Playing It My Way: Best anecdotes from Sachin Tendulkar's book launch

Sachin Tendulkar launched his much awaited autobiography ‘Playing It My Way’ in Mumbai today where Sachin’s ex-teammates and his family gathered to share some interesting anecdotes about the batsman’s 24-year long career and his life outside the sport.Be it Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri, who welcomed Sachin to the Indian squad when he was still a 16-year-old making his international debut, or Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, who formed the great Indian middle-order with the batting maestro for more than a decade.Even his elder brother Ajit Tendulkar, Sachin’s closest ally since he first showed interest in the sport, discussing and dissecting cricket till he retired, and Anjali, the constant support of the man who carried the burden of a billion expectations, recalled some personal memories which enthralled the audience.Here, we take a look at what everyone said at the book launch:

#7 Sachin\'s seniors

Sunil Gavaskar

“I went to see Sachin practice at the Wankhede Stadium. He was batting against Raju Kulkarni, whom we all fondly call "Mad Thompson". And Raju was slippery and in the nets not many bowlers think about the no-ball. The bowl from 18 yards or so. Raju was doing that but Sachin was punching him off the back foot. The time he had to do that really impressed me.”

“When Sachin was in the 90s, approaching his 34th ton, I was put on commentary and spoke when the record [Gavaskar’s 34 hundreds] was equalled. The producer was in tears and he told me my commentary was so natural.”

Ravi Shastri

[On Sachin’s 148 at SCG in 1992] “I had the best seat in the house. I could see greatness. He was becoming the youngest visiting centurion in Australia. I remember, he was batting on five and he had been sledged by Aussies. He came to me and he told me, ‘let me get a ton and then I will show them’. What SCG saw was strokeplay of the highest order.”

[On Sachin’s debut tour, to Pakistan] “I told him to respect the conditions. Respect the opponent. But don't change your game for anybody. Just give it a little bit of time. That first innings he looked like a fish out of water. A month later he had turned into a great white shark.”

#6 Boria Majumdar

Boria Majumdar, the co-author of Sachin’s autobiography, Playing It My Way, shared a few anecdotes with the crowd:

“When we actually started, for me there were two fundamental challenges. All of us have covered this man for the longest time. His life is a public book. What can we say that people don't already know?

"Two, to actually get his voice in a manner that he wants.” – Boria.

“I will share three anecdotes. One is that, about a year back, in 2013, Sachin comes from England and starts training with Atul Ranade. They cycle and do a few laps. Sachin was on the floor after that as he could only see white. They called a autowala and took Sachin home.” – Boria.

“In August 2008, he [Sachin] went to Germany for two back to back surgeries. Was adviced 10 weeks rest. But got back into action in about six weeks.” – Boria.

“The third is that Anjali [Tendulkar] posed as a sports journalist to meet Sachin for the first time. Sachin had a couple of pieces of chocolate left from his England tour and he split it to share.” – Boria.

#5 Ajit Tendulkar

Sachin’s elder brother, Ajit, has been his closest ally and his biggest confidante, and the duo dissected cricket all the time in their talks.

“Over the years we discussed more and more. There were more things to talk about” – Sachin.

“Even after my last innings, we talked about how I got out. Over my career, we discussed more and more. Playing at international level, you have a lot of pressure. For that I needed strong support. That was Ajit.” – Sachin.

It was Ajit, who first spotted Sachin’s talent.

“Before taking him to the coach I had seeen him playing in the society. I was convinced and took him to the coach. At that age I was very impressed. Bowler always [asked] questions and Sachin always had the answers. I used to watch him from the balcony and I could see him in pressure [situations].” – Ajit.

Ajit also recalled how he would not allow Sachin to eat duck, because he had heard that some cricketers ate that and got out on duck.

When Sachin faced trouble, getting out playing the cover drive, Ajit was there to advise.

“The way he was getting out, there was a different manner. I thought it was playing on his mind. The quicker the runs the better. He would first think of scoring and not defending. I suggested to him to stay long.” – Ajit.

“So many things Ajit has done for me, I only realised after I retired. Earlier, he would travel with me and would be in touch with me. We have lived this dream together. Whenever I went to bat, I knew he was there with me mentally. Whatever I say and how much I described, it is not enough.” – Sachin.

#4 Anjali Tendulkar

Sachin first met his future wife Anjali, when he was 17, at an airport, returning from his maiden tour of England, having just struck his first international ton. She mentions she didn’t know who Sachin was at that time.

“I was at the airport to receive my mother when I first saw Sachin. I thought he was very cute and chased him. He seemed embarrassed by it all. He was 17 back then.” – Anjali Tendulkar.

“There were two previous occasions when my dad called to see Sachin Tendulkar batting in England, but at that stage I was not at all interested in cricket. Who knows? If I had seen him earlier, then I would have been chasing a fifteen-year-old!” – Anjali.

“I still do remember the color of the t-shirt she was wearing! Orange(smiles).” – Sachin.

The family affairs:

“The first time I went to Sachin’s house, I went as a journalist. People at his home were peeking from the curtain. Sachin was skeptical, he said, ‘you are a girl how can you come to my house?’. We used to communicate a lot through letters.” – Anjali.

“Sachin wanted me to go to his house and talk to his parents about our engagement.” – Anjali.

The tragedy:

“Ajit called and informed me about his father’s death. I went to his hotel late on the night. To tell him [Sachin Tendulkar], it was one of the most difficult things I had to do. I called up Ajay Jadeja and one more cricketer to ensure they are there at Sachin’s door and he is not disturbed.”

Sachin also recounted an interesting tale during 2011 World Cup celebrations.

“Anjali and I started dancing with the hotel doors open [after the World Cup win]” – Sachin.

#3 VVS Laxman

VVS Laxman was the designated ‘saviour’ for Indian cricket team, having played many a memorable knocks which won India matches from many hopeless situations. He shared his memories about Sachin.

One of the most memorable knocks by Sachin, his 241 against Australia, came with Laxman at the other end. The most remarkable aspect of this innings was Sachin’s incredible ability to not give in to his instincts and avoid the off-side play completely, something which had led to his downfall at that time many a times. Sachin and Laxman shared a 353-run partnership at the SCG in 2004.

“I remember the chat we had at the end of the Melbourne Test match. We saw the statistics on screen. I told him he was playing well but getting out freakishly. What struck me during the [innings of] 241 was his control. I never saw anyone control [their] instincts so well. It was one of the most scintillating innings by him.” – Laxman.

Laxman also backed Sachin’s comments around the negativity which surrounded the Indian dressing room during the Greg Chappell era.

“Coach changes team atmosphere. When playing in high pressure situations, you need to play with a free mind. You have to enjoy your time in the dressing room. 2006 was the worst time.” – Laxman.

“I agree with Laxman that the atmosphere was not good. The atmosphere has to be good. The environment was negative. I felt if we traveled without that [negativity created by Greg Chappell], it would have been better. We seniors would have managed the team.” – Sachin.

“I’ve not seen anyone play Shane Warne against the turn and on the rise as consistently as Laxman.” – Sachin.

“I remember I played Under-19 with Amol [Muzumdar]. He had a big picture of Sachin.” – Laxman.

On Sachin’s humility.

“I remember my first Test, he was captain. He made me feel so comfortable. I was in awe of him and he made me comfortable.” – Laxman.

#2 Rahul Dravid

Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid have scored more runs together in Test cricket, than anyone else in the history of the sport. The duo spent hours and hours together on the pitch, and though quite different personalities, both share immense mutual respect for each other.

Dravid, new to the team in 1996, was very much in awe of Sachin.

“When I first started to bat with him, he would walk in and I would be a bit nervous, thinking that Schin Tendulkar is coming to bat with you, don't run him out. And he would ask you, 'what's happening?'. I thought, is he taking the mickey or do I really have to answer him. I was that nervous! Then I realised later he was just eager to know.” – Dravid.

“I think we conversed in a lot of languages. When we were in the middle we conversed in Marathi a lot” – Dravid.

One of the biggest controversies involving Sachin and Dravid was the declaration in Multan against Pakistan in 2004. Dravid, the acting captain because of Ganguly’s injury, declared the Indian innings when Sachin was still not out on 194.

“People talk about Multan all the time.” – Sachin.

“Everytime someone asks a question about Multan, had I asked a rupee I would have been a multi-millionaire” – Dravid.

“There are going to be times when you agree to disagree. Sachin and I have played for 16 years, but we've stayed friends still. The abiding memory for me from that game was when I gave Sachin the ball and when he got Moin Khan out.

“We walked out as a team that day and that's what Sachin was about.” – Dravid.

“We continue to be good friends. Every cricketer has disagreements but that's the way it goes.” – Sachin.

#1 Sourav Ganguly

Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly formed one of the greatest partnerships of all time with Sachin Tendulkar. Ganguly said he first met Tendulkar in an U-15 camp in Indore, where he first witnessed Sachin’s unending love for the game.

“I saw him for the first time in Indore for under 15 camp. What struck me was how much he wanted to play. We would finish training by afternoon. We would go back to the dormitory but Sachin would keep practising with a tennis ball.” – Ganguly.

Sachin and Sourav were roommates at the MRF pace academy, and Ganguly revealed how Sachin’s sleepwalking habit surprised him.

“He was my room-mate at the MRF Pace Academy. And he would walk in the night. One night he got up, walked around his bed and came back to sleep. The next night I saw the same thing again.” – Ganguly.

“He said I have issues. So I had to stay awake the rest of the night.” – Ganguly.

The duo shared some special moments in the middle too. Ganguly talked about how he would sometimes ask Tendulkar, despite being the captain, to take the strike when he was out of form.

“I was out of form once. There was this occasion when I asked him to take strike but he says no, no, I never do that. I was the captain and I was asking him. So I just went out and walked quickly and stood at the non-striker's end. I left him with no choice.” – Ganguly.

Sachin recalled how Dada kept motivating him in the middle.

“I was once hit by a Shoaib Akhtar bouncer. It hit my ribs and I came to know much later that it was broken. There was Dada out there who just came and said 'tu champion hai re.. tu champion hai' (You’re a champion, a champion!), I had to tell 'Shhh.. Just let me recover.” – Sachin.