Sachin Tendulkar

Dhaka: The day after having achieved his much-awaited hundredth International century, Sachin Tendulkar looked a relieved man. He took time off for the Indian media and appeared absolutely relaxed. There was no hint of tension or worry about Sunday’s India-Pakistan encounter.

Sachin dedicated his landmark century to brother Ajit and also spoke of the difficult times he had gone through during this period.

The following are excerpts

Feelings on the day after…

I must admit I’m relieved... This is now out of the way and I can start a new chapter now. It was possibly the toughest phase of my life. There was so much hype and attention about the 100th hundred. I thought I possibly batted the best in my life, got close in a couple of games, but I couldn’t score the century.

Comparing the wait for his first ODI century and the wait for the 100th International century

Well, discussing that wait now! (Laughs) That time I never felt that there was a wait and all that... (His first ODI century came after seven Test hundreds, in Colombo, September 1994) Obviously, the way the media projected it then was completely different. This anticipation and disappointment when I didn’t get it was way much greater than anything else. It has been a tough journey.

Comparing his wait with Federer’s wait for the French Open

I don’t know obviously what Federer had gone through but I am sure it was tough... I would not compare the hundredth hundred with the French Open, but it would be the World Cup. I had to wait for 22 years and that wait was much longer. It is all about belief… I knew it would come but it was important that you don’t take things for granted and keep working the way you usually do. One thing I can put my hand up and say is that I am 100 per cent sure it is (due) to my effort and commitment. If they were lacking then, there would have been a question mark, but in those areas, in my book, I have scored a 100 out of 100. Scoring runs and not scoring runs will always come across and it is part of your career and you can experience that when you have played long enough. I was pretty confident about what I was doing…

If being conscious of the landmark led to his dismissals in the past one year

It’s not just because of the 100th hundred. All the players go out to get a hundred every time they go out to bat. Everyone wants to contribute to the team and that was what I wanted to do. I guess God had something else in mind…

On how the family stood beside him during this period

The family must have been under a lot of pressure though they didn’t show that. That is how they have always been. They try to make my life as normal as possible at home and discuss various other things outside cricket. I talk a lot on cricket with my brother (Ajit).

He has guided me throughout and this is something I want to dedicate to him. We have lived our dream together. Whenever I went into bat, I knew that mentally he was always there with me. There have been a lot of sacrifices.

If he’s spoken to son Arjun

I haven’t had the time to speak to Arjun yet. I have spoken to all my family members. But I haven’t spoken to my children yet. They are holidaying somewhere, so the timing was not right. It was too late for me to wake them up. I am sure they are very keen. Got messages from them but I haven’t spoken to them.

On how his children handle all the pressure

With Arjun and Sara it’s important that they lead a normal childhood. It’s important that they don’t get surrounded by the media all the time. It’s all right to get that when he is matured enough to handle that. But right now, he is madly in love with cricket. So, all this attention and pressure shouldn’t be such that he starts hating the sport

His top five hundreds

Perth (114 in February 1992)… I would say, will be at the top… Something that meant a lot to me was the hundred in Chennai (103 not out against England) in 2008. That was really important to me because of what had happened before that... Yes, the first 100 (in Manchester)… Chennai (136 against Pakistan in January 1999) will also be there... And Sydney (January 2004) when I scored 241 not out.

The double hundred against Bangladesh

Possibly the funniest incident of my life, took place in that match. I was batting with Anil (Kumble) and while taking a run and passing him, I told him ‘keep an eye on the second run’… While taking the second one, I saw that the throw was good and I stopped and Anil ran… The ’keeper missed and I returned to my crease but because I was going for the second run, Anil kept running, and actually, twice we ran in the same direction and three times we were about to get out but we did not and we had a good laugh...

The role of the support staff in ensuring he remained fit

Absolutely… Without the physios and masseur life would be difficult, really difficult... I like to thank all the physios, doctors, the masseurs who helped me when I was in desperate need. There are a lot of things, which happen outside the field and that helps you prepare for the match. I like to thank them. Whatever happens behind the scenes is never discussed, but they are equally a part of my success. A big, big thank to you…

If he remembered playing any innings with tremendous pain

Have played a lot of innings like that... Specific innings that comes to my mind is when I got that double century (against South Africa) in Gwalior... I remember before that game I was lying on the physio’s table, getting various treatments and my whole body was in bad shape… All we were discussing was that let us win the series and then I am going to request the BCCI for a break from the third match because I was completely exhausted… I couldn’t even stand on the field, I was that exhausted physically and mentally.

To deal with injuries is not easy and at my age it becomes even more difficult and that was the case even before I played that game. I went to the ground and forgot all about that. When you are focused, you are willing to find a path among all those things and reach your destination of winning that match.