Sachin Tendulkar
India
Player profile
Full name Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar
Born April 24, 1973, Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra
Current age 34 years 191 days
Major teams India, ACC Asian XI, Mumbai, Yorkshire
Nickname Tendlya, Little Master
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm offbreak, Legbreak googly
Height 5 ft 5 in
Education Sharadashram Vidyamandir School
SACHIN'S QUOTE AFTER BEATING PAKISTAN:
"And that is the reason why this victory is great, because different players have made contributions to the win.
At least with me, the match starts much, much earlier than the actual match.
Beating Pakistan is always special because they are a tough team and we have a bit if a history regarding Pakistan.
Before coming here I had a minor back problem and I thought whenever I play Pakistan I get a back problem.
But eventually it is a game of cricket.
But it is not fair to blame a particular individual in a team comprising 11 members.
Every individual has his own style, his own way of presenting himself on and off the field.
From the spinners, Anil and I have been together for a long time and I respect him a lot.
I always had a dream to play for India but I never let it put pressure on me.
I am not thinking too far ahead, just want to take it one thing at a time.
I believe every era has its significance and the same holds true for players and coaches.
I didn’t want to prove a point, cause bowlers always want to make a statement and my job is to go out and score runs for India.
I feel when somebody has been playing cricket for a long time, he creates a separate identity for himself.
I find it difficult to sleep even after all these years because my mind is constantly working and that is the way I have always prepared.
I hate losing and cricket being my first love, once I enter the ground it’s a different zone altogether and that hunger for winning is always there.
I have never believed in comparisons, whether they are about different eras, players or coaches.
I have never thought where I will go, or forced any targets on myself.
I have never tried to compare myself to anyone else.
I have played for 15 years and it has been a dream.
I just keep it simple. Watch the ball and play it on merit.
I just want to continue the way I am going.
I myself want to learn to play the guitar because I just love music and I want to learn to play at least one good musical instrument.
I never played with a runner in my entire life, even in schools, because only I know where the ball is going and how hard, when I hit the ball, something my runner will never know about.
I want to give my six hours of serious cricket on the ground and then take whatever the result.
If one man is representing India in cricket, then yes, blame that person when things go wrong.
Imran Khan did not become Imran Khan overnight. He worked hard to become a legend.
Isn’t cricket supposed to be a team sport? I feel people should decide first whether cricket is a team game or an individual sport.
It doesn’t always happen according to the way you have planned things out but I feel if you have covered most of the aspects, it does help out there in the middle.
It has been very good here, but the World Cup game was different. It had a different significance to it.
It is my job to make runs for the country and win. That is the job I have to do.
Lara’s done very well recently and I never had any doubts about the abilities of Lara or Waugh.
Moment there is contact your sub conscious mind knows whether it’s a single or more. It’s that fraction of contact that matters.
My first strategy was not to give any wickets in first five to six overs because first 10 overs were important.
My point of view is that when I am playing cricket I cannot think that this game is less or more important.
New Zealand’s Daniel Vettori is a very good bowler.
Obviously after such a long gap, one itches to get back to the game and score big runs.
Shoaib Akhtar has been playing for 5, 6 years and is an experienced bowler.
The Australian tour was good for us; it was ideal preparation for us.
There are a few players who don’t like to think about the game.
Wasim and Waqar were amazing bowlers. I would put them right up there with the best in the world.
We defeated England in Natwest and also in Sri Lanka, but it’s was psychological game and I wanted to settle a score because of memories of losing at Wankhede Stadium were there.
When I was 15, I started playing first class cricket and always dreamt of being a Test cricketer, wanted to do something for the country, married in 1995, have 2 kids it’s been great.
When there is time to think about cricket, I think but when there is time to be with family, I try to do justice to that aspect of my life as well."