Records have become synonymous with India's greatest sporting icon Sachin Tendulkar. The Master Blaster accomplished another rare feat at SuperSport Park in Centurion on Sunday when he brought up his his 50th Test ton and became the only man in world to do so.
Former Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram going to memory lane to re-live some of the early recollections of a young Tendulkar making his debut against Pakistan way back in 1989.
"I remember Tendulkar making his debut against us. Waqar was around 20 years and I was about 21-22 years in the Karachi Test. We had heard that India have selected a player who is just about 16 years of age. We had also heard about his record-feat in school cricket with Vinod Kambli," recalled Akram.
Sachin has a bag overflowing with records under his belt in his 21-year- glittering career. The veteran batsman made a fighting 111 not out to help India put up some resistance in the first Test against South Africa. India lost the match by an innings and 25 runs but Sachin's knock salvaged some pride for the No.1 Test team.
Akram, though, reveals that he had never thought that Sachin would one day become such a great batsman.
"I was just about hitting peak as a bowler back then, and Waqar and I had discussed that he might be very talented but will have a tough time against Pakistan pace battery. We thought it would be too much for him to handle Imran Khan, Waqar, Aaqib Javed and me. I vividly recall dropping Sachin's edge at second slip. Then came the 4th Test, where he did not do much with the bat again. At that time we never thought he would be what he is today,” Akram reminisces.
Tendulkar stitched a 172-run 7th-wicket partnership with skipper MS Dhoni (90) to help India push the match on to Day 5. The 37-year-old batsman was dogged in his defenses as he handled the pace and guile of the South African pace battery. Akram still remembers his never-say-die attitude in Pakistan.
"In Sialkot, he was struck on the helmet but despite that he scored a half-century. The pitch was lush green, it was difficult to differentiate its colour from the outfield. He was struck on his face; there were no grills on the helmets during those days. But he faced us bravely for a valiant fifty. Then in an exhibition match in Peshawar, he hit Abdul Qadir for 5 sixes in an over. It was then that I realized that this guy was special and was going to be the greatest batsman of all time," said the Sultan of Swing.
"I don't think anyone would even come close to Sachin's 50-ton record. When Don Bradman made 29 centuries, Sunny broke that record and we used to wonder that who would be the next to break it? Now see, Tendulkar has done it. Credit goes to him, his dedication, his hard work, his consistency and that's why, to me, he is the greatest of all time," said Akram.
No comments:
Post a Comment