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Pen mightier than the bat?

During an endorsement for a pen brand, Sachin Tendulkar rubbed shoulders with the media

When the little master was little, his biggest nightmare during a school test was "What if it does not work?"

Yes, like any other school kid, Sachin Tendulkar hoped his pen wouldn't let him down during an exam. "Not that I was a scholar," he quipped, addressing the media in Chennai while endorsing a branded weapon considered mightier than the sword and maybe, even the bat. "Pens are an integral part of children's lives. I'm glad that I'm associated with something that's integral, something that will not let you down."

"My dad was a writer, he always had five pens in his pocket. I have five MRF bats in my bag. But I do write my diary. What I've done and what I need to do. My goals... When you put them down, you'll remember what exactly you thought on, say, April 23."

Is he then preparing to pen his memoirs?

"There is a time and place for everything."

Of course, the little master's sense of timing was impeccable. The batsman started his innings with the media on the dot. Clean-shaven, looking younger than ever, Sachin was calm, composed and in a very good mood.

He even stole the odd tongue-in-cheek single, like when he said he and Brian Lara had lunch together in Mumbai and how he was looking forward to the trip to the West Indies: "Hope he's a good host there," he chuckled, hinting at the West Indians being kind to the Indians.

As the left-handed writer put down his prized autograph on the three-year partnership agreement, there was some scramble, requests for replays and appeals turned down, during the brief photo op.

Another followed almost instantly when Sachin was presented with a heavy fountain pen specially designed for him by Reynolds. The tense moments came when Sachin began fielding questions from all around the room. Some journalists got a bit edgy, worried at the prospect of the batsman heading back to his dressing room before they got a chance to get him out for a couple of questions, preferably the one-on-ones.

It's another story that the star batsman didn't give interviews because he had to rush to dinner. But he stayed on even after the official announcement of the last question and went for a couple of well-timed short answers. Like the bit when he spoke about how the team always shared the responsibility. "It is India, not individuals. It is the collective effort that takes you to the top. Otherwise, it goes the other way." Or when someone asked him if he was under more pressure now than before or less pressure because others were performing well. "The pressure is still the same. It is good that other players are performing but what I have to contribute stays the same."

He seemed pretty excited that the Indian team was doing well. "There is healthy competition. It's a healthy sign. It's wonderful and brilliant that the team is doing well. I'm an Indian and proud that it is doing well."

And an enthusiastic sales manager started clapping, egging others on to applaud too.

The last one was a non-cricketing question by a gentleman who had patiently been waiting for his turn to ask if Sachin had ever collected autographs as a kid. "Unfortunately, no," came the defence. "But I got a bat from Dilip Vengsarkar. I got him to autograph it. And then Sunil Gavaskar and Don Bradman a few years ago. That's about it."

For a brand looking at targeting the youth all around the country, there could not have been a better match than the player himself.

SUDHISH KAMATH

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