Sachin Tendulkar has said he
doesn’t interfere in his son Arjun’s coaching.
India's batsman Sachin Tendulkar has said he
doesn’t interfere in his son Arjun’s coaching but occasionally shares his
thoughts on the game with him.asked if he trains his son Arjun, who is a member
of the Mumbai U-14 team, Tendulkar said he does not interfere in his coaching.
“He has a lot of opinions. He tells me what to do and what not to do. That is
the beauty of having children around. I don’t train him much. I don’t interfere
much. He has got coaches around and he listens to them,” Tendulkar during an
interaction with his fans at gaming and experience center ‘Smash’ here on
Friday (April 26).
“Whatever I have spotted, I occasionally share my thoughts. But he should
have freedom to express himself on the field the way he wants to play. If minor
adjustments can produce better results than I do guide. But otherwise I don’t
interfere too much,” Tendulkar said. On his prized possessions, he said, “I am
leaving out my family, because that is beyond anything. Other than that, I like
music and I have met various great personalities. The greats from Indian music,
they all have gifted me some or the other thing, which means a lot to me.
“(Playback legend) “Lata Mangeshkar”
didi has promised something special so it will be reaching me soon. “Ashaji Bhosle” gave me something
special of hers which sits in my music room.
“From the Western (music) side, Mark Knopfler of ‘Dire Straits’ has given me
his personal guitar. I have got another guitar from U2, which is signed by the
entire band. Those things are important because I am into music. At this
moment, I would say these are the things that are dear to me.” Asked how to
score 10 runs off the last over (in a T20 game), he said there was no set
formula to achieve this.
“I think it important to know who the bowler is and what his strengths are.
Then you have got to set yourself up for that. There is no set formula as such.
We have also seen matches where it is eight runs and the side hasn’t been able
to score those runs. Sometimes you need 20 runs and you can go out there and
get them.”
“Basically you have got to see what the bowler is bowling and what his
strengths are, weaknesses are. What are the areas where you can score off that
particular bowler. There are many factors like the kind of surface you are playing
on, the kind of field setting.”
“What you need is awareness on field, you have got to have situational
awareness. Once you have that, you respond to the situation according to the
bowler and the opposition.”
Asked about the secret of his longevity, Tendulkar once again stressed the
importance of being passionate about the game which he said has given him
everything. “As I said that you have to be very passionate about it. I can’t
call it as a profession. Cricket is much more than that. It’s been my life, has
given me everything in my life, whatever I have (achieved) is because of
cricket. So you have to be passionate about it. You have to lead a disciplined
life, a focused life.” Tendulkar emphasised on the importance of taking timely
breaks from the game. “Yes there are times when you want to stay away from the
game a little bit and get your mind fresh, your body fresh. So it is good to
have breaks.”
“I have just tried doing that and it has worked. So it’s a simple method
which you follow and don’t complicate your life in too many things.”
On his classic trademark shot – the straight drive, Tendulkar told the
youngsters, “I can’t say boost is the secret of my energy (tagline of an energy
drink ad featuring him). (For) straight drive, all you need to do is your head
position has to be right. To play a straight drive, your balance has to be good
. “If your balance is not good then you are not going to be able to play
straight, you either drag it with bottom hand to mid-wicket or you slice it to
cover or cover point. But when your body is aligned nicely, you have good
balance and good head position, then you can hit bowlers straight.”
“For batting or bowling, generally on a cricket field, you have got to have
good body balance,” he added . Tendulkar advised to put away negative thoughts
from the mind in order to succeed. “Simply turn the page of negative thoughts
go on to the other page of the book. You got to have positive energy flowing in
your body because negative energy is going to tighten you up. “If you are
thinking of something very positive it happens. It is as simple as that. It is
important that once you get on the field to make yourself comfortable. To make
yourself believe that this place belongs to you and not the opposition, then
dictate your terms.” “It’s all about what you think, it’s all about how you
plan and then you execute. But the most important thing is to believe,” he
said.”
Tendulkar said it was important to be single-minded when playing the game.
“I don’t think about watching movies (when I bat). You can’t think of anything
else. Your mind is full of ideas, how to score against a particular bowler.
Bowler is constantly asking you a question and you are responding to that
question, whatever is delivered.”
“For that your focus has to be on the ball and the bowler. So I have no
other thoughts on mind. I am just thinking of how many runs I can score and how
we can win.”
The legendary cricketer said he has just tried being himself when asked how
he could remain humble despite the stature he has achieved in the game.
“I have just been myself. People have liked me over the years for what I am,
so I don’t think after all this I need to change. I don’t need to change I am
just being myself. It is my family’s upbringing. All credit to my parents and
my brothers and my sister who shaped my career. That is one thing but shaping
me as a person in life that is important.”
“The second half of my life – my wife, my children, my wife’s family, my
in-laws ….They all had contribution in keeping me grounded. It creates a huge
difference if you have the right team behind you and I am fortunate to have the
right team behind me and the right friends.
“I follow the simple advice which my father gave me ages ago. Everything in
life stays temporary with you. The only thing that stays permanently with you
is the nature, the way you are. So that stays with you till your last breath.
“Try and be a nice person first and then if you want to become a cricketer
or a lawyer or a doctor or play hockey, whatever, then the rest of the things
follow. But if you are a nice person everyone will like you.
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