Monday 21 October 2013

When Tendulkar almost ‘killed’ Joshi

Mumbai: When Sunil Joshi broke into the Indian team, back in 1996, Sachin Tendulkar was at the peak of his career. The Karnataka left-arm spinner made his India debut during the England tour in Birmingham, but was soon out injured. Joshi then joined the team in Sri Lanka for an ODI tournament. 
“Sachin told me, ‘Joe, let’s have a ‘challenge.’ If 
you beat me in the nets or get meout,I’lltreat youfor a meal (lunch or dinner). However, if you don’t, then I get one!” Joshi recalled to TOI on Sunday. “For me, the prospect of bowling to Tendulkar was an 
    intimidating 

one at first, but eventually I realizedthatitwas the best thing to happen to me. It was healthy competition, 
which got the best out of me and improved me as a bowler,” he added. 
    Joshi reveals an interesting story about his ‘rivalry’ with Tendulkar in the nets: “Before the lone Test 
match against Bangladesh, in Dhaka, in 2000, we were ‘locked’ in our own battle in the nets. I beat Sachin twice, as he edged the ball towards the slips. ‘My treat is guaranteedtoday’ Iscreamed. Sachin smashed the very next ball so hard towards me that I almost lost my life. That ball missed me by inches, otherwise I was history! Naturally, my ‘celebration’ had made Tendulkar, who was passionate about the game in the nets too, angry. I realized my folly and felt lucky to live on!” As a captain, Joshi found Tendulkar “meticulous.” “During the Sahara Cup (vs Pakistan) in 1996, he would sit with the bowlers and discuss his plan against every batsman in detail.Itwas a joy to watch his planning,” Joshi said. 
    The tweaker, who played 69 ODIs and 15 Tests for India, shared a fascinating anecdote thattellsus abouthis relationship with ‘Captain Tendulkar.’ “Wewere playing Australia in a do-or-die game at Mohali. I bowled three dot balls on the trot to Steve Waugh. He was standing at short mid-wicket, and pepped me up by saying: ‘Now bowl three more dot balls.’ Next ball, Waugh patted the ball back to me, and as I was picking it up, he used a four-letter word. I hurled the ball back towards him with full force, and itwentover the‘keeper’shead 
for a boundary. An angry Sachin gave a piece of his mind to me!‘I’ll get youhiswicket,’ I said, as part of damage control. The next ball, I had him stumped, and immediately looked at Sachin. We shared a tight hug. He was the best advisor any young bowler could have hoped to have around him in field,” Joshi said. 
    Critics often panned Tendulkar for not turning out to be as good a captain as a player. “As a captain he would think that everyone was on the same page with him on every subject. That, however, is not always the case. Everyone has their own take,” Joshi offered his candid observation. “He loved throwing challenges at you. Before the Windies tour in 1997,he asked meto get Brian Lara’s wicket for us. I managed to get him out four times,” Joshi revealed.

SURVIVOR: Sunil Joshi



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