Hansie Cronje tested most : Tendulkar said in press conference

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hansie cronje tested most : tendulkar said in press conference

Move isolated the glenn mcgraths and muttiah muralitharans, the only bowler who has tested sachin tendulkar to an extent that the indian batting icon “didn’t recognise what to do” while facing him was stunningly the late hansie cronje!

The ex-south african captain, who died in a plane crash after being banned for match-fixing, was the one man tendulkar found hard to cope with and bowling technique had not one thing to do with it.

“honestly. I got out to hansie more than anybody. When we played south africa he at all times got me out more than allan donald or shaun pollock. It wasn’t that i couldn’t pick him — it’s just that the ball gave am impression go straight to a fielder,” tendulkar told ‘the guardian’

Cronje, primarily a middle-order batsman, was efficient with his medium pace fetching 43 wickets in 68 tests and 114 odi wickets in 188 matches before his spectacular fall from grace owing to the 2000 match—fixing scandal in which he was the prime accused. He died in a plane crash in 2002.

Tendulkar said facing cronje was at all times a tricky proposition for him.

“i was going great guns in durban one year and played a good deal of huge shots against donald and pollock. Hansie came on and i flicked his first ball straight to leg-slip. I never knew what to do with him,” he said.

Tendulkar once again named mcgrath as the best fast bowler he ever faced and despite dominating shane warne, the indian icon considered the aussie to be the best spinner he came throughout.

“i did ok against him (mcgrath). But, amidst the spinners, warne at his best was still something exceptional,” he said.

The 37-year-old batsman, who has spent over 20 years in worldwide cricket, is frequently equated to sir don bradman and tendulkar recalled a good deal of exceptional moments he spent with the late australian legend.

“we went to see him on his 90th birthday. It was very exceptional. We were talking about averages and i said, ‘sir don, whether or not you were playing today, what would you have averaged? ’ and he said, ‘70 — in all likelihood. ’ i asked, ‘why 70 and not your actual average of 99? ’ bradman said, ‘come on, an average of 70 is not bad for a 90-year-old man. ’

“this is what i tell my son. Whether you’re an 11-year-old boy or don bradman we must never forget it’s just a game we may all receive happiness from. ”

His passion for the sport is well-documented and tendulkar said even after spending over two decades in the worldwide arena, he tries to re-invent himself.

“i’m genuinely focusing now on how i may get to the next level as a batsman. How may i get even more competitive? How may i get even more consistent? How may i get better? Tendulkar pointed out.

The diminutive batsman said going past the 14,000 runs mark earlier this year was one of the huge moments of his career but he never lets the thoughts of accomplishing milestones overshadow what’s genuinely required of him in a match circumstance.

“it was a large moment. . . But i was most aware of the match circumstance,” said the right-hander who had arrived at the wicket with india 38 for two in reply to australia’s first innings of 478.

“and then it flashed on the huge screen that i needed eight runs to reach 14,000. Each run i scored was cheered.

But when i needed two i hit a boundary. I was happy but i thought, ‘right, now we may get back to focusing on cricket’, because everyone had become too worried when it comes to those eight runs. It had taken away my focus. ”

“yes. Plainly, going past brian lara was something exceptional. But i’m even more felicitous now and hopefully it proceeds. ”

Talking about the changing face of the game, tendulkar said australia is in decline after retirements of their heavyweights.

“to not have (matthew) hayden, (justin) langer, (adam) gilchrist, (glenn) mcgrath, (shane) warne — it’s a large loss.

They still have a good deal of world-class players but their batting revolves around (ricky) ponting. When you want to invent a vacuum in their batting you need to get ponting,” he said.

Tendulkar feels given australia’s loss of aura, england are serious contenders to lift the ashes this time.

“i think england have a more desirable opportunity. I favour them more or less. I would say (eoin) morgan could be the key performer in the ashes. Morgan and (graeme) swann,” he said.

“he (morgan) is an actual solid player who may control the pace of his innings. He may become an actual good test batsman albeit he has only played a small amount of tests so far. After morgan you’ve got the experience of (andrew) strauss, (paul) collingwood and pietersen. They’re an actual well—balanced side and this is a neat opportunity for england,” he added.

India is one of the co-hosts of next year’s world cup and tendulkar said the pressure would be of an altogether different level.

“it’s going to be massive. Everyone in india is looking forward to a mega tournament and altho people haven’t started talking yet when it comes to 1983 (the last time india won the world cup) it will occur soon. But, given our recent form, people have a right to be excited and have extremely high hopes,” he said.

Source: hindu