Nagpur: Sunil Gavaskar, who needs no introduction, spoke to The Telegraph on Monday — exclusively on Sachin Tendulkar, who was unable to post his 50th Test hundred, in neighbouring Jamtha.
The following are excerpts:
Whether Sachin has become very conscious about being one short
Perhaps, yes, because everybody is talking about the impending hundred... Surely, having played so much, Sachin won’t be nervous... He’s been in this situation before — when he was one short of equalling my record (34 hundreds) and when he needed one to get past me... So, it’s a situation he has dealt with in the past.
His own thoughts when he was one short of Sir Don Bradman’s record of 29 Test hundreds
I didn’t want to be conscious about it, but the whole country was talking nevertheless (in 1983-84) and there was nothing that I could do... The hype was just too much.
Equalling Sir Don’s record, at the Kotla, against the West Indies
I’d been upset by a remark, that I should “retire,” from somebody on the eve of that Test... As for my innings of 121, I tried to stay focused and never looked too far ahead...
Whether he would track his innings on the scoreboard
(Grins) No... The way I approached batting was that the minimum value each batsman ought to put on every innings was a hundred... I believed in doing my job and, well, there was no need then to look at the scoreboard.
If he believes in destiny
Yes, in the sense that something will happen when its time has come... Sachin, therefore, will get his 50th Test hundred when it’s destined.
Milestones...
I wasn’t focused on milestones.
Finally, if he has any advice for Sachin
No... He doesn’t need advice.
Footnote: During New Zealand’s second innings, Sachin appeared to be wearing a black belt, suggesting the back needed support. Later, The Telegraph learnt that he’d, in fact, ‘folded’ his trouser around the waist and the black bit was actually the lining! For a while, even coach Gary Kirsten had been alarmed.
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