Sachin’s 45 a reminder that Desert Storm is now 20 years old
On The Eve Of His Birthday, Master Talks Of His Battles With Bowlers And Injuries
K.ShriniwasRao@timesgroup.com 24.04.2018
Mumbai: Sachin Tendulkar’s batting career can be divided into two phases. Pre-1999, until when he’d go home to his father after every cricket series and enjoy the company of the only cricket aficionado who wouldn’t judge him for the number of runs scored and post-1999, when his father’s demise set him on a neoteric path that he had to find for himself over the course of the next14 years.
Desert Storm — an attribute for 1998 Coca Cola Cup in Sharjah — that completes 20 years today, coinciding withTendulkar’s45thbirthday, can perhaps be seen as the landmark Tendulkar-outing that broadly segregates the two phases in the master batsman’s career. And in that lies a statistic that speaks volumes of Tendulkar’s determination to keep playing at all times.
Between 1989, his debut in Pakistan, and 1998, Tendulkar hardly missed a match for India. He missed a couple of One-dayers in New Zealand due to injury, but never missed a Test.
However, once stress began taking the toll on his back in February 1999, the remaining 14 years of his career were spent battling injuries.
“Back, toe, hamstring, ankle, elbow, shoulder, knee, groin, wrist …” he goes on.
These were injuries that took a lifetime healing, many leading to major surgeries, most leading to spectacular comebacks. In that, Tendulkar has a story to tell.
“I remember the night after scoring the 143 — which took India to the final of the Coca Cola Cup on April 22, 1998 — I reached the hotel at around 2.30am. By the time I could finish with dinner and all obligations, it was already the next day morning. The next day was the final.
“In those days, we didn’t have the kind of support staff that’s available now. My body was still aching from that previous innings and I remember thanking my luck that we fielded first in the final,” he remembers.
Tendulkar does look back at 1999 changing his life forever. From a batsman faced with the responsibility of shouldering India’s batting through that decade, the page turned for him with the added responsibility of dealing with an irreparable loss.
Yet, ashe putsit,hisbestin Oneday cricket was yet to come.
“The World Cup league game against Pakistan at Centurion in 2003. The big-game pressure, the opposition, the attack, what was at stake. That was more satisfying,” he says, recollecting his sublime 98 that puts even the ferocious Desert Storm in shade because of the purity of strokeplay that was on view.
Be it pre-Desert Storm or post, pre-retirement or post, cricket remains at the heart of all things for the master.
CUTTING EDGE: Sachin celebrates on the eve of his 45th birthday in Mumbai
On The Eve Of His Birthday, Master Talks Of His Battles With Bowlers And Injuries
K.ShriniwasRao@timesgroup.com 24.04.2018
Mumbai: Sachin Tendulkar’s batting career can be divided into two phases. Pre-1999, until when he’d go home to his father after every cricket series and enjoy the company of the only cricket aficionado who wouldn’t judge him for the number of runs scored and post-1999, when his father’s demise set him on a neoteric path that he had to find for himself over the course of the next14 years.
Desert Storm — an attribute for 1998 Coca Cola Cup in Sharjah — that completes 20 years today, coinciding withTendulkar’s45thbirthday, can perhaps be seen as the landmark Tendulkar-outing that broadly segregates the two phases in the master batsman’s career. And in that lies a statistic that speaks volumes of Tendulkar’s determination to keep playing at all times.
Between 1989, his debut in Pakistan, and 1998, Tendulkar hardly missed a match for India. He missed a couple of One-dayers in New Zealand due to injury, but never missed a Test.
However, once stress began taking the toll on his back in February 1999, the remaining 14 years of his career were spent battling injuries.
“Back, toe, hamstring, ankle, elbow, shoulder, knee, groin, wrist …” he goes on.
These were injuries that took a lifetime healing, many leading to major surgeries, most leading to spectacular comebacks. In that, Tendulkar has a story to tell.
“I remember the night after scoring the 143 — which took India to the final of the Coca Cola Cup on April 22, 1998 — I reached the hotel at around 2.30am. By the time I could finish with dinner and all obligations, it was already the next day morning. The next day was the final.
“In those days, we didn’t have the kind of support staff that’s available now. My body was still aching from that previous innings and I remember thanking my luck that we fielded first in the final,” he remembers.
Tendulkar does look back at 1999 changing his life forever. From a batsman faced with the responsibility of shouldering India’s batting through that decade, the page turned for him with the added responsibility of dealing with an irreparable loss.
Yet, ashe putsit,hisbestin Oneday cricket was yet to come.
“The World Cup league game against Pakistan at Centurion in 2003. The big-game pressure, the opposition, the attack, what was at stake. That was more satisfying,” he says, recollecting his sublime 98 that puts even the ferocious Desert Storm in shade because of the purity of strokeplay that was on view.
Be it pre-Desert Storm or post, pre-retirement or post, cricket remains at the heart of all things for the master.
CUTTING EDGE: Sachin celebrates on the eve of his 45th birthday in Mumbai
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