Emotions aside, preparing good cricket pitch on mind of Wankhede curator for Sachin's last Test

Sachin Tendulkar won’t get any special favours from the Wankhede curator

Wankhede Stadium’s curator, Sudhir Naik has made it clear that though he wants Sachin Tendulkar to score a century in his 200th Test in Mumbai, he won’t be preparing a flat track for the Master Blaster’s last match.

“I will be happy if he gets a hundred because I want that, I also want the century because he is our boy, Bombay boy. He has done so well all his career, so let people remember him forever ki isne last match main bhi sau banaya [as he made a century in his last match].

“He is good enough to do it himself. He does not need my help. This wicket is good enough for batting so that might automatically help him,” Naik said.

“It will be an emotional one, definitely, because I have seen him right from his first day in first-class cricket till the day he leaves the game. So not seeing him again will be difficult. But we have rules and norms to follow so my emotions will not get in the way of my work.

“My approach is I always prepare a sporting wicket,” he said. “If I am correct, every Test match I have been the curator of has lasted till the fifth day, except the four-day Test against England in December 2012.”