Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Shewag are the most loved opening pair of the Indian cricket team, and as their name, they have performed amazingly for the men in blue. But their first opening test came in the match against Pakistan, and everyone thought Shewag must face the first ball it didn’t happen.
Master Sachin faced the first ball. Everyone had made their own stories on this incident, but this time Shewag came up with a different story that shut all the perceptions.
“I was not doing well against the left-arm fast bowlers. I got out on the first ball to Chaminda Vaas many times and to Nathan Bracken. I asked Sachin Tendulkar to take a strike when we were playing against Wasim bhai in the 2003 World Cup and the last over of innings when we were fielding. I said, ‘See, if Wasim bowls the first ball, I might get out.’ He (Tendulkar) said, ‘No, No, I am very superstitious; my pandit ji has told me to bat at No.2’. And I said, ‘You’re the No.1 batsman in the world, and you’re talking about Pandit ji… But he said, ‘No… I will bat at No. 2; you have to take the strike. So then, we were playing at the Centurion, and we had to step up many stairs, so we went in for lunch and then came back requesting Tendulkar. He had put on big earphones, removed one, slapped me on the back, and said go and pad yourself; I will not take strike. So, you know I was trying to please Tendulkar to save me from Wasim Akram.” Sehwag said in the commentary during ILT20.
Sehwag added that Sachin changed his mind because Pakistan posted 273/7 on the board, the highest total against India. Both the opener knew they needed a blazing start in front of pacers like; Wasim Akram, Waqar Yonus, and Shoaib Akhtar. But when Sachin started the match with his first boundary on the backfoot revealed his approach. And played the perfect knock of 98 runs that was more valuable than a century.
“When we went down to bat, walking down the stairs, I asked him again to take strike… and he said no. Until the 30-yard circle, I asked him to take the strike, and he kept saying no. And then suddenly, I saw Sachin walking towards where the wicketkeeper stood, and I said, ‘Wow, it’s my lucky day, you know.’ He took the strike; I had to face Wasim Akram’s first ball. He took the single and the second ball. So, I was lucky enough to survive that, but at least I didn’t play the first one,” added Sehwag.
