There is a reason Sachin Tendulkar is called the ‘God’ of cricket. The Master Blaster carved out a legendary career not only because of his one-in-a-billion batting skills but also because he was always respectful of the game of cricket. Remember the story when Yuvraj Singh, in anger, once threw a cricket bat after he got out, and it was Tendulkar who told him to respect the equipment that ‘gave him everything’. That’s the quality of Tendulkar that stood out, besides his impeccable batting.
For Tendulkar, nothing topped playing for the team. Yes, certain keyboard warriors claim that the Master Blaster often prioritised records over team success, but it couldn’t be further away from the truth. Even the statistics prove it. Contrary to popular belief, India has won 33 of the 49 ODIs in which Tendulkar has scored centuries, making it a win percentage of 67.
Former India batter Mohammad Kaif narrated one such incident of Sachin’s team over individual theory. The Master Blaster ensured the players spent a lot of time together instead of dispersing in different directions. Opposite to the norm now, when players tend to have their own space outside of cricket, Tendulkar was serious about team bonding, trying to keep everyone with each other whenever the opportunity presented itself.
“Now players have become more professional. I was a coach in the IPL, and I noticed players would finish practice and head straight to their hotel rooms, either spending time on their phones, watching movies, or playing games. But when we played, we spent a lot of time together during practice. Nowadays, there are cars ready for players so that they can leave after they are done with practice. In our time, we would always leave together. Even Sachin Tendulkar, after finishing his batting and fielding drills, he would wait for the last player and say, ‘Finish practice first, then we’ll go together,'” Kaif said on the Cheeky Singles Show on JioHotstar.
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Tendulkar saw it all during his 25–year career – the highs, the lows, the euphoria, the heartbreak – almost everything that a sportsperson can experience. From making his debut under Kris Srikkanth to finishing under Dhoni, when Srikkanth was serving as the BCCI chairman of selectors, Tendulkar has witnessed playing with three generations of not more. Almost everything has evolved, including player celebrations and the support system.
How the game has evolved
“Nowadays, the frequency of matches has increased a lot. I remember when I played in the NatWest Trophy final, which was in July. After that, I played my next ODI only three months later in the ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka. Back then, there were fewer matches, and we always got breaks in between. We had time for conditioning camps. Now, teams don’t do that; players just travel and go straight into matches, from one match to the next. That’s why there is so much talk about physios and doctors, because players need to take care of their bodies. Fitness has become such a big part of the game. Players now even travel with their personal chef and trainer. All these things have increased compared to our time,” added Kaif.
“Back in the day, when I played for India, we never planned celebrations, nor were we even aware if a camera was recording a specific moment that would be replayed multiple times. We were straightforward. But nowadays, players know exactly when the camera will be on them and how they will celebrate. The awareness has increased. The main reason for this is mobile phones and social media. Today, highlights are everywhere on social media. That’s a big change and new players are not holding back while celebrating.”
