstered by industry. Tendulkar will sweat at the nets on a line that troubles him. He would, prior to tours of the West Indies, get net bowlers to fire away at him from 18 yards. When he was told that like the Sri Lankans who discomforted him by bowling down the legside, Warne might aggravate him similarly, he went to the nets in Mumbai, snuffed the pitch where he expected the ball to land and asked the bowlers to bowl there. When Warne arrived, the greatest batsmen in the world awaited him. Ready. Now the search begins, in all earnestness, for the chink of daylight in his stance, the edge of weakness in his method. Tendulkar himself sees none. "I don't think I need to improve in any specific area, just generally." The aussies are as unhelpful. Steve Waugh feels -- and check this for a weakness -- "his only danger is seeing the ball too well and going for his shot too early". Warne says bowl dot balls to frustrate him. Kasprowicz says, "Don't bowl him bad balls, he hits the good ones for fours."
They know, Tendulkar knows there is no fragility apparent. As with all such men, it is only themselves who can prove to be the enemy; Tendulkar may nurture his genius or spurn it, the responsibility of greatness lies with him. It seems he understands that. He is surer now than before, less driven to petulant strokes or rakish indiscretion. That innings was just a reminder, a page from a book, that this is a batsman who was conceived under God's full attention. Imagine, what greater deeds remain, the other pages of that book are yet to be turned. Of that night some final stories remain. Chappell saying, "What would I want of his batting? Everything." And then finally, Ajay Jadeja, echoing us all: "I can't dream of an innings like that. He exists where we can't."
Friday, July 10, 2009
That epic innings of 142 by sachin at sharjah...few details about it!!!
I don't think anything is impossible. Of course, I'm not always right. -- Sachin Tendulkar, after scoring 142 against Australia
This is the first thing about genius. Self-belief. Inside the stomach of some men smoulders a defiance that is abnormal, a will so powerful that no ordinary barometer can register it. We dream, Tendulkar does. On that day when the sandstorm blew in to stop play -- it was God announcing he had taken his seat -- Tendulkar told coach Anshuman Gaekwad in the dressing room: "Don't worry I'll be there in the end." Don't worry! With four of the topline batsmen out and 94 runs to get in 87 balls; Vinoo Mammen of MRF telling his wife, "Let's go to the hotel and cry", and hope generally abandoned by all. Except by one man. Later, a spectator says, "It's sad one billion people in India have to rely on one man." This is the second thing about genius. Desire. They could have turned off the lights in Sharjah, Tendulkar's shots would have illuminated the city,such is the sunlight of his batting. India has qualified for the final, but he paces the dressing room hissing, "I was not out." It was the rage of a man who believes he has no limits. He was not there to help India qualify, he was there to win the match. We small, Tendulkar lives bigger. Says Allan Border, Australian coach, a day later:
"Hell, if he stayed, even at 11 an over he would have got it." This is the third thing about genius. Fear. From the Aussie dressing room bustling with hard men, all sorts of stories emerge. One strategy is "get the bugger to the other end"; another says, "We bowled short, on the off stump,nothing worked." Michael Kasprowicz is sort of speechless. In the first match,he hits Tendulkar on the pads, smirks, gets hit for two successive fours. This match it's two successive sixes. Now he swears, "Shit, I'm sick of this *$#%."
This is the final thing about genius and that innings. Respect. next day, by the pool side of the Princeton Hotel, WorldTel boss Mark Mascarenhas throws a party for Tendulkar. Friday, final day, is his birthday and it strikes you starkly that as he turns 25, he has more centuries (14 in one dayers, 16 in Tests) than he has years in front of his name. Meanwhile, in a corner the conversation goes something like this:
Border : It's scary, where the hell do we bowl to him.
Ian Chappell : Yeah mate, but that's with all great players. Border : Well yes, but imagine what he'll be like when he's 28. I'd like to see him go out and bat one day with a stump. I tell you he'd do okay.".
This is the first thing about genius. Self-belief. Inside the stomach of some men smoulders a defiance that is abnormal, a will so powerful that no ordinary barometer can register it. We dream, Tendulkar does. On that day when the sandstorm blew in to stop play -- it was God announcing he had taken his seat -- Tendulkar told coach Anshuman Gaekwad in the dressing room: "Don't worry I'll be there in the end." Don't worry! With four of the topline batsmen out and 94 runs to get in 87 balls; Vinoo Mammen of MRF telling his wife, "Let's go to the hotel and cry", and hope generally abandoned by all. Except by one man. Later, a spectator says, "It's sad one billion people in India have to rely on one man." This is the second thing about genius. Desire. They could have turned off the lights in Sharjah, Tendulkar's shots would have illuminated the city,such is the sunlight of his batting. India has qualified for the final, but he paces the dressing room hissing, "I was not out." It was the rage of a man who believes he has no limits. He was not there to help India qualify, he was there to win the match. We small, Tendulkar lives bigger. Says Allan Border, Australian coach, a day later:
"Hell, if he stayed, even at 11 an over he would have got it." This is the third thing about genius. Fear. From the Aussie dressing room bustling with hard men, all sorts of stories emerge. One strategy is "get the bugger to the other end"; another says, "We bowled short, on the off stump,nothing worked." Michael Kasprowicz is sort of speechless. In the first match,he hits Tendulkar on the pads, smirks, gets hit for two successive fours. This match it's two successive sixes. Now he swears, "Shit, I'm sick of this *$#%."
This is the final thing about genius and that innings. Respect. next day, by the pool side of the Princeton Hotel, WorldTel boss Mark Mascarenhas throws a party for Tendulkar. Friday, final day, is his birthday and it strikes you starkly that as he turns 25, he has more centuries (14 in one dayers, 16 in Tests) than he has years in front of his name. Meanwhile, in a corner the conversation goes something like this:
Border : It's scary, where the hell do we bowl to him.
Ian Chappell : Yeah mate, but that's with all great players. Border : Well yes, but imagine what he'll be like when he's 28. I'd like to see him go out and bat one day with a stump. I tell you he'd do okay.".
Sachin's likes n dislikes!!!
Sachin's Likes and Dislikes
Memorable Day - Beating Pakistan in the 1992 World Cup.
Worst Day - Losing the first ODI in RSA in 1992.
Heroes - Gavaskar, Viv Richards, Imran Khan, Sandeep Patil
Greatest Influence - My family.
Current Players Admired - Vinod Kambli, Brian Lara, Jonty Rhodes.
Ambition - To be number one in the world.
Favourite Ground - Sydney Cricket Ground.
Least Favourite Ground - Bangalore.
Biggest Complaint - None.
Changes to Improve - None. I enjoy the game!
Funniest Moment - Batting with Vinod Kambli in a school game. Vinod dropped his bat and started to fly a kite.
Other Sports Followed - Tennis in particular.
Hobbies - Collect CD's.
Other Stars - Maradona, Boris Becker.
Favourite Actors - Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Nana Patekar.
TV Show - None in particular.
Film - Coming To America.
Spare Time - Listening to peaceful music, with friends.
Embarrassing Moment - People asking for my autograph and then asking me my name!
Music - Pop.
Hates - Rumours.
Car - Maruti
Food - Steak.
Drink - Orange/Apple Juice and Water.
Favourite Restaurant - Bukhara, Maurya Sheraton, New Delhi.
Holiday Resort - Yorkshire, Headingley.
Hotel - Park Royal Darling Harbour, Sydney.
Clothes - Official - jacket and tie; else jeans and t-shirt.
Wildest Dream - Listen to loud music and watch movies. And then in the evening, go for a very long drive.
Newspapers - Times of India, Mid-day, Afternoon Dispatch.
Authors - Haven't started reading books yet.
Magazines - Sportstar
Career - Too early to decide - Cricket for the moment.
Motto - Be true to yourself.
Memorable Day - Beating Pakistan in the 1992 World Cup.
Worst Day - Losing the first ODI in RSA in 1992.
Heroes - Gavaskar, Viv Richards, Imran Khan, Sandeep Patil
Greatest Influence - My family.
Current Players Admired - Vinod Kambli, Brian Lara, Jonty Rhodes.
Ambition - To be number one in the world.
Favourite Ground - Sydney Cricket Ground.
Least Favourite Ground - Bangalore.
Biggest Complaint - None.
Changes to Improve - None. I enjoy the game!
Funniest Moment - Batting with Vinod Kambli in a school game. Vinod dropped his bat and started to fly a kite.
Other Sports Followed - Tennis in particular.
Hobbies - Collect CD's.
Other Stars - Maradona, Boris Becker.
Favourite Actors - Amitabh Bachchan, Madhuri Dixit, Nana Patekar.
TV Show - None in particular.
Film - Coming To America.
Spare Time - Listening to peaceful music, with friends.
Embarrassing Moment - People asking for my autograph and then asking me my name!
Music - Pop.
Hates - Rumours.
Car - Maruti
Food - Steak.
Drink - Orange/Apple Juice and Water.
Favourite Restaurant - Bukhara, Maurya Sheraton, New Delhi.
Holiday Resort - Yorkshire, Headingley.
Hotel - Park Royal Darling Harbour, Sydney.
Clothes - Official - jacket and tie; else jeans and t-shirt.
Wildest Dream - Listen to loud music and watch movies. And then in the evening, go for a very long drive.
Newspapers - Times of India, Mid-day, Afternoon Dispatch.
Authors - Haven't started reading books yet.
Magazines - Sportstar
Career - Too early to decide - Cricket for the moment.
Motto - Be true to yourself.
GQ's Interview with sachin!!!
New Delhi, Jun 2 (PTI)
Sachin Tendulkar, who had taken up the cudgels against criticism of senior players last year, has said that he hardly pays heed to criticism. “People will have opinions but that doesn’t mean they are correct.
They are only opinions and I have bigger things to deal with. Guys that have all the time in the world to discuss these things, discuss them.
I don’t,” Tendulkar told men’s fashion magazine ‘GQ’. Last year, Tendulkar had defended his senior teammates who were under attack during India’s home series against Australia.
Tendulkar said the senior players had made major contributions, which needed to be acknowledged and appreciated. Dwelling on his own career, Tendulkar said he had moments when he could have “got carried away” but hard work and resolve helped him reach the pinnacle of success.
“Given the things that have happened in my life it would have been easy to get carried away,” Tendulkar said. “There were times when I felt that, yeah, I should bunk practice and spend time with my friends and go out for a movie.
But my coach would turn up and make me sit on his bike and take me all the way to practice,” he recalled. Tendulkar, who holds umpteen cricketing records said success did not come automatically to him.
“I have made an effort. It doesn’t happen automatically,” he said.
Twenty20 cricket’s rising popularity notwithstanding, Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar feels the format should never be allowed to grow at the expense of Test cricket, which “requires more skills”.
“I don’t think that one should make that compromise (of Twenty20 spreading at the cost of Test cricket),” Tendulkar told the latest issue of ‘GQ’ magazine.
“Test cricket definitely requires more skills. In a Twenty20 match, if somebody has batted well for 45 minutes, he has done brilliantly. But that doesn’t happen in Test cricket, where you have to bat well for a couple of sessions (about four hours),” he added.
Tendulkar feels bowlers don’t concede an inch in Test cricket but would be more than happy to give away singles in Twenty20 as they know only big hits can work to a team’s advantage in the shortest format.
“In Twenty20 cricket, a bowler is happy giving you singles. In Test cricket, they are trying to get you out all the time,” explained the man who has played just one Twenty20 match for the national team.
The veteran right-hander said the current Indian team is a fabulous one and a unit that everyone would want to captain.
“I don’t think there is anybody in the Indian team who wouldn’t want to captain such a fantastic side. Not because they want to grab it or whatever, but because … It is a fabulous team,” he said....
Sachin Tendulkar, who had taken up the cudgels against criticism of senior players last year, has said that he hardly pays heed to criticism. “People will have opinions but that doesn’t mean they are correct.
They are only opinions and I have bigger things to deal with. Guys that have all the time in the world to discuss these things, discuss them.
I don’t,” Tendulkar told men’s fashion magazine ‘GQ’. Last year, Tendulkar had defended his senior teammates who were under attack during India’s home series against Australia.
Tendulkar said the senior players had made major contributions, which needed to be acknowledged and appreciated. Dwelling on his own career, Tendulkar said he had moments when he could have “got carried away” but hard work and resolve helped him reach the pinnacle of success.
“Given the things that have happened in my life it would have been easy to get carried away,” Tendulkar said. “There were times when I felt that, yeah, I should bunk practice and spend time with my friends and go out for a movie.
But my coach would turn up and make me sit on his bike and take me all the way to practice,” he recalled. Tendulkar, who holds umpteen cricketing records said success did not come automatically to him.
“I have made an effort. It doesn’t happen automatically,” he said.
Twenty20 cricket’s rising popularity notwithstanding, Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar feels the format should never be allowed to grow at the expense of Test cricket, which “requires more skills”.
“I don’t think that one should make that compromise (of Twenty20 spreading at the cost of Test cricket),” Tendulkar told the latest issue of ‘GQ’ magazine.
“Test cricket definitely requires more skills. In a Twenty20 match, if somebody has batted well for 45 minutes, he has done brilliantly. But that doesn’t happen in Test cricket, where you have to bat well for a couple of sessions (about four hours),” he added.
Tendulkar feels bowlers don’t concede an inch in Test cricket but would be more than happy to give away singles in Twenty20 as they know only big hits can work to a team’s advantage in the shortest format.
“In Twenty20 cricket, a bowler is happy giving you singles. In Test cricket, they are trying to get you out all the time,” explained the man who has played just one Twenty20 match for the national team.
The veteran right-hander said the current Indian team is a fabulous one and a unit that everyone would want to captain.
“I don’t think there is anybody in the Indian team who wouldn’t want to captain such a fantastic side. Not because they want to grab it or whatever, but because … It is a fabulous team,” he said....
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)