Playing It My Way: My Autobiography

by Sachin Tendulkar

  One of the habits that we got into was that every time I felt that Sourav was tense or that there was something troubling him, I would say something random to him in Bengali, which is his mother tongue. Often my words made little sense but they were good enough to make him laugh. There was no doubt I was going to miss him. I remember trying to persuade him to carry on, but he was sure it was time to call it a day.

  In the second Test at Mohali, starting on 17 October, I scored a fluent 88 in our total of 469 before falling to Peter Siddle, caught at slip. My timing was definitely coming back. In the process I passed Brian Lara’s tally and reached the figure of 12,000 Test runs. This achievement was marked by a fantastic fireworks display at the ground. It went on for close to three minutes and I felt privileged and honoured at the affection heaped on me. Mr Inderjit Singh Bindra, one of Indian cricket’s most distinguished administrators, who was then president of the Punjab Cricket Association, told me that there were more fireworks than the total number of runs I had scored. I felt overwhelmed. The PCA has always been a great host and is an institution that has made playing in Punjab that much more special.

  From the start of Australia’s first innings, our bowlers were bowling really good lines and managed to put the Australian batsman under pressure. The ball was reverse-swinging and both Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma were making the most of the conditions. In contrast, the Australian bowlers had found it difficult to get their rhythm right and Gambhir, Sehwag and Dhoni had all made big scores against them.

  To everyone’s delight, Sourav scored a hundred in the first innings. I couldn’t have been happier for him and remember how he celebrated what was to be his final Test hundred with a pump of his fist and then raised his arms to acknowledge the well-deserved applause.

  The Mohali match is also memorable for me because of the catch I took in the Australian second innings. I was fielding at point when Simon Katich tried to cut Bhajji past me for four. He mistimed the shot and I had to dive forward to reach the ball. I managed to get both hands under it and it was great to feel the leather on my hands. Such a quick reaction put quite a strain on my groin muscles, but I got up unhurt and the relief was evident on my face. My hard work during the recovery had paid off.

  It was also an important breakthrough for us in the game and we were able to get into the Australian middle order sooner than expected. Zaheer and Ishant bowled exceptionally well and it was perhaps the best I have seen Zaheer bowl. He was getting the ball to move late and the Australian batsmen struggled against late swing. It’s a shame Zaheer suffered so many injuries, otherwise I’m sure we would have seen his match-winning abilities on many more occasions.

  We beat the Australians at Mohali by 320 runs and moved to Delhi for the third Test on 29 October leading the four-match contest 1–0. There we managed to keep the momentum going and were happy with a draw, thanks mainly to double hundreds in the first innings by both Gautam Gambhir and Laxman. I scored 68 and felt comfortable enough to believe that a big score wasn’t far away; I just had to be patient.

  That Delhi Test turned out to be Anil Kumble’s last and it was an extremely emotional moment for us all. Anil was one of the biggest match-winners India has produced and we had played together for close to two decades. I was very surprised when he said he was thinking of retiring. He felt he was not bowling close to his best and was not able to give 100 per cent for the team. My argument was simple. Even 80 per cent of Anil Kumble was good enough for most batsmen and India still needed him.

  I almost managed to persuade him to carry on but an injury to his spinning finger on the third day of the Test was the final straw. He had just recovered from a shoulder surgery and with the finger injury, which required eleven stitches, he simply couldn’t bowl. We carried him on our shoulders and it was a fitting finale for one of international cricket’s true all-time greats.

  His final speech was very emotional for all of us and the crowd gave him a standing ovation. I’m glad to say we managed to convince Anil to come to Nagpur for the last Test to be a part of the celebration if India went on to win the series. It was only right that Anil should be there, because he had captained us in two of the first three Tests and had also been the captain when we played in Australia earlier in the year.

  We started well at Nagpur on 6 November, with an opening partnership of close to a hundred by Sehwag and Vijay, but then lost two quick wickets. I managed to build decent partnerships with Laxman and Sourav, with a number of lucky breaks going my way. I was dropped in the eighties and nineties and I told Sourav that God wanted me to score a century on the occasion of Sourav’s farewell Test match.

  In his final Test Sourav scored a valuable 85 for the team. We managed 441 in our first innings but I still felt we were 100 runs short. It was a good batting wicket and the Australians raced on in the last session of day two to finish at 189–2. We knew we could not afford to let them get away the next morning. We had to try something different to make them think and take some risks, because they were the ones under pressure to level the series. I suggested to Dhoni that we needed to slow down the game, and after that we employed an 8–1 field, with eight fielders on the off side and one on the on, something hardly ever tried in Test cricket, to Michael Hussey and Simon Katich, and despite dropping Katich early on we managed to restrict the runs. Zaheer and Ishant bowled well to the field and Australia just could not get away.

  They added only 42 runs before lunch and Ishant also dismissed Simon Katich in the process. That wicket changed everything and we took a further three in the session between lunch and tea, conceding just 49 runs. The momentum had shifted and we knew we were back in control. We eventually set Australia a target of 382 in their second innings, and then Amit Mishra, the leg-spinner who had replaced Anil, and Harbhajan Singh finished things off midway through the second session on day five and we won the series 2–0.

  The celebrations went on into the night and both Anil and Sourav were asked to give speeches. Gary, who had played a huge role behind the scenes, had organized the farewell at the VCA Club in Jamtha and it was a day everyone who was there will cherish for ever. The whole team stayed on in Nagpur for this very special occasion and I did the same, despite having to miss Anjali’s fortieth birthday. I knew that, as always, she would understand and pardon my absence.

  * * *

  India in Sri Lanka 2008

  1st Test. Colombo (SSC). 23–26 July 2008

  Sri Lanka 600–6 dec (DPMD Jayawardene 136, TT Samaraweera 127, TM Dilshan 125*, SM Warnapura 115; I Sharma 2–124)

  India 223 (VVS Laxman 56, SR Tendulkar 27; M Muralitharan 5–84, BAW Mendis 4–72) and 138 (f/o) (G Gambhir 43, SR Tendulkar 12; M Muralitharan 6–26, BAW Mendis 4–60)

  Sri Lanka won by an innings and 239 runs

  2nd Test. Galle. 31 July–3 August 2008

  India 329 (V Sehwag 201*, G Gambhir 56, SR Tendulkar 5; BAW Mendis 6–117) and 269 (G Gambhir 74, V Sehwag 50, SR Tendulkar 31; BAW Mendis 4–92, M Muralitharan 3–107)

  Sri Lanka 292 (DPMD Jayawardene 86, KC Sangakkara 68, SM Warnapura 66; H Singh 6–102, A Kumble 3–81) and 136 (TT Samaraweera 67*, TM Dilshan 38; H Singh 4–51, I Sharma 3–20, A Kumble 2–41)

  India won by 170 runs

  3rd Test. Colombo (PSS). 8–11 August 2008

  India 249 (G Gambhir 72, SC Ganguly 35, SR Tendulkar 6; BAW Mendis 5–56, KTGD Prasad 3–82) and 268 (R Dravid 68, VVS Laxman 61*, SR Tendulkar 14; BAW Mendis 3–81, M Muralitharan 3–99)

  Sri Lanka 396 (KC Sangakkara 144, HAPW Jayawardene 49, WPUJC Vaas 47; H Singh 3–104, Z Khan 3–105, A Kumble 3–123) and 123–2 (SM Warnapura 54*, DPMD Jayawardene 50*)

  Sri Lanka won by 8 wickets

  Sri Lanka won the series 2–1

  Australia in India 2008

  1st Test. Bangalore. 9–13 October 2008

  Australia 430 (MEK Hussey 146, RT Ponting 123, SM Katich 66; Z Khan 5–91, I Sharma 4–77) an
d 228–6 dec (SR Watson 41, BJ Haddin 35*; I Sharma 3–40)

  India 360 (Z Khan 57*, H Singh 54, R Dravid 51, SR Tendulkar 13; MG Johnson 4–70, SR Watson 3–45) and 177–4 (SR Tendulkar 49, VVS Laxman 42*)

  Match drawn

  2nd Test. Mohali. 17–21 October 2008

  India 469 (SC Ganguly 102, MS Dhoni 92, SR Tendulkar 88, G Gambhir 67; MG Johnson 3–85, PM Siddle 3–114) and 314–3 dec (G Gambhir 104, V Sehwag 90, MS Dhoni 68*, SR Tendulkar 10)

  Australia 268 (SR Watson 78, MEK Hussey 54; A Mishra 5–71) and 195 (MJ Clarke 69; H Singh 3–36, Z Khan 3–71)

  India won by 320 runs

  3rd Test. Delhi. 29 October–2 November 2008

  India 613–7 dec (G Gambhir 206, VVS Laxman 200*, SR Tendulkar 68; MG Johnson 3–142) and 208–5 dec (VVS Laxman 59*, SR Tendulkar 47; B Lee 2–48)

  Australia 577 (MJ Clarke 112, RT Ponting 87, ML Hayden 83, SM Katich 64, MEK Hussey 53; V Sehwag 5–104, A Kumble 3–112) and 31–0

  Match drawn

  4th Test. Nagpur. 6–10 November 2008

  India 441 (SR Tendulkar 109, SC Ganguly 85, V Sehwag 66, VVS Laxman 64, MS Dhoni 56; JJ Krejza 8–215) and 295 (V Sehwag 92, MS Dhoni 55, H Singh 52, SR Tendulkar 12; SR Watson 4–42, JJ Krejza 4–143)

  Australia 355 (SM Katich 102, MEK Hussey 90, CL White 46; H Singh 3–94) and 209 (ML Hayden 77; H Singh 4–64, A Mishra 3–27)

  India won by 172 runs

  India won the series 2–0

  20

  THE IPL

  The Indian Premier League, the franchise-based Twenty20 competition that started in April 2008, has had a revolutionary impact on world cricket. It seems to have captured the imagination of the modern fan and has attracted the best players from around the world. I am convinced that the IPL will continue to be a permanent feature of the global cricket calendar, just as it has already become a part of Indian households every April and May.

  Despite sometimes being played in rather adverse weather conditions and on occasions outside of India, most of the games have been played to sell-out crowds. And this is not restricted to the smaller venues. In May 2013, people came out in droves to support quality cricket, despite all the talk of spot- and match-fixing surrounding the tournament. I was disappointed, shocked and angry at the goings-on, and said so in a press release at the time. There has to be a complete zero-tolerance policy against corruption and more should be done to educate the players, but on the other hand the tournament as a whole cannot be blamed for the wrongdoings of a few.

  There is little doubt that the IPL has added an entirely new dimension to Indian cricket. Not only has interest grown in domestic competitions, but there is also a spill-over effect that has helped improve general awareness about domestic cricket. It has certainly made domestic performances more significant, with players knowing that playing well on the domestic circuit may earn them an IPL contract.

  Early fears

  When the IPL was originally launched by the BCCI in late 2007, there was, understandably, a lot of apprehension surrounding the tournament. Indian cricket had to come to terms with the club culture, and the concept of player auctions was alien to the average Indian cricket fan. No one was quite sure what standard the cricket would be or whether fans would come out to support the tournament in the oppressive heat of April and May.

  A confession is in order here. While I never had any doubt that the IPL would be popular, I did not expect the tournament to take off quite so quickly. Secondly, I did not expect the standard of cricket to be so high. The matches in the IPL are played with as much intensity as international cricket and the level is very close to the highest international standard. Players turning up for the franchises always give their best and the fans appreciate this and, of course, they also enjoy seeing the world’s best players in action alongside the best of Indian domestic talent.

  Differences from international cricket

  There are some fundamental differences between the IPL and international cricket. One is the close involvement of the team owners. Their presence adds to the character of the tournament. For example, some have their own peculiar superstitions, which they impose on the team. In one team the owner’s priest decides when the players should leave their hotel rooms on match days, and the players go along with this. Whatever state the players are in, they have to leave the room.

  Another team owner believes in ‘vastu’ (which is a little like feng shui) and their dressing room is always organized in a particular manner, with mirrors set at specific angles. Once in a match against us this team even went ahead and changed our dressing room, putting in mirrors just as they did at their home venue. In turn, we changed this arrangement late at night and all the mirrors were covered with towels to unsettle the opposition.

  On another occasion we were told by one team management not to use a washroom in our dressing room and a sign was placed outside it declaring ‘BATHROOM OUT OF ORDER’. One of the players couldn’t resist going in, just to have a look, only to discover that it was working perfectly. Eventually, the team made a point of using that particular bathroom and we even went on to win the game!

  Another key difference from international cricket concerns culture. Almost all the players in the Indian team come from a similar background and are well versed in the Indian system of playing the game by the time they make the national team. In the IPL, there can be vast cultural differences between a rookie Indian youngster and an established international stalwart, which makes the need for team bonding all the more important. Looking after the youngsters and making sure they are not overawed are added responsibilities for team owners, senior management and senior players. I have particularly enjoyed mentoring young Indian talent and trying to act as a bridge between them and the international professionals playing for the Mumbai Indians.

  Impact on Indian cricket

  That the IPL has had a profound impact on Indian cricket is beyond doubt. The benefits are obvious, but there are also a few concerns that need to be taken seriously if the tournament is to evolve further in the years to come.

  On the plus side, the IPL has contributed to improving international player relations. The best example is the case of Andrew Symonds and Harbhajan Singh. In the fourth season of the IPL in 2011, Symonds and Bhajji played for the Mumbai Indians. I clearly remember our first meeting with Andrew when he joined the team. I told him that the Sydney controversy of 2008 was in the past and that neither I nor Harbhajan would ever refer to the incident in our dealings with Andrew. Andrew, for his part, reciprocated the camaraderie and we became good friends. We played some really good matches side by side and I am sure when we meet next we will share the same chemistry.

  Since the start of the IPL, none of the India–Australia series have featured the kind of acrimony on show during the 2008 tour. In IPL season six in 2013, for example, I had the opportunity to play with Ricky Ponting. Ricky and I had played international cricket against each other for years but the only interaction we had had before playing together for the Mumbai Indians was the occasional hello. Suddenly we were sharing the same dressing room and opening the batting together. It was enriching to get to know Ricky better and understand his perspectives on the game. I also enjoyed opening the batting with Sanath Jayasuriya in IPL season two, Shikhar Dhawan in season three and Dwayne Smith in season five.

  The transformation in player relations has also had a knock-on effect on spectator behaviour at IPL matches. For example, when Shane Warne, playing for the Rajasthan Royals, rushed to congratulate the Indian all-rounder Yusuf Pathan after his Super Over heroics against the Kolkata Knight Riders in South Africa in 2009, the large Indian diaspora at the stadium was spontaneous in applauding Warne for his gesture.

  Perhaps the biggest benefit of the IPL, however, is that it offers the Indian domestic cricketer an opportunity to play with the best in the world. There are plenty of players in India who are good but have narr
owly missed the opportunity to represent their country. Some of them might be on the wrong side of thirty and have little hope of playing for their country. The IPL has given a lot of these players recognition unthinkable a few years earlier, as well as respect and a good income. The IPL is the best platform after international cricket at the moment, with a massive presence of international stars, and the Indian domestic players get a share of the glory associated with the international game by playing in the IPL. IPL performances are covered in detail in the media and the status of the domestic Indian cricketer has improved as a result.

  Young rookies cutting their teeth in Twenty20 cricket have also benefited from the competition. To be able to face up to Dale Steyn or Morne Morkel in the nets, share a dressing room with Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers or Kevin Pietersen, practise and play alongside the likes of Chris Gayle or Michael Hussey is a dream come true for Indian youngsters. They have a chance to learn from the greats of the contemporary game. In the Mumbai Indians, the youngsters can play in the nets against one of the best Twenty20 bowlers in the world in Lasith Malinga, rub shoulders with the likes of Kieron Pollard and discuss bowling techniques with Anil Kumble, the mentor of the team. I absolutely loved it when Malinga, fielding at mid on, walked up to Dhawal Kulkarni, the Mumbai medium-fast bowler, and offered him tips. These are gains that go far beyond the monetary riches offered by the IPL. For established Indian players, there are other benefits to be had. Invaluable knowledge about the strengths and weaknesses of players from other countries can be gained from playing with and against them in the IPL.

  Making the national team

  The IPL has enabled many an Indian player to get noticed and subsequently make it to the national team and many others to come back into the reckoning. It was by virtue of their standout performances in the first season of the IPL that Yusuf Pathan and Ravindra Jadeja caught the attention of the Indian selectors. Similarly, Irfan Pathan made a comeback to the national side by doing well in the fourth IPL season and there are countless other examples.