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Sachin at 40

Forever In Awe From the first time I saw Sachin, as a waterboy in the , to captaining him on the field, his aura has always been overwhelming. We can never be Sachin’s equals By M.S. Dhoni

Photographs by Stu Forster/Getty Images

was on the tour of Bangladesh in 2004. I re- member I was standing (in a room) and Sachin was right in front, Dada (Sourav Ganguly) was also there and so was Rahul (Dravid) bhai. And imagine, I was supposed to give a speech! So I stood up on the chair and I just looked at Sachin and uttered a few nervous words. I am sure I sounded like a stuttering schoolboy! And, please don’t laugh, but the truth is that even now, after almost a decade, I am still a bit shy when it comes to interacting with Sachin off the field. We chat a lot on the field but such is his aura that when we are off it, he still makes me nervous. After the Bangladesh series, we were playing The first time I saw in person against Pakistan in an ODI series. The first two was way back in, probably, 2000–01; so far back ODIs were in Kochi and Vizag. If I remember The Master’s that I don’tT exactly remember the year! I think it correctly, Viru pa () got a big choice was a Duleep Trophy game we were playing and I hundred in Kochi and Sachin took five wick- It was a huge compliment for was serving the drinks, quite well, if I might add! ets. He used to come to me before Dhoni when he That game was in Pune and we didn’t interact at and would ask, Leg-spin, offspin, seam up, yah found out that Tendulkar had all. However, that was the first time I caught a phir mix daalun (or should I mix it up)? And recommended glimpse of Sachin. Coming from Ranchi, I never the very fact that he used to chat with me be- his name for thought I would meet the legend in the flesh, yet fore bowling made me very comfortable from captaincy ahead of the 2007 there I was, serving him a drink! the very beginning. So, I was also not overawed World T20. On a serious note, my first real interaction on the field and felt like I could give my inputs

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sach is the aura Though they have frank discussions on the field, Dhoni feels it will be difficult for him to interact with Tendulkar as an equal off it.

by saying sometimes that he should bowl Dada (most number of Test wins as ) agrees just for the sake of it. Of course, paaji. Because we have that kind of respect handling criticism. When somebody ap- the 1992 World Cup in Australia. We have offspin instead of leg-spin. By the time I be- I simply said that the number of wins didn’t Sachin was very professional when we used for Sachin. However, there is also a twist preciates, I simply say thank you, and all been influenced by his . Some- came captain of the team, I was very com- go with him nor will they go with me. It is to have such interactions and I think that in that. Sreesanth calls everyone paaji and when somebody criticises, I will move on body also pointed out to me that Sachin fortable talking to him about cricket during Team ’s achievement and it will re- those were the ingredients that made paaji Sachin bhaiya! by saying that I would work on that. doesn’t play the helicopter shot [Dhoni’s games, but outside is still a different story. main Team India’s record of wins. I have think I would make a good captain. The greatest aspect of Sachin’s person- His ODI double hundred against South signature shot] and I immediately cor- Quite a few times, it has also happened often seen Sachin emphasising the team’s I was just asked whether I could be ality is his humility. He is still so humble. Africa was a truly memorable moment as rected him. He does that too. He played it that I have not agreed with his ideas or sug- win rather than individual records and friends with Sachin after retirement. I took After his international debut he became I was watching it unfold from the non- the first time during one of the matches in gestions. But, the great thing is that he will it’s a wonderful trait which has made him a long pause to answer. I think it’s a diffi- a superstar, but the way he has handled striker’s end. People were critical, saying the IPL. There is no shot in this world that come up with some more ideas in the next so successful. cult question. Like I have just said, I find it IMAGES DAVID MUNDEN/POPPERFOTO/GETTY himself is incredible and exemplary. He I did not have enough of the strike during Sachin can’t play! ± over. If I say, “no, no, paaji, it won’t work,” It was a big compliment for me when I difficult to talk to him outside the field -ex still has the same passion for practice the last stage! It wasn’t like that. We were he will not mind. And, it was the same with heard that he recommended my name for cept when the topics are cars and bikes and sessions even today. He gets plenty out playing for the team and I was confident (Exclusive excerpts from India captain Dada, Laxman, Dravid and Anil (Kumble) the captaincy. People sometimes ask why now one more topic, since he has joined the of every nets session. These are things that he would get this special ton. M.S. Dhoni’s speech at the launch of bhai. There was nothing called ego. They and I guess it was the honest opinions I Territorial Army. I think the kind of aura youngsters must emulate. He is a classic Sachin has always been my hero. Even Vimal Kumar’s “Sachin—Cricketer of the truly believed in the team’s success. That’s gave from behind the stumps. Or the times he has, being friends and equals would example of how to handle appreciation though I am not a great follower of the ” by Penguin in New Delhi. Dhoni why, when somebody recently asked in Hy- when we batted together and I used to be difficult. and criticism successfully. Handling ap- game on TV, I used to ask my father to was speaking to an audience that included,

derabad what was my feeling on overtaking express myself. I am not somebody who A lot of people also ask why we call him DUIF DU TOIT/GALLO IMAGES/GETTY IMAGES preciation is much more difficult than wake me up early when he used to bat in among others, Sachin Tendulkar.)

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