I want to score many more hundreds, says Tendulkar
5 July 2001
With three man of the match awards from four games in the ongoing
triangular series in Zimbabwe, Sachin Tendulkar says he is extremely
keen to "score more and more hundreds", a statement certain to ring
alarm bells for the other finalists, the West Indies.
"I am not easily satisfied. I want to score many more hundreds," said
Tendulkar yesterday after his unbeaten 122 shaped up India's six-
wicket win against West Indies in the last league match.
Tendulkar's 29th one-day international hundred, was his first of the
six-week tour where he has played two Tests and four ODIs besides a
three-day game. The genius said he was disappointed at not getting a
century in previous games.
"One always goes out to score hundreds. I wanted to score a hundred in
both the Tests. But it happens to all the players. If it was not to be
so, then all the great players wouldn't have got out in the 70 and
80s. When I had embarked on this tour, I had personally decided to try
and hang around as much as possible. And that is what I was trying to
do. I had told myself not to play big shots, even though that meant I
would have to suppress my natural instinct to hit the ball. I
basically did it because of the wickets here. I think on these kind of
tracks you can't play the way you play in India or anywhere else."
But, that the batsman does not forget defeat easily was evident when
he recalled how the one hour on the fourth morning of the second Test
cost India the match.
"The tour has gone on very well so far, except for the fourth morning
of the second Test. That one hour cost us the match. I thought we
didn't play good cricket and we allowed them to get back into the
game. If we had given them 200 or 210 runs to get in the fourth
innings it would have been a different story."
India lost the second Test to Zimbabwe by four wickets after they lost
seven wickets for 37 runs on the penultimate day.
"I thought losing those seven wickets for 37 runs was the key. If you
lose so many wickets in no time, it is very difficult to win a Test
match. Right until that moment I felt that we were in the driving
seat. I know it is very hard to express in words as to what we should
do and what we shouldn't do. It just happens," the former skipper said
philosophically.
"The only thing one could have done was to wait and hang around there
for the new ball to wear out. Such things are going to happen. We
can't pin-point each other. We all need to take responsibility for it
and try and ensure that we don't repeat it."
On the brighter side, Tendulkar said the team had now some very good
youngsters. "All the youngsters we have are very talented. They are
also hungry to do well. They are prepared to work hard and that is a
good sign. It augurs well because if you look at the average age of
the team it is around 23-24 years. The team is young and if this lot
can stick together for years to come, I am sure we can produce better
results."
However, Tendulkar said, it was the bowling where India had profited
most. "All the bowlers show promise. All the guys have different
qualities and that is so important when you form a team. From every
end, you have variety. Harbhajan Singh is a top class off spinner and
he is only 21. It is an added advantage to the side. Somebody who is
so young and done well against quality sides, we can only expect
better things from him."
The 28-year-old stalwart from Mumbai was also very pleased with the
fitness level of the team. "It has improved by leaps and bounds. Now
we are a very good fielding side too".
Tendulkar said he is always keen to lend a helping hand to youngsters
in the team. "I know I am the senior-most among the players here. If I
see something wrong or an area where somebody can improve, I just go
and tell him that this is what I feel. Then it is up to the player to
take a decision. But as a senior member, I feel I should tell them
where they are going wrong."
© PTI