Sachin Tendulkar: T20 is the most challenging format of the game (Interview)

(Courtesy: CNN’s World Sport)

Transcript of the interview:

Mallika Kapur, CNN’s Mumbai-based international correspondent: Can you put into words, what this week has been like for you?

Sachin Tendulkar: I think from the time I announced my retirement on the 10^th of October, things have been different. Wherever I went people wanted to express their feelings about me and say thank you very much for whatever you have done for the nation. ..and especially when I played my first class match in the last month in Lali from there on that match and then the match in Kolkata and obviously Mumbai. Mumbai was really special. It was just unbelievable feeling, feeling to travel everywhere and the kind of love and affection people expressed, I could just feel it, you know, this is more than just you know saying thank you. It’s a little more than that. There are no words to express what I feel but a script like this, we humans could not write. I think it’s the Almighty’s script and however will you plan, whatever you want to do, it doesn’t work out this way.

Mallika Kapur: Talking about the Indian public, I think it’s an under-statement to say that the Indian public adores you, they worship you. Why do you think you have such a special connection with the people of India?

Right from the time I started playing for India, last 24 years, people have appreciated my performances and it’s been a joy to go out in the world and give your best. When you know the entire nation’s with you it gives you a lot of strength to go out and perform even better every time. Whether it was a failure or a good performance. Obviously when you fail then you want to make sure that next time you go and better your performance but if you perform better then there was another reason to step up and then go a step higher. I thought it was the support, the well wishes of the entire nation which inspired me to go out every time and do something special.

Sachin Tendulkar: Winning the World Cup was a special moment

Mallika Kapur: Did it any time get hard to deal with the affection or the expectation of a billion people?

Sachin Tendulkar: Its difficult to live up to people’s expectations. there comes a time that you have to figure out what is it that I am capable of, what is it that I want for myself and my dream was to win the world cup for India and for the first five attempts it was impossible. We came very close to winning the world cup in 2003. We lost in the finals. I thought there was another chance for us in 1996 when we lost in the semis that was a great chance. And finally in Mumbai world cup was actually in my hands and that is what I wanted. when that actually turned into reality, life was different.

Mallika Kapur: The world cup, a hundred 100s, you’ve hauled more runs than any other batsman, you have so many records and milestones under your belt. Which one is most special?

Sachin Tendulkar: See, individual records have happened playing for India, you know. If I was not given a chance to play for India all those records would not have happened and I feel it’s just the reflection of what I’ve been able to do for the nation. You go out to play and give your best. You don’t think of records. You don’t think that, oh next time I am going to go out and break another record. You feel that this match, I’m going to go out and give my best. I’m going to win this match for the nation and while doing that the records are broken, it’s an icing on the cake but you don’t play for records. Records are meant to be broken but you don’t chase them. Never.

Mallika Kapur: The latest of course if the Bharat Ratna, which is India’s highest civilian honor, and it’s the first time it’s been given to a sportsman. How does that rank?

Sachin Tendulkar: What does one say, you become speechless. It’s like- yeah I remember I was sitting in my room, we had come back from the stadium. My wife was with me and I got a phone call from the PMO and The Prime Minister spoke to me.

Mallika Kapur: Himself?

Sachin Tendulkar: Yes and I got this pleasant surprise.

Sachin Tendulkar: The PM calling me was a pleasant surprise

Mallika Kapur: What did he say the PM? I mean how do you react when the Prime Minister calls you on the phone?

Sachin Tendulkar: Obviously I mean it’s a special moment when the prime minister appreciates your contribution and says that the entire nation is proud of you. I am deeply honored. I think this is a special moment and I told my wife, ‘please stop eating. I want to tell you something.’

Mallika Kapur: How did she react?

Sachin Tendulkar: Yeah, when I told her I have Gods kept in my room and I said please stand there and thank the almighty for what I am going to tell you and when I told her that I had just been told by the Prime Minister that I’ve received Bharat Ratna I didn’t know how to react but she started jumping so it was unbelievable reaction.

Mallika Kapur: Cricket has undergone a face-lift in recent years especially with the Twenty20 format, which is so popular especially in India. What do you think is the future of the Test format is for the game?

Sachin Tendulkar: I think test format has its own place without any doubt, it’s there forever, without any doubt. you ask 10 cricketers which is the most challenging format and I can definitely tell you that 9 would say that test cricket requires more vision, more planning, execution of planning to understand the game–when to speed up the game, when to slow down the game. It’s something that you can manage in test cricket. You cannot do that in a T20 match. You have to go according to the pace of the game. Whereas in test cricket you can control the pace of the game. Bowler is constantly trying to get you out there, t20…feel wow, I’m doing a great job. It hasn’t happened so in test cricket. It’s a different format and I believe it’s the most challenging format. It’s there to say we’ve got two other formats – T20 as well as limited game. Those have also various challenges but I feel as a package test cricket is more challenging and when you perform well in test cricket definitely there is more satisfaction.

Mallika Kapur: When you are Sachin Tendulkar, what do you do to get away from it all?

Sachin Tendulkar: I like driving. I like driving. I enjoy driving cars and that’s something which relaxes me. I also love to listen to music. I love music. It’s difficult to drive cars without music. I think that’s my constant companion. Whether going for a cricket match or going for dinner or whatever, I am constantly listening to music and then it depends on what kind of mood I’m in but music is a constant companion.

Mallika Kapur: From the time you were a sixteen year old who just turned pro to now; how has the sportsman Sachin Tendulkar evolved and changed?

Sachin Tendulkar: over time everything changes and so have I. I would like to believe that when I was a 16 year old maybe I spoke just ten words, now I can speak a little more than that. I was very shy to face the camera. I’m still a little bit shy but I can manage a bit. In cricket definitely, over the years the number of games that I’ve played, it has taught me a lot about the game. I wouldn’t say now I know everything about the game because you are constantly a student of the sport and that’s the beauty of any sport. You are constantly learning and you are met with various challenges at different phases of life. I’ve enjoyed all those challenges and it has definitely made me a stronger person, a better person. If I have to analyze something there is a method to that and that comes with experience. So I think cricket has made me a better person, I would say.

Mallika Kapur: What’s the one thing about professional cricket you won’t miss?

Sachin Tendulkar: I’ve always found it difficult to train. I believed I could just pick up the cricket bat and I should not worry about running laps and all that. I didn’t really enjoy doing all those things but I knew that without all those things there was no survival. I had to do it so that was something which I would definitely not do, just run for the heck of it. I always thought that, you know, if I’m running then I should be scoring runs. If I’m not scoring runs then what’s the point of running? So I thought playing different sports was the best form of training because I like playing tennis, I like playing badminton. I like playing table tennis, a bit of football. You know, all those things and while doing that, if I’m running I don’t mind.

Mallika Kapur: Sachin, what’s next for you?

Sachin Tendulkar: Honestly I will have spent only 24 hours since I’ve retired and my family has waited for 24 years to spend time with me so, you know, that’s something that I want do because they have sacrificed so many things, about various things like I feel terrible that my– I’ve missed out on my daughter’s various birthdays, my son’s birthdays, annual days, sports days– so many things that I mentioned yesterday in my speech and I feel terrible. They’ve been extremely patient, for my daughter now for 16 years and my son for 14 years, so it’s time for me to give them all the attention and be there for all the special occasions.

Mallika Kapur: Any come-back? Any second chance at cricket again?

Sachin Tendulkar: I’m content, I mean, honestly I think this is a perfect decision and I have no regrets. It’s been fantastic.

Mallika Kapur: Thank you very much for your time and Good Luck!

Sachin Tendukar: Thank You so much.

(Interview transcript courtesy CNN’s World Sport)