Celebrating Sachin Tendulkar's 20 glorious years [Update: 28th year]

[DomainK]

Sachin wanted to know about my last shot: Bindra I don't think I'm a cricket fan. How can I be? All my life, I've only been interested in watching Sachin Tendulkar, and none of the other Indian batsmen. Every time he gets out, I turn off my TV, deeming it unworthy to watch anything else after that. Does that mean I'm not a true follower? I don't know. Is it possible to not follow cricket and still have Tendulkar as an idol? I don't know but I've done exactly that. It was during the 1996 World Cup in India that I began to follow the game, or should I say Tendulkar. I got hooked to his game for the extra grace, for the aggression that he brought to the field. Of course, over the years, Tendulkar has transformed his game. To last this long, he had to cut off a lot of shots. It was a brave move, considering all the public expectations. But he managed and got into that frame of mind. Now again, it seems like he's turning a corner. He looks more relaxed, he's playing more freely. I know people have these big Sachin scores (like the famous one in Sharjah) as their favourites but funnily for me, it was the 40-odd that he made against the West Indies in West Indies (44 in Trinidad in 1997, against an attack comprising Ambrose, Walsh and Bishop) which I like the most. The pitch was difficult, the sky was overcast, the ball was swinging and all the other Indian batsmen were just falling apart. Tendulkar played with such ease. It showed why he is so special and that's why there are such silly expectations when it comes to him. Although I don't know him personally but from a distance, it looks as if Tendulkar lives in a bubble. Otherwise, how do you explain the years he has been able to play without getting affected? To add to that, there were numerous surgeries. It must have been a steep ask, I'm sure, to sustain the hunger. I first met Tendulkar during the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games for only a brief moment, when I was participating as a 13-year-old. Someone clicked a photo of us and I ensured that I had it. I came back and put it up in my room, hoping that I would have more such classic encounters. My wish was fulfilled last Monday, when I met him during an award ceremony, after 11 long years. We spoke general stuff - about our earlier meeting and a common fraud trainer we were being conned by! He then asked me about my last shot, which fetched India the Olympic gold. I became his fan, anew, that evening.

[DomainK]

Lata Mangeshkar on Sachin. Interview published on 13 Nov, 2009.

I would like to honour Sachin with a 'Vishwa Ratna: Lata Mangeshkar TOI: Like yourself, there seems to be no limit to Tendulkar's genius too. The entire country is celebrating his 20th year in international cricket. How do you look at this monumental achievement? LATA: My heartiest congratulations to him. I have seen Sachin right from the time he made his debut as a sixteen-year-old. Since then, he has gone on to climb dizzy heights, he's got married, raised a family, and somehow remained the same humble man throughout. It's really amazing to know he has been around for 20 years. I greet him and his family. May God bless him and may he go on for another 40 years! TOI:You have been an ardent admirer of the game, from Sunil Gavaskar to Sachin. What do you like about Tendulkar when he graces the crease? LATA: Like Sunil Gavaskar, there's a comforting thought that Sachin will hold the fort, that Team India is safe. Though each stroke is a stroke of genius, I have a distinct liking for his straight drive. I also admire the way he looks up to the heavens every time he completes a half-century or century. It means he is thanking God for blessing him, and that's a great thing. Who can forget the 1999 World Cup, when he played on even though his father passed away midway through the tournament? Sachin took a break to attend the funeral and returned quickly to score a century, then looked up to the skies to seek his father's blessings. It was a very touching and emotional moment for every Indian. The poignancy of that moment has stayed in the minds of all who watched that knock. I am no exception. TOI: If you were asked to play favourites between Sunil Gavaskar and Sachin, who would you pick? LATA: To be honest, it's difficult to pick one. They played in different eras and both brought laurels to the country. Sunil had his own distinct style while Sachin is in a class of his own. Both are legends in their own right. Having said that, I think Sunil retired a bit early. And what else can I say about Sachin? The fact that Don Bradman, the greatest batsman ever, was reminded of himself while watching Sachin bat is the best tribute he can ever get. TOI: Talk us through your first meeting with Tendulkar... LATA: Although I don't remember the first time, I remember having met him once at Raj Thackeray's residence. That was on his birthday, on the 24th of April, which incidentally is also my father's death anniversary. I got a call from Raj requesting me to come over to meet Sachin. Since it was his birthday, I asked Raj what gift I could get for the young batsman. I remember we all sat outside, chatting. I presented Sachin with an idol of Sai Baba. As I did that, Sachin touched my feet and said, 'you are like my mother'. Usne mujhe maa ka darja diya. I was really moved. TOI: He is passionate about your singing, and that of Kishore Kumar's.. LATA: I know he likes to hear my songs and I feel humbled. He has also been to a couple of my concerts. But he never came up to me to say, 'I am here.' That's his greatness. In fact, I didn't notice him the first time he was there to watch me sing. The next time he came with his wife. I think it was in Mumbai or Pune. My brother Hridaynath Mangeshkar informed me that Sachin was in the audience. Then I noticed him and said 'namaste' from the stage. What I really like about Sachin is that despite being a great player, he is so humble and down to earth. I know he has broken so many records, done the country proud and won so many awards. For doing all that and still conducting himself respectfully all along, I think, he deserves a Bharat Ratna. Why just a Bharat Ratna, I would like to honour Sachin with a 'Vishwa Ratna'!

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/interviews/I-would-like-to-honour-Sachin-with-a-Vishwa-Ratna-Lata-Mangeshkar/articleshow/5224542.cms

[DomainK]

I feel nervous while starting every new innings: Tendulkar MUMBAI: Even after grabbing virtually every batting record in his illustrious 20-year career, Indian batting icon Sachin Tendulkar says he still feels 'nervous' when he walks down to bat. "I believe feeling nervous enables one to give his best. You can get nervous only when you care about something and I care about cricket," Tendulkar said while speaking at a felicitation function for batting legends Sunil Gavaskar and Gundappa Viswanath on Thursday. It was an evening of nostalgia and a walk down memory lane as four legends - Gavaskar, Viswanath, Tendulkar and Amitabh Bachchan - shared the dais. The four celebrities enthralled the audience with interesting anecdotes as hordes of photographers captured the rare moment of these four legends being together on stage. Tendulkar spoke about how his idol Gavaskar personally came to greet him after he broke his record of 34 centuries. and said it was indeed a touching moment to see Gavaskar waiting for him. "There is not a bigger thing than getting recognised from the person you adore. He advised me not to stop and carry on. I am trying to follow his advise," Tendulkar, the highest run-getter in both Test and One-day formats, said. Tendulkar also spoke about how Gavaskar wrote a letter to him in his school days in 1987 after he had failed to win the best junior cricketer of the year award. "I was very disappointed not to win the award. That's when I got a letter from him. That letter was more valuable to me than the award itself." "During the 1987 World Cup when I was a ball boy at the Wankhede stadium, I remember him (Gavaskar) calling me to the dressing room and introducing me to the entire team. I was too stunned and hardly spoke during the entire day," he added. Gavaskar said that if he was reborn, he would like to be a fast bowler and give it back to all those who had hurled bouncers at him. Viswanath also kept the audience spellbound with his witty and humorous stories about his playing days and how he had struck a friendship with Gavaskar which is still going strong. "We have had some wonderful partnership on the cricket field but our partnership in life has been going strong and I hope it will continue to remain so," Viswanath said. The felicitation was organised by Trikitadah, a musical group.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/top-stories/I-feel-nervous-while-starting-a-new-innings-Tendulkar/articleshow/5224121.cms

[Guest Hiten.]

[ame=

sachin tendulkar 193 vs england part 1[/ame] [ame=

sachin tendulkar 193 vs england part 2[/ame]

[Guest Hiten.]

An innings to remember for both Sachin and his fans :bow: [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvr04ApYUOY&feature=fvw]YouTube- sachin's knock at chepauk vs england 2008[/ame]

[Guest Hiten.]

Sachin vs Australia, 5th ODI HQ Highlights http://www.mediafire.com/?m3zxz21zbmy http://www.mediafire.com/?dt3ynwma1yj http://www.mediafire.com/?ddfmwtwy1zl http://www.mediafire.com/?iygbmyyyqy5 http://www.mediafire.com/?hwchgqrminm http://www.mediafire.com/?ooyz0yzyly1 http://www.mediafire.com/?azujvmeummw http://www.mediafire.com/?fmzzq1qnyvz http://www.mediafire.com/?5wowznz2c5t :bow:

[Sachinism]

Oh man some of these interviews, my eyes are welling up

[DomainK]

Sachin vs Australia, 5th ODI HQ Highlights http://www.mediafire.com/?m3zxz21zbmy http://www.mediafire.com/?dt3ynwma1yj http://www.mediafire.com/?ddfmwtwy1zl http://www.mediafire.com/?iygbmyyyqy5 http://www.mediafire.com/?hwchgqrminm http://www.mediafire.com/?ooyz0yzyly1 http://www.mediafire.com/?azujvmeummw http://www.mediafire.com/?fmzzq1qnyvz http://www.mediafire.com/?5wowznz2c5t :bow:

Thank you.:adore: Please upload more of his knocks.

[guju24]

:two_thumbs_up: thx a lot for this guys...amazing thread...Sachin

[gloryof83]

Harsha Bhogle: The Sachin I know

Sachin Tendulkar may have inspired others to write poetry but he batted in robust prose. Not for him the tenderness and fragility of the poet, the excitement of a leaf fluttering in a gentle breeze. No. Tendulkar is about a plantation standing up to the typhoon, the skyscraper that stands tall, the cannon that booms. Solid. Robust. Focused. The last word is the key. He loves the game deeply but without the eccentricities of the romantic. There is a match to be won at all times. But Tendulkar too was a sapling once. And his brother Ajit sheltered him from the gale, kept him focused. Sachin looked after his cricket, Ajit looked after Sachin. Twenty-two years ago, I was asked by Sportsworld to do an article on this extraordinary schoolboy. It wasn't Sachin I had to speak to, it was Ajit. When the time for the interview came, at Ramakant Achrekar's net in Shivaji Park, Ajit was there with a cyclostyled copy of Sachin's scores. And Achrekar admonished me for spoiling his child, for fear that Sachin would get distracted. The interview was done. Sachin was neither overwhelmed nor garrulous; indeed he was so limited with his words that you had to hold on to every one of them. It was sent to Sportsworld in Calcutta by courier (or was it just put into a normal post box?) and then came a request for two photographs. Again it was Ajit who produced them. When I got the cheque, I noticed they had paid me an extra 100 rupees for the photographs. They weren't mine but Sportsworld had a policy of paying for them and so I wrote out a cheque to Ajit for Rs 100. It was acknowledged and accepted gratefully. We lived in different times then! It was also my first realisation that young men in the public eye needed to be sheltered so they could focus on playing cricket; that they needed an elder brother, or an equivalent, to put a gentle hand on the shoulder and, occasionally, lay one the back side. A lot of other young men today see Tendulkar's runs, eye his wealth, but their brattishness comes in the way of noticing his work ethic. For Tendulkar's life is not the story of extraordinary ability but of an extraordinary work ethic. Twelve years later, on a cold evening in Bristol, preparing for a World Cup game against Kenya the next day, I saw him in dark glasses, fiddling around with his kit. Aimlessly, like he was searching for something to do. At most times he would be bounding around with energy, bowling off 18 yards, taking catches, shouting thoughts to other batsmen. I approached him hesitantly, I couldn't see his eyes because they were shrouded by these huge dark glasses, probably the only time they were used to cover rather than to adorn, for he had just lost his father. I asked him if he would talk to us about coming back to play. He nodded his head and only briefly took the glasses off. His eyes were red and swollen; you could see he had been crying copiously. For the interview he put them on, and once the camera had stopped rolling, admitted he didn't want to return, that his mind was all over the place, that he felt anchorless. It was the only time he didn't want to play for India but he had been forced back by his family, aware that only cricket could help him overcome his grief. When he got a hundred the next day and looked heavenwards, some other eyes were moist. Even in his grief there was resolve, for he wanted that century. It might only have been Kenya but he was battling himself, not the bowlers. It has been fantastic having a ringside view of this journey, watching a cricketer, and a person, grow. But one thing hasn't changed. He still approaches every game like a child would a bar of chocolate, feeling happy and fortunate Four years later he agreed to do an interview for a series of programmes I was then doing. Our producer thought we would make it special, and to our surprise and joy, Amitabh Bachchan agreed to introduce the programme. In the first break Sachin whispered, "That was a beautiful surprise." Little did he know there was more to come. Sometime earlier he had told me he was a big fan of Mark Knopfler and we thought it would be great if we could get the great Dire Straits man to talk to us. "I'm recording all night but immediately after that, before I fall asleep," Knopfler said, and somehow we persuaded Sachin to do the programme in the afternoon rather than in the morning. And when the moment came, we patched the line on and when I said, "Hello Mark," Sachin looked puzzled. A minute later his eyes lit up when he realised which Mark we had on the line. And then he was like a child, tongue-tied, fidgety, excited - much like most people are when they first meet Tendulkar. Even the stars can get starry-eyed! And there have been moments of surprising candour. When asked, as batsmen tend to be, which bowlers had troubled him the most, he smiled an almost embarrassed smile and said, "You won't believe this." When probed, he said, "Pedro Collins and Hansie Cronje." "In fact," he said, "I once told my partner 'Will you please take Hansie for me? I don't mind playing Allan Donald'" Tendulkar's batting has been much chronicled over the years. Indeed, I believe he has been the most analysed cricketer in the history of the game. Yet he has found the urge, and indeed the solutions, to play on for 20 years. Now that is a landmark to be celebrated, not the many inconsequential others that we exploit for our own need. It has been fantastic having a ringside view of this journey, watching a cricketer, and a person, grow. But one thing hasn't changed. He still approaches every game like a child would a bar of chocolate, feeling happy and fortunate.

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[gloryof83]

The article from Sportsworld 1988

Author's note: This piece was written 21 years ago for Sportsworld magazine (and was only retrieved thanks to Mudar Patherya, who was a young cricket writer then). Sachin Tendulkar was 15, a year and a half away from playing Test cricket and four months short of his first-class debut. I was not yet 27, in an advertising job out of business school, with one Test match and a handful of one-dayers on Doordarshan behind me. We were both looking ahead in our own spheres. What a time it was, it was, a time of innocence... All of Bombay's maidans are a stage. Where every cricketer has a role to play. And his seems to be the blockbuster. Ever since he unveiled Act One early last year, audiences have been waiting, a little too eagerly at times, to watch the next scene. Sachin Tendulkar is only, so far, acting in a high-school production. Yet critics have gone to town. And rave reviews have not stopped coming in. I guess it can only happen in Bombay. That a schoolboy cricketer sometimes becomes the talk of the town. Why, at the end of every day's play in the final of Bombay's Harris Shield (for Under 17s) everybody wanted to know how many he had made. For he does bat three days sometimes! And for all the publicity he has received, Sachin Tendulkar is really still a kid. He only completed 15 on 24 April. And is very shy. Opening out only after you have coaxed him for some time. As his coach Mr Achrekar says, "Aata thoda bolaila laglai" [He's started talking a bit now]. And it's then that you realise that his voice has not yet cracked. His record is awesome. He has scored far more runs than all of us scored looking dreamily out of the window in a boring Social Studies class when we were his age. For a prodigy, he started late. When he was nine years old. And it was only in 1984-85 that he scored his first school-level fifty. But 1985-86 was a little better. He scored his first Harris Shield hundred and played for Bombay in the Vijay Merchant (Under-15) tournament. And 1986-87 was when he blossomed. Still only 13, he led his school, Shardashram Vidyamandir, to victory in the Giles Shield (for Under-15s). He scored three centuries - 158*, 156 and 197 - and then in the Harris Shield scored 276, 123 and 150. In all, he scored nine hundreds, including two double hundreds, a total of 2336 runs. By now everyone had begun to sit up and take notice. The beginning of the 1987-88 season saw Sachin at the Ranji nets. Once again the top players were away playing Tests and perhaps the Bombay selectors felt it wouldn't be a bad idea to give Sachin first-hand experience of a higher category of cricket. He was named in the 14 for the first couple of games, and manager Sandeep Patil kept sending him out whenever possible - for a glass of water or a change of gloves. All along Sachin probably knew that he was still at best a curiosity, and that while Bombay was giving him every blooding opportunity, he had to prove himself on the maidans. And that is exactly what he did. Season 1987-88 was a purple patch that never ended. Playing in the Vijay Merchant tournament he scored 130 and 107 and then at the Inter-Zonal stage he made 117 against the champions, East Zone. Then in the Vijay Hazare tournament (for Under-17s) he scored 175 for West Zone against champions East Zone. Then came the avalanche. A 178* in the Giles Shield and a sequence in the Harris Shield of 21*, 125, 207*, 329* and 346*! A small matter of 1028 runs in five innings! And in the course of that innings of 329* he set the much talked-about record of 664 for the third wicket with Vinod Kambli, who, it is not always realised, scored 348*. Perhaps the most fascinating of them all was the innings of 346*. Coming immediately, as it did, in the shadow of the world record, a lot of people were curious to see him bat. Sachin ended the first day on 122, batted through the second to finish with 286, and when the innings closed around lunch on the third day, he was 346*. And then came back to bowl the first ball. In April's Bombay summer. "People don't realise that he is just 15. They keep calling him for some felicitation or the other. The other day he was asked to inaugurate a children's library. This is ridiculous. These things are bound to go to his head. He will start thinking he has achieved everything." Tendulkar's coach, Ramakant Achrekar But when did this story begin? Like all children, Tendulkar took to playing "galli" cricket. His brother Ajit was a good player and persuaded Mr Achrekar, probably Bombay's most famous coach, to look at him. Achrekar recalls, "When he first came to my net four-five years ago, he looked just like any other boy and I didn't take him seriously. Then one day I saw him bat in an adjacent net. He was trying to hit every ball but I noted that he was middling all of them. Some time later he got a fifty and a friend of mine, who was umpiring that game, came and told me that this boy would play for India. I laughed at him and said that there were so many boys like him in my net. But he insisted. 'Mark my words, he will play for India.' My friend is dead now but I'm waiting to see if his prophecy comes true.' Tendulkar is taking first steps towards getting there. He discovered that his house, being in Bandra, would not allow him to be at Shivaji Park whenever he wanted. He now spends most of his time at his uncle's house, just off this nursery of Bombay cricket. When he is not actually playing, that is. Quite often, he is playing all day; important because it has helped him build the stamina to play long innings. "I don't get tired," he says, referring to them. "If you practise every day, you get used to it." And what about that world-record innings? "I could bat very freely then because my partner Vinod Kambli was batting so well that I knew that even if I failed, he would get enough runs for the side." Isn't there a lot of pressure on him now? Everyone assumes he will get a big score? "Only in the beginning. Till I get set. Once I get set, I don't think of anything." Wasn't he thrilled at being invited to the Ranji nets? "Definitely. After playing there I got a lot of confidence." Everything in Tendulkar's life has so far revolved around cricket. Including his choice of school. A few years back he shifted to Shardashram Vidyamandir, only so that he could come under the eye of Achrekar. "It helped me tremendously because 'sir's' guidance is so good," he says. Strangely his parents were never very keen about cricket. His brother Ajit says, "They were not very interested in the game, though they gave him all the encouragement. You see, in our colony all parents were training their children to be engineers and doctors. And they would say, "Gallit khelun cricketer hoto kai?" [You don't become a cricketer by playing in the alleys]. I am so happy he is doing well because now people think he is doing something." The question that arises then, given all the publicity is: Just how good is Sachin Tendulkar? "For his age, unbelievable," says Sharad Kotnis, Bombay's veteran cricket watcher. "He is definitely comparable to Ashok Mankad, who had a similar run many years ago. But remember Ashok had cricket running in his family and his father often came to see him play. I think Tendulkar's strongest point is that he is willing to work very hard." Luckily for Sachin, there is a calming influence over him, just so he doesn't get carried away by this acclaim. His coach Achrekar knows exactly what he is talking about. "He is not perfect yet. Far from it. In fact, I would say he is not even halfway there. He still has a lot of faults, particularly while driving through the on, which is an indicator of a class batsman. He still has a long way to go, but what I like about him is his ability to work hard. I don't think we should get carried away by his scores. After all, one has to take into account the nature of the wicket and the quality of the bowlers. By his standards the quality of the bowling he faced was not good enough. "His real test will come this year when he plays in the 'A' Division of the Kanga League. [sachin will play for the Cricket Club of India, which for him has waived the stipulation that children under 18 are not allowed inside the Club House!] He should get 70s and 80s there and not just 20s and 30s; particularly towards the end of the season, when the wickets get better." Achrekar, in fact, is quite upset about the publicity Sachin is getting. "People don't realise that he is just 15. They keep calling him for some felicitation or the other. The other day he was asked to inaugurate a children's library. This is ridiculous. These things are bound to go to his head. He will start thinking he has achieved everything. I hope all this stops so he can concentrate and work hard." Yet both Achrekar and Kotnis agree on when they think Sachin will become a Ranji regular. "I think he should be playing the Ranji Trophy next year. I think it is unfair to compare him to the [Lalchand] Rajputs and [Alan] Sippys yet, but I think he should play next year," feels Kotnis. And Achrekar adds, "Inspite of what I said about him, if he maintains this kind of progress, he should play the Ranji next year." Clearly the curtain call is still a long way off for Sachin Tendulkar. He has a lot of things going for him. Most importantly he is in Bombay, where the sheer atmosphere can propel him ahead. In how many cities would a 15-year-old be presented a Gunn and Moore by the Indian captain? And in which other city would the world's highest run-getter write to a 15-year-old asking him not to get disheartened at not getting the Best Junior Cricketer award? Sunil Gavaskar wrote to Tendulkar to tell him that several years earlier another youngster too had not got the award and that he didn't do too badly in Test cricket. For him the letter from his hero is a prized possession. Another great moment was a meeting with him where "… he told me that I should forget the past every time I go to bat. I should always remember that I have to score runs each time." He is in the right company. And the right environment. The next few years will show whether he has it in him the mental toughness to overcome the over-exposure. If it does not go to his head, surely there is a great future beckoning. This is really just the beginning and I will be watching this little star with avid interest for the next three years. If he is still charting blockbusters, I'd love to do another review then.

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[Chandan]

Wonderful interviews DomainK and Glory. Hope you'll put some more. Here some of his friends are telling us how is Sachin like in his personal life. Friends forever GOOD SAMARITAN As his mother-in-law Annabel Mehta tells us, Sachin takes his responsibilities very seriously The smallest hint of Sachin Tendulkar’s presence at a given place on a given day is enough to guarantee a huge turnout. But that wasn’t the case, six years ago, when he arrived at a function for a Mumbai-based NGO, Apnalaya. “In 2003, we launched our sports programme and Sachin was invited to be chief guest,” said Leena Joshi, Apnalaya director. “No one believed that he would come. So the number of people who turned up for the event was a lot less than we anticipated.” It was a thing of disbelief for the people of Shivaji Nagar, in the Mumbai suburb of Govandi. More than six lakh of them are housed on a small area around the dumping ground. They live in conditions where even basic needs are a struggle. Their world is far removed from the world Tendulkar lives in. Over the years, he has contributed to making their lives easier. The cricketer has been associated with Apnalaya — meaning Our Home — since 1994. He came to know about the organisation, which operates in a number of less-privileged areas in Mumbai, through mother-in-law Annabel Mehta. Apnalaya was established in 1973, the same year that Tendulkar was born. “Sachin’s dad was a teacher. That’s why he was really keen on doing something for the education of children, so he started with sponsorships,” said Mehta, who has been with Apnalaya for 35 years. “He donates money to the charity every year and even gives the money he makes from auctions or interviews to it. He supports us financially and morally. I am sure he would like to do a lot more with Apnalaya but it is not always possible.” His celebrity status takes care of that. Though Tendulkar is by far the most popular cricketer in the country, neither party has sought to leverage publicity from the association. “It’s just the kind person he is,” adds Mehta. “He doesn’t like to speak about it. Though people have told us that we have got such a great brand ambassador, we are uncomfortable about using his name.” Recently, Tendulkar donated the Rs 12 lakh he got from a charity coaching auction on ebay to the charity. Two people tied for the winning bid of Rs 6 lakh, and the batsman agreed to do personal clinics for both, with the proceeds going to Apnalaya. With the publicity, the Apnalaya communities are more aware of their association with the superstar. “That’s why we haven’t called him for a function now,” says Joshi. “Because now that everyone knows, we are going to get so many people coming in that we won’t be able to manage it!” (For more on Apnalaya’s work or to contribute to the cause, please visit www.apnalaya.org) DID YOU KNOW On the 1991 tour of Australia, Sachin stayed awake all night once as he had to bat the next morning. THE MASTER BLASTER IN NUMBERS 186* The highest score by an Indian in an ODI. Sachin got this against NZ on Nov 8, '99. 5000 The no. of runs he had amassed when he was 23 years and 29 days old -the youngest to do so. He loves movies and loves to dance I’ve known him since he was born. My family moved to Sahitya Sahawas in Mumbai’s Bandra in 1967 and Sachin’s family moved into the society in 1972, a year before he was born. He enjoyed cricket and was okay at it as a kid and for all of us, he was just a normal kid, till he was about 10. That’s when he went to Sharadashram and things changed. Sachin enjoys his holidays, all of us do. Our families go to Lonavala together, and have been to Euro Disney (in May 2004) and to Iceland in July 2009 among other places. This summer, Anjali said we had to vacation in Iceland. Initially, we didn’t think Sachin could join us. It was therefore a pleasant surprise when he dropped in from England. It turned out to be a fabulous week. We had informed the hotel staff that they were going to have someone more famous than the President of India. So when Sachin did get there, our local driver, who had driven the former President of India, Abdul Kalam, around Reykjavík a couple of years ago, was taken aback. He had probably expected someone with a rockstar attitude. What he got was Sachin’s simplicity. We took speedboats out on ice and also went horse riding. It was one of the rare times that Sachin actually sat on a horse, and he thoroughly enjoyed himself. He invariably does. Sachin and his son Arjun would also play cricket in the hotel’s passage and luckily for them, most of the rooms were unoccupied. Incidentally, Sachin is a good dancer and though most people don’t know this, he enjoys dancing as much as the Yuvrajs and Harbhajans of the Indian team. He is the perfect host, makes an effort to involve everyone in conversation, and it’s almost tradition that he prepares everyone’s first drink. Sachin’s wife, Anjali, meanwhile, is like a group mother for our bunch of closely-knit families (Sachin’s, Atul Ranade’s, Sunil Harshe’s, mine, and that of two other friends’). She’s always well informed and sensible and we take her advice on everything, even stuff like changing schools for our kids. The way she handles things, with poise and grace, is quite amazing. So what is Sachin like? What he’s always been like! This probably sums it up. On his return from Pakistan after his Test debut, we had a party in our colony on New Year’s Eve. Early next morning, over 10 of us crammed into in an Ambassador and went off to Madh Island (in Mumbai). Because of the crush, Sachin perched on a friend’s lap. There, because of the crowd that gathered around Sachin, we left. On our way back, the car, inevitably, broke down. Sachin came home in an auto, no fuss, nothing. Thanks to Sachin, I have become a better human being. (Vivek Palkar, a friend of the family, spoke to G. Krishnan) Amol Muzumdar on Sachin My favourite Sachin innings His first double hundred, 204 for Mumbai against Australia at Brabourne Stadium (Mumbai) in 1998. It was an unbelievable innings and I watched it from 22 yards away. It was hitting at its best and the ball travelled from his bat at supersonic speed. I have never seen a cricket ball being hit so hard. He went in to bat one hour before lunch and 30 minutes after tea, he had a double hundred. My other favourite innings was the 233 for Mumbai vs Tamil Nadu in the 1999-2000 Ranji Trophy semifinal. The manner in which he got the double was out of the world. His greatest strength His mind is his greatest strength. His greatest quality is the way he thinks out of the box, only a genius can be that way. If he sets his mind on something, he has to achieve it. Weakness What weakness can you point out about Sachin? His only weakness, as far as I know, is his passion for cars and the fact that he drives so fast you have to fasten your seatbelt and hold on tight. He has a fascination for speed and is often drawn into long, intense discussions on the speeds of BMWs and Ferraris. Sachin & me He is very mischievous. About 10 years ago, he was coming to my place for dinner and we had prepared a lot of things and were eagerly awaiting his arrival. He called me from downstairs to say he could not make it. I was completely zapped because this was so unlike Sachin. Two minutes later, my doorbell rang. I was very upset and did not answer. In walked Sachin and made my day. I was so happy that I still remember his face and the bright red T-shirt he was wearing. The aura around him is something unbelievable, this despite knowing him from our school days. My message to Sachin Just carry on, but please, a humble request! Leave one odd record for someone else to get to! (As told to G. Krishnan)

[DomainK]

I've never seen Tendulkar throw tantrums: Ganguly What can I say about Sachin Tendulkar that has not already been said or written about? Isn't it enough to say that players of my generation have been lucky to share the dressing room with him? Having known him from very close quarters right from our days we used to play under- 15 cricket, I have marvelled at the manner in which he has built his career, admired his single-minded approach to batting and the way he has handled fame and fortune. After I took over the captaincy from him in 2000, I have often benefited from his cricketing wisdom. In my book, there are three aspects to being Sachin Tendulkar: the batsman, the person and the superstar. The batsman Simply put, he is the best batsman that I have seen or played with or against. He is head and shoulders above the rest and there is no comparison. Having opened with him in over 200 ODIs and been at the other end of the wicket on hundreds of occasions, I've marvelled at his ability to play shots that lesser mortals would not even think of attempting. With a cricket bat in hand, Sachin is supremely confident. There is no better sight in cricket than Sachin in full flow. The person The best thing about Sachin is that despite scaling new peaks of popularity, he has both feet planted firmly on the ground. That's the reason he has not only survived for 20 long years as a top-level athlete but continues to prosper in all walks of life. In life as well as in cricket, Sachin always strikes the right balance. I have no doubt in my mind that he will continue to do the country proud with the bat for as long as he chooses to play. The superstar In a cricket-crazy country where everyone wants a piece of him, I have never seen Sachin throw tantrums, on or off the field. He is a role model for the youth and carries himself with dignity. He also has very deep-rooted values and stands by them. He is easily India's biggest sporting icon of his generation. (As told to Sumit Mukherjee)

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/interviews/Ive-never-seen-Tendulkar-throw-tantrums-Ganguly/articleshow/5224626.cms

[DomainK]

Sania Mirza applauds India's super bat

Thorough gentleman The best thing about Sachin Tendulkar is that he's completely rooted, down to earth, and a thorough gentleman. He's probably the best thing to have happened to Indian cricket and maybe Indian sport as a whole. When he completed 17,000 runs in ODIs, I sent him a congratulatory SMS. He replied immediately. He's obviously a champion, but despite everything he has achieved he remains a really gentle person. First meeting I think it was at a press conference. After that we chatted, and we've met quite a few times since. I've even played umpire for an exhibition tennis match that he was involved in and it was fun. His achievements I don't know if I want to rate any one of his achievements over the others. He has achieved a lot, and I think it would be unfair to rank it, simply because a lot of effort has gone into each knock. That he has lasted this long on the international stage is fantastic. For years, I've been reading about how he shouldn't play ODIs, and then he comes up with a knock like the 175 (in Hyderabad last week against the Australians) and silences everybody. I'm no expert on this, but it looks like he still has some good years of cricket left in him.

Source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/interviews/Sania-Mirza-applauds-Indias-super-bat/articleshow/5224606.cms

[Shane]

LRuWHE4ca6Q

[Holysmoke]

Samir Dighe peers inside Sachin's mind to discover what keeps the genius ticking. I've known Sachin since I was in the tenth standard. He was then about twelve. He's four-and-half years younger to me and we went to Ramakant Achrekar's academy at almost the same time. I've also been privileged to have played in a few teams with him. Yet, just like many others, I'm still trying to figure out if he's a normal human being. The only thing I know for sure is that Sachin never shows his emotions. He always seems happy and never gets angry, but again, it's difficult to figure out what is going on in that mind of his. He's basically a very shy and reserved person who keeps to himself. At the same time, if he likes someone, he will spend quality time being free and mischievous. While that is his other side, it's his cricketing skills that make you wonder what makes him so great. I guess it's his discipline, focus, commitment and deep passion for the game. On tours, Sachin is meticulous to a fault. Even off the field, if you happen to be in his room after a day's play, you'll find him quietly busy. He'll make you comfortable but go on with little chores, like putting out the laundry, placing his bats in one place, making the bed and keeping the room tidy. This routine hasn't changed in 20 years. His focus is unparalleled and his desire to play is insatiable. In the last five years, specifically, he has learnt to keep his body in top shape. He knows that fitness is the key if he has to play more. Just the other day, he fielded for 50 overs, batted for 47 overs and made 175 unforgettable runs. You may have noticed his body doesn't break down as often now, thanks to new fitness regimes. Recently, I was party to one of his training sessions in Goa during Diwali. While the nation was soaking in the festive spirit, Sachin was sweating it out for no less than three-and-a-half hours everyday in the October heat. Sachin continues to visualise being on the field while training. He will imagine he is batting out there in the middle, then think of a particular nerve or muscle that has maybe troubled him. He then trains to strengthen that specific area. Sachin has grown up with the game and has had to sacrifice many things along the way. He has even shunned some favourite foods. Wicketkeeper Samir Dighe played six Tests and 23 ODIs for India.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/interviews/If-he-likes-you-Sachin-can-get-very-mischievous/articleshow/5224594.cms

[Sachinism]

Oh god so many new articles. gonna be a busy afternoon

[DomainK]

Oh god so many new articles. gonna be a busy afternoon

You better start reading immediately. Articles are being published in dozens.

[DomainK]

A 16-year old boy still lives within me: Tendulkar

Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, who will complete 20 long momentous years in international cricket, on Friday said his hunger for runs never died at any stage. "The day I wore my India cap my most memorable moment. I was on cloud 9. The dream was to play for India. Nothing bigger than that. Very fortunate to be living that dream. Walking in the playing eleven the journey began there." Sachin accepted the fact that his first tour in 1989 was not easy. "45 days, party time, first tour. Wearing a moustache and lipstick, it was a party time. But the cricket in Pakistan was very tough." "From 1989 thing have changed, T20, TV umpires. The most noticeable change is because of T20. It's forcing batsmen to try new things with Test and ODI cricket. And now we see a lot more results in Test cricket", said the milestone man. Tendulkar said he changed his batting style according to changing times. "Along with time I've changed too. I've tried to make myself a better cricketer. Always believe there has to be a purpose when I practice. It's a never-ending process. You need to be on your toes." The ace batsman also took the opportunity to thank his family and the kind of support he as been bestowed with. "Its a lot of hard work. There are a certain things that all sportsmen have to follow. For me, I was very lucky to have my family. My mum fed me well, my dad supported me and my brother guided me. I represent my family. I'm there alone when I go out there. But I have great support. That's why I've managed to stay out there for so long. And for that I also have to thank people of this country." "I've not made any effort to stay humble. It's just my upbringing. Nobody in my family got carried away by my success. That is where my family made sure my feet were on the ground." "My brother Ajit contributes to my learning the most. He knows my batting more than any other person. I also seek Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri's advice." He also thanked God and fans for showering blessings upon him. "God's been kind. I've worked hard. And support and wishes have helped." The Little Master, who is known for his amicable behaviour on and off the field, said aggression should help one in progressing. "Aggression should be inside, not on the outside. Aggression should help you, not the opposition." On captaining Team India again, Tendulkar said, "Everything's working just find. I'm happy to play the mentoring role. It doesn't matter who's captaining the side as long as we're all contributing for India's cause." David Boon was also one of those who gave the young Sachin some useful tips. "David boon I met is Australia in 91, I hadn't played the West Indies fast bowlers. We were playing a triangular series in Australia. And I'd watched boon so I thought I should pick up tips from him." Sachin mentioned the fact that he went through special training to face the legendary bowler Shane Warne. "I prepared differently for Warne. I asked all my colleagues to keep bowling round the wicket in the rough outside leg stump. L Siva also helped in the process." When asked to pick either Warne or Muralitharan as his favourite, the ace Indian batsman said, "I think anyone who goes past 500 or 600 wickets. Both are match winners and fabulous bowlers. I can't choose." When asked about his most memorable on-field moment, Sachin recalled his first series and said, "When I got hurt by the Younis bouncer in Sialkot, I clearly remember. A lot of people get shattered when you get injured. I've been hurt before on my nose. So the fear of getting hurt was not there. I decided I'm not going to move." Sachin expected to get selected before Pakistan series in 1989 but his studies came in his way. "I remember Raj bhai was the chairman(of the selection committee). We were playing semis against Delhi. There were talks that I would go to the West Indies (before pak series). But Raj bhai very clearly told me that I had to give my SSC exams and would not be selected." When asked about match fixing and its impact, Sachin said, " It was a dark phase. What was fascinating was the series we played against Australia right after. Both these series were instrumental in bringing the crowds back." Sachin's respect for bowlers only increased with every passing game "Nothing is easy. I want to prepare to the best of my ability. I was always confident. I won't take anything for granted. "I felt earlier I could hit every ball. But after playing international cricket it taught me to be more selective, build and innings and to respect a bowler." Having completed 20 years in international cricket, Sachin said his teenage years of cricket is still in him. "Cricket lives in my heart. Somewhere still a 16-year-old boy lives within me. I don't have to make an effort to be enthusiastic."

Source: http://cricket.ndtv.com/cricket/ndtvcricket/storypage.aspx?id=SPOEN20090116646

[SachDan]

He must be a tired man by now. So many interviews in the last 3-4 days !