da realbet： In terms of landmarks, it was yet another special occasion for anexceptional performer, but the end result wasn’t quite what he would haveliked
Dileep Premachandran in Kuala Lumpur14-Sep-2006
‘I am delighted that everything fell in place today’ – Tendulkar © AFP
In terms of landmarks, it was yet another special occasion for anexceptional performer, but the end result wasn’t quite what he would haveliked. Sachin Tendulkar called his 40th a “special hundred”, but alsoexpressed his disappointment at the manner in which the game panned out.Brian Lara, whose side picked up five points for the win, couldn’t hidehis relief at the result, and was fulsome in his praise for Tendulkar’sglorious unbeaten 141.”We suffered out there as a team,” said Lara. “It was difficult for us.But for a guy coming back after six months, it showed how much of a geniushe is. We just had to watch it and appreciate it, and it was a veryspecial innings for India.”Tendulkar didn’t dispute that assessment. “It was a difficult surface tobat on and I was playing after six months, so I’m quite happy with thefact that I got a hundred,” he said. “The depression in the track meantyou had to play differently to try to execute those plans, and I amdelighted that everything fell in place today.”Everything except the result. “I am obviously disappointed that the gamewas interrupted,” he said. “It’s always more satisfying if you havecontributed and the team has won. West Indies still had 170 runs toget, which is quite a lot. They had a couple of extremely experiencedplayers at the crease, but on a surface like that, anything was possible.The field restrictions were off, so runs wouldn’t have come so easilyeither.”Though he reckoned that his team were handily placed, Lara also agreedthat the rain had favoured West Indies. “India had the runs on the boardand any team would love that,” he said. “But the way Chris [Gayle] and[Rammaresh] Sarwan set up the game, we had to continue in the same vein.Having said that, the job still had to be done. I’m sure India would haveloved the game to finish, but in our position we didn’t mind whathappened.”We knew we were in front at that point in time but unfortunately theweather played a part. We had our eyes on that. I think it was well-poisedeven though we were batting very well. There were still 30 overs to go,and 170 runs to get. It was a very good match, spoilt by rain.”Both men spoke at length about the surface, surprising in itself giventhat so many runs were scored for the loss of so few wickets. “Thedepression was evident even before the first ball, you could not missthat,” observed Tendulkar, when asked about the ridge that flummoxedseveral Indian batsmen. “In a situation like that, you try and keep it outof your minds and watch the ball closely, play it late. We plannedaccordingly.” I’m living a dream, and every time I step on to the field, it’s with alot of enthusiam and excitement Lara wasn’t overly critical either, saying: “I thought it was a very goodpitch other than the ridge. Taking that into consideration, Tendulkarplayed a magnificent innings. Generally, 90% of the pitch wasreally good. The ridge wasn’t a problem for left-handers. We had quite afew, especially up in the top four, and India didn’t. The wickets thatfell on their side, the likes of Dravid, Sehwag and Dhoni, you could sayit was because of the state of the pitch.”Tendulkar also shed some light on his time away from the game, and how hehad steeled himself for the time when he next faced a ball ininternational cricket. While expressing his disappointment at havingmissed out on a tour of the Caribbean, he said: “I’d planned a programmeand was following that. I played a few practice games in London [forLashings and for a World XI], and when I came back to Mumbai, it wasraining so I had to practise with a rubber ball. I had five or sixsessions in Bangalore and Chennai, and played a couple of practice games.That was a bonus.”The last time he had such a long lay-off, following surgery on atennis-elbow problem, he announced his comeback with a dazzling 93 againstSri Lanka at Nagpur in October 2005. Tendulkar made it clear that suchstatements of intent were important, even for a bonafide legend. “On bothoccasions, I was coming off serious injuries, after surgeries which werehuge setbacks,” he said. “You need to keep fighting back and be mentallystrong.”There was also a quiet sense of satisfaction at the fact that he battedthrough the innings, for only the second time in 364 matches. “I’m quitehappy I lasted 50 overs,” he said. “Even till the end, I was running hardbetween the wickets, and that is a reflection of what I have been doing inthe last few months. It’s the first time I have batted the distance since [doing it against]New Zealand in Hyderabad [1999], and I will be happy if it becomes ahabit.”Having been booed by his home crowd and subjected to “Endulkar” headlinesover the past year, Tendulkar also spoke of how easy it was to motivatehimself for each new challenge. “Cricket has been my life, to be honest,”he said with the same earnestness that was his hallmark as a teenager.”I’m living a dream, and every time I step on to the field, it’s with alot of enthusiam and excitement. If I find it a burden, I will know whento step back and step aside.”That time clearly hasn’t arrived.