It is not for you to come and watch others
play, if you practice hard, other people will come from across the world
and watch you, the legendary coach Achrekar had told a young Tendulkar.
By Praveen Amre
I
have known Sachin Tendulkar for exactly 30 years now. We had met for
the first time at Ramakant Achrekar's nets when he had come along to
Shivaji Park with his brother Ajit. 'Sir' had first said no to Ajit
because Sachin was considered too young at first glance. Sir had in fact
asked him to come back a few months later. Thereafter when Ajit
suggested to Sir that he should observe Sachin from a distance and that
the young boy was nervous, Sir agreed to do so.
What
we all saw, startled us. The young boy was timing the ball brilliantly
and was playing with utmost confidence. In fact, Sachin has the unique
distinction of having earned real praise from Achrekar Sir.
The
strictest disciplinarian, Sir hardly ever said 'well played' to anyone.
The same person used to call Sachin a hero. He was and continues to
remain a hero not only for Shivaji Park or Mumbai but hero for India and
also the entire cricketing world.
I
may also add that Achrekar Sir had done everything he could for Sachin.
At one point, he got Sachin to play four of five matches on a single
day and would then drive him across Mumbai on his scooter. Besides, Sir
must be the only person alive, who has slapped Sachin on one occasion.
The
story goes like this. Saradashram English and Saradashram Marathi
schools had made it to the finals of the Harris Shield and the match was
to be played at the Wankhede Stadium. Sachin, then under-14, was a
Giles Shield player and had nothing to do with the Harris Shield.
Knowing that he would want to go to the ground and watch the game, Sir
had instructed him not to go to the Wankhede, missing his own practice.
Sachin,
however, landed up at the Wankhede after he had finished practice and
as luck would have it bumped into Sir! Agitated on seeing young
Tendulkar there, Achrekar Sir slapped him and said it was not for him to
come and watch other people play for if he practiced hard, people from
across the world would come and watch him play someday.
In hindsight these words seem prophetic to me!
The
one incident which I want to share and one which I think sums up
Sachin's ability as a leader is his agreeing to bowl the last over
against South Africa at the Hero Cup semi-final in Calcutta at the Eden
Gardens.
South
Africa needed just six runs to win and Sachin stepped up to bowl the
last over. He stopped a marauding Brian McMillan on his tracks and
scripted a famous victory for India. His presence of mind under pressure
was amply demonstrated before he bowled the final delivery. He was cool
and composed and managed to win us the match by two runs. In fact, it
was the second occasion that he and I were part of a memorable win
against the South Africans at the Eden Gardens.
The
first was on the occasion of their comeback match in November 1991.
Chasing a meager South African total, we had been reduced to 60/4 on
account of a vicious spell from Alan Donald. When I walked out to bat,
Sachin helped calm down my nerves and just asked me to play over by
over. We put together a match winning partnership for India and it
allowed us to take a 1-0 lead in the series.
Again,
in the four months in Australia in 1992 and subsequently in South
Africa in the same year, Sachin and I were room partners. We had dinner
together in Durban when I got my debut hundred against the Proteas and
it was another memorable moment for me. Who better than Sachin to share
my joys with!
Interestingly,
it is the same Sachin twenty years down the line who played against
Haryana in the Ranji Trophy for Mumbai in Lahli. Having coached Mumbai
for five years, I have seen the impact he has on the dressing room and
must say that he has been brilliant in helping the youngsters grow.
Such
humility is rarely seen in an individual who has achieved so much and
it once again reminds me of Achrekar Sir's word for him. "Hero".
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