How I helped Sachin Tendulkar!!!
It was long back and I had to google to find out which day and year it was. It was 1st April, 1998. India vs Australia in Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Cochin,Kerala — India! Pepsi Triangular Series!
Although Sachin scored only 8 runs, his teammates such as Ajay Jadeja, Mohammed Azharuddin and Hrishikesh Kanitkar showcased great talent to set a target score of 310. In those days, 310 was a tough score to beat.
Let me invite your attention to another plot. Kolkata, where I was born and on the day of this cricket match, I was 11 years old and watching it live from my home. When all my friends including my brother were playing cricket outside in a vast ground, here was me eagerly watching the match. And I was thrilled and why shouldn’t I be, the year 1998 and India vs Australia, India scored 310 , what could go wrong, nothing at all.
Australians cared the least about the score and no Indian bowlers made an impact. There were these massive names like Steve Waugh, Michael Bevan, Darren Lehmann and Damien Martyn. After close analysis and because I have been watching the match right from the start, I shouted (((((((((((((((((((((“ Give the ball to Sachin”))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))).
And that is when I understood that even if you shout from your home in Kolkata, the then Indian Cricket captain Mohammed Azharuddin who was playing in Kochi (Kerala) will hear you and he will make the necessary change. The next thing I see is Mohammed Azharuddin asks Sachin Tendulkar to bowl. And I was relieved. And I was relieved, because those were days when Sachin was never a preferred bowler, he had this big bang image as that of a batsman.Finally, we have a captain who listens to what I say. Whenever Sachin takes a wicket, I would say, “See, I told you! I told you!”, as if the captain is listening to what am saying.
When all my friends were playing in the cricket ground, here was me who was giving instructions to the captain of the Indian Cricket Team by sitting at home.
Well, rest is history, this 11 year old boy saved India from losing. Sachin took 5 wickets for 32 runs in his ten overs. And India won by 41 runs.
