Rohit Sharma who made two consecutive centuries in his inaugural two-match Test series against West Indies, was adjudged the Man of the Series. He talked about the impact of Sachin Tendulkar in the dressing room, the daunting spectre of his absence and the way to go from here, for his team and him. Excerpts
How the team will miss Sachin, the man.
He brings so much to the table. It’s not just about batting, but the way you conduct yourself off the field is very important. This is something we’ve learnt from him. I remember having a chat with him during my first tour to South Africa in 2010. I realised that playing abroad won’t be easy. The interaction helped.
But yes, the team has got the momentum. We need to carry this momentum to the next series. Of course, his presence in the dressing room will be missed. I don’t know how we will react to the situations which we’ll be confronted with, now that we know he will not be with the team any more. We need to get over this very quickly, but I don’t know how we’re going to do it. It’s not going to be easy.
Your 100 in this match.
It’s very important because I’d never before played such a big match. This is my second Test, so it is crucial for me to perform as an individual and help the team win.
The team won, so I’m happy and since I’ve contributed it’s all the more nice. But there’s one thing that we’re going to be tormented by for the next few days - that from now on Sachin Tendulkar will not play with us.
Was there a meeting/celebration in the morningIJ
Nothing special, we didn’t know that this would be our last day on the field. We wanted to give this special man something special by winning the series and this game on his home turf.
Do you think you snacked on a weak WI bowlingIJ
No. If you look at the first Test match at Eden Gardens, we were 83/5. So you can’t say that they are not a good bowling attack. They’ve got decent spinners in their ranks, they exploited the conditions very in Eden Gardens and here. But playing at home is always an advantage against anyone. We played to our advantage and got the result we wanted.
On SRT missing a 100.
When a player scores a century, it’s good. But he’s made so many centuries in 24 years, so even if he’d not done anything in this game, we wouldn’t have forgotten what he has done in the last 24 years. He also wanted to get a century, he batted well but got out for 74.
Were you guys getting emotional about his speechIJ
Yes we all got very emotional. He thanked each and every one who supported him, stood behind him. That shows the great qualities of a great man. I really didn’t know how to react. I was looking at him all the time. Because I knew that this was the last time I’ll be watching him in the whites. I just wanted to get enough of Sachin Tendulkar.
You had a long wait to get into Tests, are you happy with the startIJ
This is just the start of my Test career. It will be very important perform outside India. It will be a challenge. There’s enough time to prepare for the South Africa tour. I’ve been to South Africa, I know what it’s going to be like there, what to expect. So I’ll have my preparations done accordingly. I’m happy with the way I’ve started. I’ve waited a long time to get here, wear the whites. I am finally wearing them and it feels really good.
Can you shape up to be Sachin’s replacement at No 4IJ
I’m not at all thinking about that. What he has done for Mumbai cricket, Indian cricket is huge. I’ve just started my Test career, there is a long way to go.
Give us the dressing room dos around Sachin.
We just had some funny speeches, that was it. We’ve got to go back to the hotel and plan something for the evening. (Coach) Duncan Fletcher gave a speech like he does after every series. That was it, nothing special.
Would you still be seeking out Sachin for adviceIJ
Absolutely, luckily he lives only five minutes away from my house, so I can go to his home any time, if he’s free. Whenever I’ve gone to him for help, he’s always helped me. Even when I’m playing out (of Mumbai), and if I’ve been making a mistake on the field, he’s either sent a message though someone or messaged me directly. In the future too I’m sure we’ll be in his mind.