Tendulkar approaches a new century
REUTERS [ THURSDAY, AUGUST 29, 2002 9:37:46 AM ] NEW DELHI: The scene is repeated in city after city. Sachin Tendulkar walks into an airport lobby, fixed glare and headphones firmly in place until a young fan shouts: "Hey Sachin!" His face softens and his mouth breaks into a smile, revealing the human side of the best-run machine in cricket. When Tendulkar made his debut as a 16-year-old in 1989, cricket pundits predicted he would break every batting record. Thirteen years later, he has lived up to his promise. As he goes into what will be an emotional 100th test for India at The Oval against England next week, Tendulkar can look back with satisfaction at all that he has achieved. But, more importantly, he can also look ahead. Tendulkar has already smashed more than 11,000 runs and 33 centuries in one-day cricket, both world records, and has 8,351 runs and 30 hundreds in tests. He surpassed Australian Don Bradman's total of 29 test centuries thanks to a handsome innings of 193 in India's series-levelling victory over England at Headingley which ended on Monday. With several years of international cricket left in him, the sky is the limit for the 29-year-old player, who hails from a middle-class neighbourhood in Mumbai's Bandra suburb. "He is simply amazing, that's the only way I can describe him," says captain Sourav Ganguly. Millions of adoring fans in cricket-crazy India would agree. Tendulkar's metamorphosis from a young prankster to Indian cricket's elder statesman has not come without its share of blood and sweat. It was after he was caught climbing trees once too often as a child that his brother, Ajit, took him to the cricket ground to keep him away from mischief. Soon, he was leading a busy life. Playing both cricket and table tennis for six hours a day, Tendulkar rode pillion on a scooter to bat at number three in one match and then at number six in another under the guidance of coach Ramakant Archrekar. As a teenager he took school cricket by storm, once scoring 326 not out as he put on 664 with Vinod Kambli, also a future India test player. But for all his towering hits over the boundary, Tendulkar failed to pass his school-leaving examinations by just six marks. But by then, it was really only cricket that mattered. Already a well-known name for Mumbai's cricket fans after his exploits in the domestic game, Tendulkar distinguished himself in his debut series against Pakistan and then struck his first test hundred against England at Old Trafford the following year. Tendulkar, a father of two, pays a price for his god-like status. He loves driving but can do it only late at night to avoid being mobbed. When he visits a temple in suburban Mumbai, he has to go very early in the morning. He is seen as India's gladiator, someone who has to bat on even when everyone else has failed, and anything less than a century from him is considered a failure. "No other player suffers so much from pressure of expectation," former England captain Michael Atherton said last month. There has been increasing criticism that Tendulkar, despite all his runs, has yet to produce a match-winning second innings knock to help India win a test single-handedly, like West Indian Brian Lara or Australia's Steve Waugh. "I have been disappointed with myself... I have to learn to finish tests," Tendulkar said earlier this year. He had two unsuccessful stints as captain, where the pressure of leading the side clearly affected his batting. "I just want to bat," Tendulkar now says impassively. "I want to go as far as I can. When I started playing cricket, I never thought of how far I was going to go." Next week at The Oval, with India gunning for their first overseas test series win in more than 16 years, ton-machine Tendulkar will achieve a different kind of century. Deep inside, it could be his most cherished. -------------------------------------- Manoj Kumar Das C 6 Press Enclave, saket New Delhi 110017 Tel: 91 11 6533824/9(fax) 6960139 (R) 9811209493 (M) _________________________________________________________________ MSN Photos is the easiest way to share and print your photos: http://photos.msn.com/support/worldwide.aspx
