“I told her that I can’t take this pain anymore” - Sachin Tendulkar recalls battle with toe injury during 2011-12 Australia tour

Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar has opened up on how he had a hard time dealing with the recurrence of a toe injury during India’s tour of Australia in 2011-12. He stated that he was even advised surgery for the same, but was talked out of it by his wife Anjali.

The former India captain had suffered a toe injury in 2000, which resurfaced the next year and forced him to miss some matches. The same injury made his life miserable during the tour Down Under in 2011-12, in which India were blanked 0-4.

Tendulkar revealed details of his painful battle with the toe injury during a recent event to launch a book titled ‘Scintillating Sachin’, and titled ‘Shatkant Ekach’ in Marathi.

He was quoted as saying by PTI:

“In the year 2000, I had a toe injury in South Africa following which I took injections as well. The same injury resurfaced after the 2011 World Cup. I don’t even know; I did not do anything which would have put strain on it. In fact, I was in London for leave and I was going to join the (Indian) team there.”

The 50-year-old added that he was in a lot of pain and had made his mind up to undergo surgery as per advice from local doctors.

“(In Australia) it was very painful and unbearable. I had used bandages, changed my insoles twice, and was just managing to play somehow. Most of the tour was over but my frustration was only increasing. The Australian grounds are hard, which was making it even more difficult. The doctor suggested getting a surgery done,” Tendulkar added.

Tendulkar’s wife Anjali, however, flew down from India to Australia in 48 hours and helped the cricketer take the right call.

“I had to run, so my pain increased too much and I consulted a doctor in Australia. He suggested that I need to do surgery, and even my other leg was hurting. So I shared this with Anjali, I told her that I can’t take this pain anymore and that ‘I have had enough’ and I will do surgery," the former batter recalled.

“I said ‘I am informing the team that I cannot play, I am in pain and it is difficult’, after hearing this, Anjali came to Brisbane literally in 48 hours only to stop me, to not have this surgery,” Tendulkar added.

Tendulkar went on to disclose that doctors told him if the surgery was unsuccessful, he could be in a wheelchair for at least six weeks, impacting his playing career.

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“I don’t think a bowler is getting you out” - Tendulkar recalls advice from brother

During the event, Tendulkar also recalled how he managed to score 241 in the 2003-04 Sydney Test without playing a single cover drive. The Master Blaster credited his brother Ajit for helping him overcome poor form during the tour.

“I was batting well in Australia but was not scoring big runs. So, I had a conversation with Ajit before the Sydney Test. He had observed my batting and said: ‘There was not any technical fault in your batting. But the flaw is in your shot selection’. He said I need to be more disciplined while playing shots," Tendulkar said.

“One more thing he said: ‘I don’t think a bowler is getting you out. You played the wrong shot and that’s why you got out. So take the challenge that no one would get you out in this Test’. I accepted that challenge,” he added.

Tendulkar scored 241 off 436 balls in the Sydney Test, hitting 33 fours. He contributed an unbeaten 60 in the second innings of the drawn encounter.