Tendulkar's Commitment To Team India

waleedhbk · December 22, 2010, 7:56pm

Re: Tendulkar’s Commitment To Team India

Akram dismisses talk of Tendulkar being a selfish player

I have a quiet laugh when I read or hear some people argue that Sachin has not been a true match winner or good finisher for India. To them, I say grow up! What more can you expect from the man, a great cricketer and the best role model for not just young cricketers but all sportsmen. I played a number of times against him and although I saw him get frustrated if things were not going India’s way or he was not playing well, he never lost his cool. I know just how passionate he is about himself doing well and seeing India win. I can still recall how devastated he was in that 1999 Test at Chennai when India lost narrowly to us despite a fabulous hundred from Sachin.

So please don’t talk about him being a selfish or individualistic player; he is not that but on second thoughts, all great sportsmen need to be a bit selfish to achieve the impossible and be successful at the top level. When he started off his career, I remember he was a bit of a half cock player and myself and Waqar used to plan to bowl him full length yorkers as soon as he came into bat and then bowl a few bouncers to unsettle him. But whether our plan worked or not, his wicket was the prized one for us always.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010\12\22\story_22-12-2010_pg2_2

Akram is right