Paritosh's Blog 🏑 ⚽ 🏏 🏹 🥊: 2009

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

Dhanraj on Sachin

I have learnt a lot from Sachin

First of all congratulations to Sachin who has devoted 20 years to the country and took the nation to greater heights. Only a genius like Sachin can play that long (20 years) for the country.
Sachin is the only player who entertains this entire nation whenever he enters the field. He brings joy, a sense of pride on the face of every Indian.
I have learnt a lot from him. The way he mentally prepares himself for a game, is great. He knows how to handle pressure. Sachin, Leander Paes and I were the only three Indian sportspersons who made their debut in 1989. Only a great player like Sachin can handle that pressure for 20 long years. Sports is the field where you get criticised quite often. Even then, Sachin has never responded to criticism. Rather, he kept on winning man of the series and man of the match awards. On many occasions Sachin has single-handedly won matches for India.
Sachin has sacrificed his personal life...remained away from his family, friends, near and dear ones only to take India to another level.
I have met him for around 10-15 times. He is very humble and down to earth person. He has won hundreds of awards, achieved great targets but has kept his feet firm on ground. He respects everybody. It’s the values he has inherited from his parents. He is a complete man, who is also involved in charity work and is always ready to help poor and needy.
I met Sachin for the first time some 10 years back at an awards function. He was same as he is today. It was a great interaction. Then, we together went to Lucknow for Subroto Roy’s (of Sahara) son wedding. We were seated in the first row along with his wife and other Bollywood stars. That was also a memorable meeting.The best thing is that I’ve never seen him getting angry. It’s the quality of a genius.I still remember his innings in 1999 before the England World Cup. India played at Wankhede Stadium. I was there at the stadium. I don’t remember the score but that was a great knock. I still remember how Pakistan’s Abdul Qadir provoked Sachin to hit sixes off his bowling and the little master responded with four sixes. I also remember how Qadir then patted Sachin on his back after that over. Those memories are still fresh as if that has happened yesterday. It was worth watching how a 16-year-old young boy hit those sixes.I admire his straight drives and the way he watches the ball go past the bowler like a bullet.
I think Sachin could still play for another four-five years for the country.

(The hockey great and former India captain spoke to Paritosh Pramanik)