West Indies bowlers are having a little contest among themselves to get the prized wicket of retiring batting great Sachin Tendulkar in his last Test and have their names etched in history books, said visiting captain Darren Sammy.
“From the moment we heard it’s going to be his last Test in Mumbai, all the bowlers were quite motivated. There is a chance to go down in history. The last stroke he would play in any cricket match and your name could go down in there,” Sammy told reporters at the pre-match conference here on Wednesday. “We’ll see how it goes tomorrow and bringing down the curtains on a great career of a man who’s been a great ambassador not only for India but world cricket.”
The iconic batsman will play his last Test match at his home ground, Wankhede Stadium, from on Thursday.
Senior West Indies batsman Shivnarine Chanderpaul would also be playing his 150th Test match and Sammy said his milestone will be overshadowed by Tendulkar’s 200th match. “Tomorrow’s match our most experienced player would be playing his 150th game in Chanderpaul. That’s a big milestone for him and for us. It’ll be overshadowed by Sachin’s 200. We, as a team, would go out and work hard for Shiv.”
Sammy wished that the Guyanese player should get 150 runs equivalent to the number of matches he has played. “like Sachin, everybody can see he has’nt changed. Shiv, when it comes to his batting, the way he prepares, he has been the same ever since I’ve known him. I hope he goes on to score 150 in his 150th match. I don’t know if I could say the same for Sachin, that means he will get a double,” he said.
Sammy hoped that Chanderpaul would continue to play for a few more years. “Shiv has been very important to us. Since Brian (lara) left, he has been the rock of the batting. The young players could take a page out of his book, the way he prepares. Hopefully he will be around in the dressing room for a few years to come,” he said.
Sammy said it’s an honour to play in Tendulkar’s landmark Test but they would focus on winning it. “It feels great. It’s a great honour for us, here to be taking part in his final Test match. And we still have to go out and focus on what we’ve to do. I think it is a great moment for Sachin, especially for what he has done in cricket in India and all over the world.”