The engine roared to life on the Irungattukottai race track. The person behind the wheels negotiated the bends with ease. And the men manning the cameras swung into action.
Soon, the vehicle came to a halt amidst much heat and dust. And Sachin Tendulkar emerged, flashing his familiar smile even as he flicked his sharp eyes from one corner to the other picking out little things. Moments later, he was signing cricket balls and autographs. Fans swarmed him; everyone wanted a piece of Tendulkar.
The maestro was here on Wednesday in connection with a promotional shoot for a luxury car when The Hindu caught up with the 41-year-old cricketing legend for an exclusive chat. Pressed for time he was, but the genial Tendulkar was game for a brief conversation.
Test team will bounce backAsked about the Indian capitulation in the recent Test series in England, Tendulkar replied, “I know the cricketers in this Indian team. I know what they are capable of. This team will come back in Tests. I want to look at things with a positive mind-set.” In other words, Tendulkar meant — be patient with a young team during a transitional phase.
Tendulkar was delighted by India’s dominant showing in the ongoing ODI series against England. With a game remaining, M.S. Dhoni’s men have taken an unassailable 3-0 lead — “Look at the way the Indians have come back in the one-day series. The team has shown a lot of fight.”
He was bullish about India’s prospects in the 2015 ICC ODI World Cup in Australia and New Zealand. “India is definitely among the strong contenders for the title. It is a well balanced side and is tough to beat.”
Tendulkar elaborated, “It is a versatile ODI team. There is depth in batting and variety in bowling. And the fielding has been brilliant.”
The former India captain said, “If you look at batting, there is a good mix of the right and the left-handers. When a right-left combination is at the crease, it becomes a lot harder for the bowlers. They have to find the right line.”
Tendulkar added, “In bowling, the Indians have been bowling well in partnerships. There are some good pace and spin options at different stages of the innings.”
Passion for carsHe then dwelt on his love for cars. “When I was a young boy, I would simply look at cars coming in and going out of the drive-in theatre which was at the back of my house. I would spend hours watching them. I was fascinated by cars, by their power and their speed. I wanted to feel them, drive them.”
Tendulkar said, “I was 14 when I saw some really big and impressive cars. I was in England then with the Star Cricket Club. That team was managed by Kailash Gattani. My admiration for cars grew.”
While cricket remained his passion, Tendukar’s liking for cars never dipped. He followed Formula One intensely, cheered for the mercurial Michael Schumacher.
