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


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Sachin was a star from day one- Kiran More

Former India [ Images ] wicket-keeper Kiran More relives Sachin Tendulkar's [ Images ] debut Test against Pakistan in Karachi on November 15, 1989. More, who went on to head India's selection committee, recalls how Pakistan were left stunned by the 16-year-old's batting prowess. He still remembers the day when Tendulkar cried after getting out on 88 against New Zealand [ Images ] after missing out on a well-deserved century in 1990. Two years later, More was witness to one of the greatest innings in Test cricket when Tendulkar smashed a cracking century on a green pitch against Australia [ Images ] at Perth in 1992. "I knew Sachin very well because I played a lot of cricket in Mumbai [ Images ]. I knew how he had done in junior cricket. When he came to Baroda with the Mumbai team for a Ranji Trophy match -- he was around 14 or 15 -- he came over to my place for lunch. He was certainly a star from day one. For me, he was a class player right from the start. I think history was made in Peshawar when he got a chance to play an exhibition match. The game was washed out and we played a 20 overs match. Ravi Shastri and I had gone shopping to buy some jutis (traditional shoes) from the local market in Peshawar. When we came back we heard the crowd shouting and cheering from a distance. When we reached there, we saw this young boy hitting Abdul Qadir all over the place. After seeing that dashing innings we knew that Sachin had it in him to succeed at the highest level. When we played a Test at Sialkot, on a green pitch, he batted for around three-and-a-half hours and scored 59 to save the match. He was facing the best bowling attack in the world in Imran Khan [ Images ], Wasim Akram [ Images ] and Waqar Younis. They deliberately targeted him with short deliveries and once got hit on the nose by a bouncer from Waqar. He refused to take medical assistance despite blooding dripping from his nose. That day it proved he was not shy of battle and ready to fight it out for his country. He was a young boy, but showed he was born tough and man enough. Test cricket was tough those days because there was no limit on the number of bouncers you could bowl in an over. And playing in Pakistan, in front of an aggressive crowd, is always tough. But Sachin showed his class and delivered under pressure. That day I knew he had tremendous talent and would go on to break a lot of records. The Pakistani players used to call him 'Gittu'. They always would say, 'Get this 'Gittu', then we will get the others.' I heard Imran Khan saying this; they were scared of his hitting. I have never seen anyone comfortable against Wasim Akram, but Sachin played him so confidently even though he was starting out in international cricket. We had a partnership in New Zealand where he got out for 88 (at Napier [ Images ] in February 1990). He cried when he got out, because he wanted to score a century. So when he got that hundred in England [ Images ] (at Manchester in August 1990), it was big relief for everyone in the dressing room, because he was a young guy and had come close to a hundred on a few occasions before. I still remember what a knock it was under pressure, against a good bowling attack. We could have lost the match, but Sachin's century ensured that we saved it. One of the best innings I've seen him play was in 1992, in Perth, when he scored a brilliant century (114 off 161 deliveries including 16 boundaries) on one of the fastest pitches you will ever see. There were big cracks on the wicket and Australia had quite a few fast bowlers with fielders surrounding the batsmen, but he came up with one of the best innings one will ever witness. He has been quite sensational this year with his batting and it seems he is reminding us that he still has it in him to score big centuries. The way he is batting, I wish he keeps performing at this level and wins the 2011 World Cup for India, which is his dream. He is the best cricketer ever to have graced the game. Despite the amount of pressure and expectation he has to endure from fans and the media he has conduced himself so well. The best part about him is his passion to play for the country, which shows in his eyes. I think that keeps him going year after year."
Source: http://cricket.rediff.com/report/2009/nov/13/kiran-more-salutes-sachin-tendulkar.htm
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Sachin, don't quit till you are convinced- Manoj Prabhakar

The first Test between India [ Images ] and Pakistan in Karachi, which began on November 1989, was memorable for some Indian players. It was Kapil Dev's [ Images ] 100th Test, making him the first bowler to then play so many matches. Mohammad Azharuddin [ Images ] stepped in for Raman Lamba and sealed a near permanent spot in the Test side. On the first morning, a fanatic attacked Indian captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth, who escaped unhurt. But the reason the Test will always, always, be remembered is because it was the first Test for a 16-year-old resident of Sahitya Sahawas, a housing colony for writers and their families in Bandra East, north-west Mumbai [ Images ]. Yes, it was the first time the cricketing world glimpsed Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar in a Test. On the occasion of the legend's 20th anniversary in international cricket, Manoj Prabhakar, who also played that Test (bagging five wickets), salutes Sachin. "Very early on in that first tour it became obvious to everyone that this kid was here for the long haul. Both Indian and Pakistani players were showering praise on Sachin," recalls Manoj Prabhakar. The teenager handled the Pakistani fast bowlers with aplomb. "The way he played that deadly attack was fantastic. The kid showed he had the guts to perform at that level. Some senior Pakistani players said: "Yaar, bachcha kahan se pakad ke aaye ho? Is ki lag laga na jai (From where did you get this kid? Nothing should go wrong for him)." Early on in the match, Tendulkar was hit on the face by a fierce Wasim Akram [ Images ] delivery. Prabhakar remembers a follow-up incident in Sharjah a few years later. "Akram hit Sachin on the head once again in Sharjah. The next ball disappeared even before Akram could finish his follow through. That is Sachin. He can say everything without speaking a word." Though the 1989 series unveiled the legend-in-the-making, Prabhakar remembers Tendulkar from a year before. When he heard that a 16-year-old would be joining him on the tour to Pakistan, the Delhi [ Images ] all-rounder instantly knew who it was. "We (Delhi) were playing Bombay. Maninder Singh was bowling fantastically. Then, out of nowhere, this kid jumped out of his crease and hit Maninder for a six. I was shocked, because when Maninder was on song, even an experienced batsman could not step out to him. He was striking the ball well. It reminded us of Sunil Gavaskar [ Images ]." Tendulkar, who came in after the spinners had come on, scored about 30-odd runs in that game, but did not face Prabhakar. "I don't think he had enough patience at that time," says Prabhakar, adding, "He was looking to score all the time. I did bowl to him soon after in another domestic match." Prabhakar was determined to get him out. "I tried a slower ball. He hit me for a six. I then tried a bouncer. He hit me for a six. That is when I realised that this kid is not easy to get out. My frustrations that day must have been shared by a lot of international bowlers in the years to come." Another early trait, Prabhakar points out, that stood out in Tendulkar was his body language. "His body language was very positive... sort of arrogant. When he was on the field, if you did not look at his face, you wouldn't know it was a kid. He walked and behaved like an adult," Prabhakar, off whose bowling Tendulkar took his first-ever Test catch, says. Though the opposition may have been taken in, Tendulkar's on-field aggression never fooled any of his senior teammates. Sample this story with a touch of innocence. "After the Pakistan series we were touring Zimbabwe. Sachin and I were batting together and we went to the toilet during a break. When I was done, I saw Sachin was still standing there. I asked him what the matter was. He said, 'Yaar, aa nahi raha hain' (Friend, it's not coming out)." The teenager then asked Prabhakar to turn on the tap. "Listening to the water running got him going. When he came out I asked him if he was done." "'It was just like when I was a child and some elder person in the family had to make a hissing noise for me to pee,' he said." Prabhakar wishes Tendulkar, who will turn 37 next April, at least five more years of international cricket. "If you keep fit, nobody can touch you. You are not a Gooch or a Border (Englishman Graham Gooch and Australian Allan Border [ Images ], two batsmen who were still playing when they were a year short of 40 and pushed by the selectors to quit). Whatever you achieve from here on is your own milestone," Prabhakar tells Tendulkar through this feature, adding, "You only live one life as Sachin Tendulkar [ Images ]. Don't miss anything in that. Don't quit till you are convinced it is the end." "I want him to get 100 international centuries. I know it is not easy, but it is also not very hard for Sachin!"
Source: http://cricket.rediff.com/report/2009/nov/13/manoj-prabhakar-salutes-sachin-tendulkar.htm
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When Sachin Tendulkar played the role of a fan- by Sandeep Dwivedi

In these days of intense frenzy about Sachin Tendulkar, Thursday was an unusual outing for the man who is two days away from completing 20 years in international cricket. While the entire nation has been undertaking a collective trip down memory lane, recalling the tales of the boy wonder who travelled to Pakistan for his first international tour in the late 80s, Tendulkar got a chance to play a starry-eyed fan to three 70s stars he has grown up idolising. It was a delayed 60th birthday party for cricketing legends Sunil Gavaskar and Gundappa Viswanath, and the silver screen’s towering personality Amitabh Bachchan dropped in to honour them. With such a starcast on stage, Tendulkar’s status as chief guest for the function didn’t guarantee him all the attention. The occasion was a refreshing change for the 36-year-old, who has rarely been away from the media glare since adolescence. All through the evening, it was an out-and-out Sunny and Vishy show. As footage of their schools, old tales by family members, loving recollections of friends, images of a clean-shaven batsman playing breathtaking straight drives and the one with a stubble essaying delicious late cuts played on the screen, Tendulkar and Bachchan joined those in the audience to smile and shake their heads in awe. Compelling aura But so compelling was the aura of the Fab Four that each of them seemed unwilling to play the star and was overwhelmed on encountering the hearty appreciation of the other. After the tributes were over and the four walked on stage, there was a reluctance to take the spotlight. Vishy wanted Bachchan to take the central seat while Sunny seemed to be moving to the side chair. The order was soon restored as the birthday boys were made to sit in the middle flanked by the special guests. The presence of such strong personalities on the dais meant they all had been used to dealing with the pressure of public expectations, and there ensued a discussion on the frequent appearance of ‘butterflies in the stomach’ before a big game or when facing the camera. Bachchan acknowledged that the cricketing greats next to him were making him struggle for the right lines and Tendulkar too talked about pre-match anxiety. “When you are nervous, that means you care about what you are doing. And I care about cricket,” he said. The mutual admiration on stage continued for a while as each spoke about the other’s greatness. If Tendulkar wanted to know about Bachchan’s preparation for his award-winning role in the movie Black, Viswanath spoke about how Sunny’s power of concentration and his ability to judge the length of a ball was unparalleled. Tendulkar relived the moment when he got a special phone call from Gavaskar after getting his 34th Test century and described it as one of the most memorable moments of his life. The boyish grin on his face and the halting shy tone brought back memories of the days when the Indians stumbled upon a 16-year-old batting phenomenon in 1989.
Source:http://www.indianexpress.com/news/when-sachin-tendulkar-played-the-role-of-a-fan/540846/0
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Sachin is one of world's greatest sportsmen- Lewis Hamilton

Ican't claim to be an expert on cricket. I've been involved in a couple of matches with Vodafone when we visited New Delhi and Melbourne; and while I used to play at school, I wasn't particularly good, so I'm not the best person to speak to about Sachin Tendulkar. But having said that, I think I know enough about the game and its history and his career to know that he's an absolutely incredible cricketer - one of, if not the greatest, batsman in cricketing history. In the same way that a racing driver has an extremely personal connection with his car, Sachin has that same, innate association with his bat and a cricket ball. When Sachin is batting, it's almost as if he can anticipate how to attack each shot before the ball has even left the bowler's fingers; he takes on shots with a feel that few others possess. But that's not what makes him a great cricketer -- it's Sachin's belief, determination and passion for the game that truly marks him out as one of the sport's greatest superstars. He's always hungry for victory, he wants to win, and he wants to uphold the honour of India through even the toughest of situations. And that's great about him. It was only when I visited India that I fully appreciated just how important cricket is to the country. In Sachin, the country has a superstar of whom it can be hugely proud - not only is he a national sporting hero, but he is also one of the world's greatest sportsmen. (The writer drives for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes and won the Formula One championship in 2008)
Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report_sachin-is-one-of-world-s-greatest-sportsmen_1310934
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Bradman wouldn't be Don if he had played for 20 years- David Frith

Don Bradman played till he was 40. By then he was not a fit man. He had lost the war years and was never quite the same batsman after 1938. It is reasonable to suppose that had he been subjected to the intensive workload and travel of today's cricketers over the 20 years separating his first Test and his last (52 Tests only), he would not have averaged 99.94. Just how many runs and centuries he might have amassed is anyone's guess -- in one-day cricket as well as first-class -- not forgetting T20. I'm sure he would have "had a ball" but the average must surely have suffered. The very fact that we are analysing the supreme Don alongside Sachin Tendulkar speaks volumes I think. I first saw Tendulkar bat in the Old Trafford Test in 1990 when as a 17-year-old he registered his first Test century. It was a breathtaking performance by one so young and small. He won the Man of the Match award and was given a large bottle of champagne. We heard him shyly tell the presenter, in his boyish voice, that he didn't drink! That hundred saved India and it ranks with a handful of brilliant performances by young cricketers such as Archie Jackson, who stroked 164 on Ashes debut in Adelaide in 1929. If somebody had asked me in 1990 if this wonderful little batsman would still be around 20 years later, I would have been strongly inclined to say: "No chance". I last saw him "live" in the Sydney Test in January 2004 when he made a small matter of 241 not out and 60 not out. India made 705/7 and Tendulkar put on 353 with VVS (Laxman). And Australia wondered what was going on. It was like Bradman was back, only playing for the wrong side. I've watched Tendulkar many times since on television. He seems a permanent part of my life. His maturity was evident at the age of 17. Has anybody thought to check his birth certificate?! The standard features of Sachin, I'd say, are his dignity and a lack of flashiness. What separates him from the rest, apart from his exquisite skill, is that dignity. The exhibitionists should think hard about what type of player enhances this wonderful game best. Had Tendulkar been an Englishman it's hard to see how he could have broken into international cricket much before he was 20 or so. More young cricketers have been blooded by England's selectors than is generally realised but Brian Close, at 18, remains the youngest ever and I think Sachin might have had to hang around another couple of years had he not been an Indian. That first Test century of his remains, I think, the most vivid memory for me -- allied with that Sydney double-century which provided a sort of completion of a wonderful pair of brackets -- though I'm glad to see him marching on still further. I like his cover drive. It is the mark of class, and it's astonishing how one so diminutive can get over the ball and lash it through the covers. There is certainly a romanticism in his batting that amazes the purist in me. Today batsmanship is vigorous, aggressive and sometimes ugly and violent: but not from this little genius. The writer is a formereditor of Wisden Cricket Monthly --As told to Vijay Tagore
Source: http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report_bradman-wouldn-t-be-don-if-he-had-played-for-20-years_1310933
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The League Of One- TOI editorial

As Sachin Tendulkar completes 20 years in international cricket on Sunday, it is time to go beyond cricketscape to fully comprehend his contribution to India's sporting history. Sir Donald Bradman too had played international cricket for nearly two decades between 1929 and 1948. However, with not more than a handful of Test matches scheduled per year and with no ODIs and T-20 matches cramping the cricket calendar then, let alone the IPL, his body hadn't endured half of what Sachin's has. This statistic coupled with the pressure of a billion expectations that Sachin has played under in each of his 159 Tests and 435 ODIs makes him the greatest-ever sportsman to have played the game. In fact, it is now passe to suggest that Sachin is India's greatest-ever cricketer. Rather, it is time to step up the comparison and compare him with the world's greatest, to come to terms with his place in the global sporting pantheon. At a time when Sachin emerged on the international scene in 1989, India was gradually falling prey to escalating international and domestic tensions. Kashmir was on the boil, ULFA was eating into the edifice of Assam and the demand for Gorkhaland was gathering momentum in Bengal. It wouldn't be wrong to say that our democracy was at risk and the concept of Indianness was being threatened by secessionists and insurgents. In this atmosphere of growing political instability, Sachin emerged, someone who helped us feel uniquely Indian everytime he stepped out into the middle to espouse the national sporting cause. Be it at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata, at the Kotla in Delhi or at Chepauk in Chennai or indeed any stadium in this country he was always greeted with the same intensity and cheer. He helped carve out a truly pan-Indian imagined community. It is this singular contribution that places him on the same pedestal as a Jackie Robinson or a Jesse Owens. While Robinson's breaking the colour line in 1947 justly continues to be hailed as a huge breakthrough in major league baseball and went a long way to address the race issue in America, Owens standing up against the Nazi might in 1936 remains a significant sporting fairytale. His achievement helped in giving coloured sportspersons a respectability they had craved for years. Sachin's case is somewhat similar. Just as the nation was reeling under the impact of the Mumbai terror attacks and needed something to lift the collective national spirit, Sachin scored a match-winning fourth innings century at Chennai against the English in December 2008. His determination to do it "for India" was sure to rub off on every Indian sports fan. His gesture of dedicating the century to the memory of the victims of 26/11 did much to elevate Indian sport to a different level. He provided a salve for a troubled nation. Sachin's innings of 136 against Pakistan at Chennai in 1999, while suffering from severe back pain, was a pointer to his dedication to playing for the nation's cause. Kargil wasn't a far-away memory. The resilience and the will to fight were what we most wanted to see in our icons. Striving for success for the country at times of adversity while enduring maximum pain was the best message Sachin could offer his fellow citizens. If Chennai 1999 ended in tragedy, with India losing the match by a meagre 12 runs, Centurion, South Africa, in March 2003 marked a spectacular resurgence. In one of the most intensely fought World Cup encounters in the history of the competition, India triumphed over Pakistan thanks to Sachin's 78-ball 98. The impact was such that he was worshipped across the country alongside Lord Shiva on Shivratri. Sachin's aura isn't restricted to Indians at home. In the ever-growing Indian diaspora, Indian professionals will inevitably have a desktop scorecard open on their computer monitors every time Sachin steps out to bat. It is an instant connect with things Indian that helps unite the diverse but powerful Indian community in the West. While we can compare Sachin with legends like Nadia Commaneci, or more recently Usain Bolt, it is important to remember that Sachin is member of a collective and for a large part of his career has had to wage his battle with a mediocre team behind him. While Shane Warne had a Glenn McGrath or a Jason Gillespie to back him all through his career, Sachin, for most of the 1990s, was India's only answer to the best that world cricket hurled at us. For those who still need convincing of his stature as India's best-ever cricketer, his stay at the top of world cricket for 20 long years is the answer. Two long decades at the helm of international cricket, and still counting.
Source:http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/home/opinion/edit-page/The-League-Of-One/articleshow/5223802.cms
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20 years on, India icon Tendulkar takes fresh guard- by Kuldip Lal

NEW DELHI — Sachin Tendulkar begins a third decade in world cricket next week, insisting he is still as passionate to play for India as he was as a wide-eyed teenager 20 years ago. "My love for cricket and the honour of playing for my country have kept me motivated all these years," said Tendulkar, 36, ahead of the first Test against Sri Lanka starting in Ahmedabad on Monday. "Cricket is my life and I am lucky and absolutely honoured that I have been able to wear the India cap for 20 years." The Ahmedabad match will be Tendulkar's 160th Test appearance -- surpassed only by retired former Australian captain Steve Waugh's tally of 168 -- since his debut aged 16 against Pakistan in Karachi on November 15, 1989. He has risen to become the world's most successful batsman in both Test and one-day cricket, a result of both his unparalled genius with the bat and amazing longevity in the game. The world was a different place when Tendulkar began. No one sent e-mails or browsed the world wide web, Nelson Mandela was still in jail, the Soviet Union had not broken up and mobile phones had not become a way of life. When he started, Tendulkar's current captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni was an eight-year-old schoolboy and team-mates Ravindra Jadeja and Virat Kohli were barely a few months old. "We call him 'grandpa' in the dressing room," joked compatriot Yuvraj Singh. "But he is just amazing. He has achieved everything there is to achieve, but still wants to improve with every game. "Frankly, I can't think of an Indian team without Tendulkar." Among post-war cricketers whose careers spanned 20 years were Pakistanis Imran Khan and Mushtaq Mohammad, West Indian Garfield Sobers, Colin Cowdrey of England and Bobby Simpson of Australia. But Tendulkar has scaled the summit, scoring more Test runs (12,773) and centuries (42), and more one-day runs (17,178) and hundreds (45) than any other batsman. And he is not done yet. One of his cherished dreams is to win the World Cup in front of millions of worshipping home fans when India co-hosts the 2011 showpiece with Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Tendulkar has appeared in five World Cups and helped India reach the final in South Africa in 2003, but Sourav Ganguly's men failed to emulate Kapil Dev's winning feat in England in 1983. Tendulkar, born in a middle-class family of a Marathi novelist and named after famous Bollywood music director Sachin Dev Burman, is a multi-millionaire in a country where he is revered like a demi-god. But retirement has not even crossed his mind despite the wear and tear of a 20-year grind that has left him nursing injuries to the shoulder, elbow, back, hamstring and feet. "I know there is lot of cricket left in me because I am still enjoying it," said Tendulkar. "I am not thinking of retirement. At some stage, I will have to, but I don't need to think of it right now." Team-mates and rivals alike rejoice at his feats. Australian spin legend Shane Warne rated Tendulkar as number one on his list of 50 contemporary cricketers prepared for the London-based Times newspaper. Former captain Ganguly calls him "the king of cricket", West Indian great Viv Richards, one of Tendulkar's childhood heroes, regards him as "99.5 percent perfect." Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara says the Indian is the "greatest modern cricketer." For his countless fans, Tendulkar is a joy to behold. For there may never be another like him again.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gZe7uELTJ9I4XtNt6nMg1aQVBI5A
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Not a run machine- Rajdeep Sardesai, Editor-in-Chief , IBN Network

Where were you on November 15, 1989? I know where I was: glued to the TV watching a 16-year-old boy with curls and rosy cheeks take on Pakistan’s fast bowlers. Twenty years later, the locks are showing a hint of grey but Sachin Tendulkar is still doing what he does best: score runs for India. Much has changed in the world around us in the last 20 years. One thing hasn’t: the presence of Tendulkar on the cricket crease. Remember 1989? It was the year that the Berlin Wall fell, Rajiv Gandhi lost the general elections and V.P. Singh was transformed into a middle-class hero. It was the year that the militant’s gun first echoed in the Kashmir Valley while the bugle of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement was sounded in Ayodhya. In 1989, $500 was your forex limit, Manmohan Singh was far from being the finance minister, there were no private TV news channels and India was still struggling with the Hindu rate of growth. To many Indians of my generation, there is only one link between then and now: the batsmanship of Tendulkar. Forget the runs and the records. That is for historians and statisticians. For the genuine cricket fan, Tendulkar has always been much more than a run machine: he has played the game the way it was meant to be played — with passion, unbridled enthusiasm and, above all, dignity. It’s true that the gay abandon with which he lit into Abdul Qadir on his first tour to Pakistan has given way to a more methodical approach to batting. Yet, as he showed in Hyderabad, the core of his being is still in playing attacking cricket. Incredibly, even towards the end of his epic, he was running faster than his partners who were almost half his age. It can’t have been easy. Cricket’s history is littered with stories of prodigies who never quite made the transition to the big league. Not only did Tendulkar make the great leap, but he did it in the span of less than two years. Lesser men would have simply buckled under when hit on the face as he was in the first series by a Waqar bouncer. But he didn’t. In that one fleeting moment, when he dusted himself up, a teenager became a man. We all have our favourite Tendulkar moment: was it the sliced cut off Shoaib Akhtar for a six in the 2003 world cup? Maybe, it was the emotional century within a week of his father’s death? Or was it his demolition of Shane Warne in Chennai? Or the Sharjah innings that remains his signature one-day knock? Or the double century in Sydney? Or the match-winning innings last year against England within weeks of the 26/11 terror? When you’ve scored a staggering 87 international centuries, then picking a single cricketing achievement isn’t easy. But his real achievement is beyond the boundary. We live in an age of instant stardom and mini-celebrities, where fame is an intoxicant that can easily consume the best of us. Sachin, remarkably, has been almost untouched by the fact that he is contemporary India’s biggest icon, arguably bigger than even an Amitabh Bachchan or a Shah Rukh Khan. As Khan revealed in an interview, at a party there was a big noise when Big B entered. Then, Sachin entered the hall and Bachchan was leading the queue to grab hold of the cricket champion! Through the many highs and a few lows, Tendulkar’s balance has never wavered both on and off the field, driven by a single-minded devotion to the game. He has avoided controversy, remaining a private individual. He may not have gone to college, but life has perhaps taught him more than he could have ever learnt there. He is aware of his commercial value but his badge of identity is that he is the Maharashtrian middle-class boy who has remained true to his roots. He may lack the gravitas of Sunil Gavaskar, but on cricketing matters he can be just as articulate. In a sense, the passing of the baton from Gavaskar to Tendulkar represents the coming of age of Indian cricket and a new India. Gavaskar was the architect, who built every innings with a clinical precision, that perhaps was symbolic of a Nehruvian India when neither Indian cricket nor the country could afford any form of extravagance. Tendulkar is the free-spirited artist who bats with the freedom of an India unshackled of its socialist baggage, where cricket is now part of a lucrative entertainment industry. So, how much longer will Tendulkar continue? Sir Don Bradman, statistically the greatest-ever batsman, played for Australia for 20 years, interrupted by war and benefiting from the fact that cricket was then a seasonal sport. Sachin, whom the great Don likened to himself, has been playing virtually non-stop for two decades in the most high-pressure environment that modern sport can throw up. Maybe, the body is creaking a little, but the mind doesn’t seem to have given up yet. Maybe, the goal of the 2011 World Cup is still the ultimate motivation. Of course, he will retire one day, but till he does, we must savour the magic. A banner in Sharjah once said it all, “I will see God when I die, but till then I will see Sachin!” Amen.
Source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/Not-a-run-machine/H1-Article1-475748.aspx
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Tendulkar@20: Gavaskar pays tribute

In November 1989, a 16-year-old from Mumbai made the most anticipated debut in the history of Indian cricket. In November 2009, that boy was 36, but he was still batting and battling for India, playing an innings which left those who saw it breathless. In 20 years, Sachin Tendulkar has become a constant indulgence. Superlatives fail those who go in search of them. Tendulkar at Twenty is a modern colossus, a genius beyond compare: the boy from Bandra who lorded over the cricketing world. CNN-IBN celebrated two decades of Sachin Tendulkar's glorious international career with Sunil Gavaskar on a special edition of Sunny Side Up. Tendulkar owns almost all the records in the cricketing world, but this is an achievement of playing two decades of international cricket, and he still wants to keep playing. "Apart from Sir Garfield Sobers, nobody has played 20 years of international cricket," Gavaskar told CNN-IBN in a tribute to Tendulkar. "Playing at the highest level and playing to the highest standards for 20 years is an achievement beyond compare." "No praise can be too high for this young man," he added. "He is young, because as far as his enthusiasm for the game is concerned, he is almost child-like. That's what is keeping him going on and on, and I hope he keeps going on for a few more years." When he quit the game, Gavaskar spoke openly of how his desire to play was waning. What keeps Tendulkar going? "The way he played that innings (of 175 against Australia) at Hyderabad and the emotions that he expressed after India missed out by just three runs, I don't think it's waning," he said. "It is an indication that he is enjoying the game thoroughly, and as long as he is doing that, he will continue to play. "The moment the game starts to get a little tedious or monotonous or something which he doesn't quite enjoy, I think he will be the first one to quit," Gavaskar added. There has been a Bradman, there's been a Garry Sobers, there has been a Sunil Gavaskar, Shane Warne, Viv Richards. Is Tendulkar the greatest cricketer to ever play the game? Gavaskar doesn't quite agree.
Source: http://cricketnext.in.com/news/tendulkar20-gavaskar-pays-tribute/45080-18.html
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Tendulkar is god of Indian cricket- Kiran More

Former India stumper Kiran More, who played in the 1989 Test against Pakistan in which Sachin Tendulkar made his debut, pays tribute to the legend. Though I had heard a lot about a 14-year-old Mumbai lad with loads of talent, it was only during the 1989 tour of Pakistan that I got a good look at the future face of India cricket and my first impression was ‘this lad is really amazing and will go a long way’. An India-Pak series is always an high intensity series and the players, especially the younger ones, are normally tense and slightly nervous as they know fully well that it would be a make-or-break series for them but not this little fellow from Mumbai, who was on the contrary, oozing with confidence and was eagerly looking forward to facing the than most feared fast bowlers in the world – Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. Not many fast bowlers would have given a second look at the curly haired, chubby faced young lad always interested in practicing with a tennis ball thrown at him from all angles. But the Indian players had already heard about his talent and knew quite well that the pocket dynamo was ready to explode given a chance. In fact Sachin was so confident of making his debut in the match, his mere presence in the dressing room had made quite a few seniors a bit nervous about their chances of playing in the final eleven. He was dynamic, highly potential and was like a rocket ready to explode into the skies. He was mentally very strong, like most of the Mumbai players are, that he could grasp all the advices given to him by the seniors and wanted to know the strong points as well as the weaknesses of the opposition players. His body language had to be seen to be believed and gave an impression as if he was playing international cricket since he was born. In my mind, I had no doubt about Sachin Tendulkar would serve the country for a long, long time though nobody must have expected him to last for two decades. He could manage it simply because of his fearless approach to the game and his ability to bounce back from career threatening injuries. I was also aware that young Sachin would invariably be compared, as he grew in status, with the little master Sunny Gavaskar as they were both identical in many ways. Both were small built with curly hair, both had all the strokes in the game, both could concentrate for hours together and more importantly both had a positive body language while facing the best of spinners or the fast bowlers in the world. Perhaps the only difference I can point out is that Sachin is more aggressive and hungry for runs than Sunny, who was more patient and would build his innings brick by brick. Whenever, we speak about Sachin, we praise only his batting and forget that he is a very talented bowler and one of the finest fielders I have seen. Not many know that Tendulkar loves to practice his bowling as much as his batting in the nets. I have found him to be a very hard worker and enjoy his fielding as much as he enjoys his batting and bowling. I remember during his early days as an international cricketer, he and Ajay Jadeja used to compete against each other to save runs and effect run outs and it was very difficult to pick a winner between them. Sachin Tendulkar has been criticized for his captaincy and later for not accepting it but I can tell you the captaincy was offered to him at a very early stage of his career and I am sure if he had got the opportunity to lead say a couple of years later in his career, he would certainly have succeeded and probably would have ended up being one of the best in the country. Not leading the country for a longer period of time has proved to be a blessing in disguise for the Indian team who have benefitted immensely. To me he is a perfect cricketer, whose innovative batting in the One-Dayers has led to more innovations by the Twenty20 players around the world. The best thing about Sachin is whatever he does, he does it in style and all the youngsters in the present Indian team have benefitted with his advice at some point of time in their career. I think all the hard work he has put in as a youngster has also helped him to keep himself fit and I am sure he will continue to entertain the world as long as he enjoys the game. I call Tendulkar the god of Indian cricket simply because he has made cricket popular among all ages and in a way has changed the face of cricket in the world. A cricketer of his caliber is born only once in a century and we are lucky and proud that he is an Indian.
Source: http://cricketnext.in.com/news/tendulkar-is-god-of-indian-cricket/45031-13-2.html
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Playing for India my greatest pride: Tendulkar

Mumbai: Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar acknowledged his international debut in Pakistan in 1989 as the most important moment of his life. Speaking at a press conference to mark his completing two decades in international cricket, the Little Master said, "playing for India for the first time" was the most important moment for him. "Playing for India for the first time was the most important moment for me," he said, adding that the innings against Pakistan at the 2003 World Cup was his best knock. Playing for the country was my childhood dream and I have fulfilled my dream. I am fortunate to have played for my country for so many years," he added. Asked what changes have occurred in the game in the 20 years of his career, Tendulkar picked the advent of Twenty20, television assistance for umpiring decisions and batting innovations as the major changes that have taken place. "From 1989, the game has changed a lot from the introduction of third umpire and Hot Spot system to the introduction of Twenty20 and so many things," he said. "The most significant is that lot of innovative shots which were earlier occasionally used but left are being played by the batsmen now," Tendulkar said. "There is a lot more risk taking by the players now. Because of this, the total in the one-dayers have increased. Nowadays, 275 on a good pitch is not a great score. "The same is the case in Test also. There are a lot more results now than in the past. Earlier, people used to get bored of Test cricket because there were few results but nowadays there has been more results and that has made it more entertaining," said the 36-year-old champion batsman. Asked how much has changed in his game in the 20 years, Tendulkar said, "I have changed a lot. I am trying to improve myself every game. It is a never ending process as everyday is a fresh challenge. So it is hard job to be on your toes everytime." "A combination of factors made me remain focussed on the game. My parents, brothers, sisters and wife supported me all through. My mother does not know cricket but will pray for my success and for the country. I discussed cricket with my elder brother a lot. The other brother and the sister also supported me. With my wife, I talk about cricket to her also and that is the main reason why I was able to last such a long time," he said. "Above all, the affection and support from the cricket fans of the country was immense. You need people to share your success and I have more than a billion people. That is more than enough for me," Tendulkar said. Since his debut Test against Pakistan in 1989, Tendulkar has played 159 Tests, scoring 12,773 runs with 42 centuries at an average of 54.58. From the 436 ODI matches he played since December 19, 1989 against Pakistan in Gujranwala, he had amassed 17,178 runs at an average of 44.50 with 45 hundreds.
Source: http://cricketnext.in.com/news/playing-for-india-my-greatest-pride-tendulkar/45122-13.html
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A Tribute by Geet Sethi At the pinnacle of his career, yet grounded seq7hi.jpg Geet Sethi I interacted with Sachin a few years ago in Bangalore. I was invited by the Indian cricket board to give a talk to the Indian team during their camp there, just before they were to leave for a tour of Australia. I talked about concentration and focus and about techniques to build concentration. I remember him as being most earnest, genuinely interested in the talk. 90un7t.jpg In fact, he was the only one who came to me later and wanted to talk more about the subject and sharing a situation similar to what I had referred to during the talk. His intensity, willingness to listen and, most importantly, his calm impressed me tremendously. Here was a guy at the pinnacle of his profession, which had made him unarguably the most famous person in India. Yet, he was completely grounded, completely at ease with himself and so very earnest and enthusiastic. (Geet Sethi is a former six-time world professional billiards champion) A Tribute by Sunil Harshe 102mqmp.jpg Some people are lucky to be rich. Some people are lucky to be born intelligent. Given our belief in destiny and the virtues of past lives, I think I probably did something very good to be Sachin’s friend in this one. In good and bad times, Sachin has always been there, to help out in some way or just to provide comfort. Beyond that public persona, is just a very regular guy, friendly, impassioned, loving. e0lbo2.jpg For instance, Sachin is not just father to his children. He is their friend. But, he insists on certain things with them. Like, the fact that both kids call him baba (father in Marathi). Growing up in a society (Sahitya Sahawas) full of literary stalwarts, Sachin chose cricket instead, that in itself was out of the ordinary. He chose his career at the age of 10 and then became a totally different Sachin. He was from a middle-class family and it was after Sungrace Mafatlal took him on, that he got to see new pads, new bats. His first seasoned bat though, his sister got him from Kashmir. He comes from a close-knit family and enjoys spending time with his friends. Among the things he loved was watching Marathi comedy movies. His favourite actors were Laxmikant Berde and Ashok Saraf. Even now, whenever Sachin has the time and is in Mumbai, we go out to the movies. The other thing about him is that he loves junk food! But he’s also a fabulous cook and loves experimenting with different cooking methods and styles. He’s quite precise in his preparations for cooking, much like he is in cricket. It’s also quite amazing to see that it’s been 20 years since he first made his debut. May God be with him and give him and his family good health. (Sunil Harshe, Sachin’s childhood friend from Sahitya Sahawas, spoke to G. Krishnan) A tribute by Rajdeep Sardesai Not a run machine rajdeep.jpg Rajdeep Sardesai Tendulkar is a free-spirited artist who bats with the freedom of an India unshackled of its socialist baggage Where were you on November 15, 1989? I know where I was: glued to the TV watching a 16-year-old boy with curls and rosy cheeks take on Pakistan’s fast bowlers. Twenty years later, the locks are showing a hint of grey but Sachin Tendulkar is still doing what he does best: score runs for India. Much has changed in the world around us in the last 20 years. One thing hasn’t: the presence of Tendulkar on the cricket crease. Remember 1989? It was the year that the Berlin Wall fell, Rajiv Gandhi lost the general elections and V.P. Singh was transformed into a middle-class hero. It was the year that the militant’s gun first echoed in the Kashmir Valley while the bugle of the Ram Janmabhoomi movement was sounded in Ayodhya. In 1989, $500 was your forex limit, Manmohan Singh was far from being the finance minister, there were no private TV news channels and India was still struggling with the Hindu rate of growth. To many Indians of my generation, there is only one link between then and now: the batsmanship of Tendulkar. Forget the runs and the records. That is for historians and statisticians. For the genuine cricket fan, Tendulkar has always been much more than a run machine: he has played the game the way it was meant to be played — with passion, unbridled enthusiasm and, above all, dignity. It’s true that the gay abandon with which he lit into Abdul Qadir on his first tour to Pakistan has given way to a more methodical approach to batting. Yet, as he showed in Hyderabad, the core of his being is still in playing attacking cricket. Incredibly, even towards the end of his epic, he was running faster than his partners who were almost half his age. It can’t have been easy. Cricket’s history is littered with stories of prodigies who never quite made the transition to the big league. Not only did Tendulkar make the great leap, but he did it in the span of less than two years. Lesser men would have simply buckled under when hit on the face as he was in the first series by a Waqar bouncer. But he didn’t. In that one fleeting moment, when he dusted himself up, a teenager became a man. We all have our favourite Tendulkar moment: was it the sliced cut off Shoaib Akhtar for a six in the 2003 world cup? Maybe, it was the emotional century within a week of his father’s death? Or was it his demolition of Shane Warne in Chennai? Or the Sharjah innings that remains his signature one-day knock? Or the double century in Sydney? Or the match-winning innings last year against England within weeks of the 26/11 terror? When you’ve scored a staggering 87 international centuries, then picking a single cricketing achievement isn’t easy. But his real achievement is beyond the boundary. We live in an age of instant stardom and mini-celebrities, where fame is an intoxicant that can easily consume the best of us. Sachin, remarkably, has been almost untouched by the fact that he is contemporary India’s biggest icon, arguably bigger than even an Amitabh Bachchan or a Shah Rukh Khan. As Khan revealed in an interview, at a party there was a big noise when Big B entered. Then, Sachin entered the hall and Bachchan was leading the queue to grab hold of the cricket champion! Through the many highs and a few lows, Tendulkar’s balance has never wavered both on and off the field, driven by a single-minded devotion to the game. He has avoided controversy, remaining a private individual. He may not have gone to college, but life has perhaps taught him more than he could have ever learnt there. He is aware of his commercial value but his badge of identity is that he is the Maharashtrian middle-class boy who has remained true to his roots. He may lack the gravitas of Sunil Gavaskar, but on cricketing matters he can be just as articulate. In a sense, the passing of the baton from Gavaskar to Tendulkar represents the coming of age of Indian cricket and a new India. Gavaskar was the architect, who built every innings with a clinical precision, that perhaps was symbolic of a Nehruvian India when neither Indian cricket nor the country could afford any form of extravagance. Tendulkar is the free-spirited artist who bats with the freedom of an India unshackled of its socialist baggage, where cricket is now part of a lucrative entertainment industry. So, how much longer will Tendulkar continue? Sir Don Bradman, statistically the greatest-ever batsman, played for Australia for 20 years, interrupted by war and benefiting from the fact that cricket was then a seasonal sport. Sachin, whom the great Don likened to himself, has been playing virtually non-stop for two decades in the most high-pressure environment that modern sport can throw up. Maybe, the body is creaking a little, but the mind doesn’t seem to have given up yet. Maybe, the goal of the 2011 World Cup is still the ultimate motivation. Of course, he will retire one day, but till he does, we must savour the magic. A banner in Sharjah once said it all, “I will see God when I die, but till then I will see Sachin!” Amen. Rajdeep Sardesai is Editor-in-Chief , IBN Network

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Is Sachin Tendulkar the greatest schoolboy cricketer ever ? [21 years old article] 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." Sachin Tendulkar with his coach Ramakant Achrekar in the mid-1980s Tendulkar as a wee thing with coach Ramakant Achrekar © Unknown 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. Harsha Bhogle is a commentator, television presenter and writer. This article was first published in Sportsworld magazine in 1988 http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/434247.html

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