Dhoni answers Sachin-specific Press conference, says there can never be a replacement for Sachin
It was hardly a Press conference around the match which if India wins it will be a whitewash in its favour. The questions here were at best a Sachin chant – they began and ended with Sachin Tendulkar, his last outing and what specials Dhoni and his team have saved for this momentous occasion. For once, Dhoni obliged with indulgent answers, saying it has indeed been a privilege sharing the dressing room with Sachin for close to 8-10 years.
Perhaps it’s the demand of the moment which the skipper said was “historical” and one match that the team will do everything for the departing maestro in Sachin Tendulkar to enjoy. “I would want that he should enjoy his last Test match to the fullest as performance can’t ever be guaranteed”, he told reporters.
Everyone agreed but the Sachin queries had just begun, not just around his bat but also his golden arm which Dhoni feels might yet again be at play after the Eden show in which Tendulkar may have scored just 10 but took an unexpected wicket to break the momentum of the Windies. “Since this is his last Test match, I would like him to enjoy to the fullest and may be get a few wickets for us. That will be fun as one expects some turn and bounce from the wicket,” Dhoni said.
Dhoni also talked about how despite all the hype and the hoopla around the occasion his team had succeeded in keeping it simple and focussed.
“For us the focus has to be on the match. No point talking about the distractions. It will be one of the greatest matches in cricketing history but as it is his last game, we need to keep it as normal as possible. There are plenty of things going around. We have done our best to keep focus at the right place. For us, enjoying the moment is the key,” he stressed.
So what’s been his very own special Sachin moment. “The World Cup final here in 2011. Everybody was emotional and crying and that was for Sachin,” he said, adding that the thing which sets Tendulkar apart from other greats has been his uncanny ability to handle success and constant pressure for more than two decades.
“With due respect to the greats of earlier generations, they didn’t have to face the kind of pressure Sachin has faced. It wasn’t only about his success but how he handled it in all these years. I have seen a lot of foreign players who can handle on-field success but when it comes to handling off-field pressure, they buckle down. That’s what makes Tendulkar special,” he pointed out.
But trust Dhoni to say everything and yet not reveal much, like the pitch which he says will know about on match morning, or the specials the team has planned for Sachin. “We have some things up our sleeve. We would like to keep things simple. As it is, everyone is trying to do something special. We do have a few things on our mind. But you guys need to wait and concentrate on the match,” he said.
And what about Team India post Sachin, especially overseasIJ “I can’t talk about how prepared they are playing in India. It will only be proved once they play abroad. You can’t have a replacement for Sachin Tendulkar or a Rahul Dravid. But you have to accept these youngsters at face value. They will have their own characters. A Virat Kohli should play as Virat Kohli. A Cheteshwar Pujara, irrespective of how he bat’s would bring a different character to the team,” Dhoni said.
Dhoni believes that if Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, VVS laxman “brought colour to the team”, the new crop of players will “bring a different set of colours”. “It’s not that cricket won’t remain colourful. New players will bring new colours. You can’t expect the new generation to bring the same colour that Tendulkar, Ganguly or VVS brought. These youngsters will also bring a lot of colour to the side.”
It’s no wonder then that for any cricketer, it was a privilege to share the field and dressing room with Tendulkar and Dhoni feels that he is blessed. “I played 8-10 years with him. He guided the youngsters and showed us how to perform under pressure. The most emotional moment with him was winning the World Cup. The boys found it difficult to control their emotions. I have spent quite a number of Diwalis with him on various tours. We burst crackers together,” Dhoni recollected.
Dhoni said that Mohammed Shami’s pace and deadly reverse swing was the reason for the Kolkata Test ending inside three days as the “pitch didn’t look like one that would have a match end in three days”.