When Sachin played under Imran
By IANSTuesday, February 8, 2011
NEW DELHI - Not many know, but India’s batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar had played under Pakistan captain Imran Khan in 1988 — a year before he made his international debut in Pakistan.
In a book titled ‘SACH,’ by Gautam Bhattacharya, Tendulkar revealed that he played under Imran but as a substitute fielder during a festival match at the Cricket Club of India (CCI) in Mumbai.
Imran asked him to field in the deep and Tendulkar couldn’t complete a catch and going back home, in the local train, constantly grumbled about the captain’s field placements.
“Absolutely true. I went in as a substitute. Imran was the Pakistan captain. No words were exchanged with him. But yes, I may’ve got the catch if I was kept slightly ahead (laughs),” Sachin said.
The book also revealed that a year before in 1987, Sachin was selected as a promising fast bowler to train at legendary Australian fast bowler Dennis Lillee’s MRF Pace Academy in Chennai, but was rejected.
“I was okay with it. In any case I was not aspiring to become a fast bowler. I thought of myself as a fast bowling all-rounder. That is precisely the reason I had carried my batting kit to Chennai. I didnt get an opportunity to bat. I did bowl for one or two sessions,” Sachin said.
Former India captain Sourav Ganguly was also part of the camp, but Sachin doesn’t remember meeting him.
“As for Sourav, I dont remember meeting him there. Later on at the national camp, I caught up with him,” said Sachin.
