The strip of paper that is Shewag's inspiration
Staff Reporter - 4 August 2001
The celebrations are over as far as Virendra Shewag is concerned. He
is already trying to concentrate for the next match ahead. But a small
yellow strip of paper is now his constant companion. The paper has a
message of congratulations from Sachin Tendulkar.
Immediately after India's win on Thursday, Tendulkar had called up the
Taj Samudra hotel in Sri Lanka. However, at that time, the Indian team
had not come back to the hotel. So the master blaster had asked the
receptionist to note down the message. It read: "Great Innings.
Congratulations. I hope that you will not disappoint me in the
final." It is this piece of paper that was delivered to Shewag on his
arrival and has now become his inspiration for the next match
"I am in a dream world right now," said Shewag. "I cannot believe
that the great Sachin Tendulkar congratulated me. Sourav is telling
the entire world to take notice of me and Rahul Dravid is always there
with advice whenever I need it. To tell you frankly, it is like a
dream for me. When I used to watch all these people play, I used to
think whether I would be able to play like them. And today, I am
sharing the same dressing room with them. I just want this dream to
continue," said Shewag over the phone on Friday.
Immediately after his return to the hotel on Thursday, Shewag had
treated the entire team to a huge cake. There can be no doubt that
room mate Yuvraj Singh had the largest share.
Shewag does not feel that this innings will become a source of
constant pressure for him. "I know that expectations will rise. But
then, playing for the country is pressure itself," he said over the
phone.
Meanwhile, Shewag's younger brother Vinod, said on Friday that
initially he was a bit doubtful about India's victory. "But once
Veeru (Shewag's nickname) started going, I realized that it was going
to be his day." Virendra's younger brother is more into academics.
However, at every opportunity, Vinod sits down in front of the
television to see his brother in action. "He never lost heart after
injury forced him out of the team from the one-day home series against
Australia." Commenting on that period, Vinod said, "He was just
determined to get better. And in this he has succeeded."
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