Bangalore: Former India captain Sourav Ganguly, who forged a terrific opening combination with Sachin Tendulkar in ODIs, spoke to The Telegraph from Calcutta on Sunday evening.
Sourav quit international cricket in November 2008.
The following are excerpts;
Has Sachin’s decision surprised you? Did he get the timing right?
A I think it’s fine as far as the timing goes... I’m not surprised as Sachin hardly played ODIs after the 2011 World Cup... Now, he’s got people off his back, for many had been telling him to quit.
What would you have done in Sachin’s place?
Look, every individual deals with situations differently. Nobody plays for records... You play because you’re passionate about the game and it’s the passion that counts.
Should Sachin have quit ODIs after the 2011 World Cup?
But there’s more to cricket than playing for a World Cup... There’s more to life than wanting to be a member of a World Cup-winning team. It’s not about looking from one World Cup to the next.
What made Sachin such a destructive batsman, particularly in ODIs?
Moving up as an opener is the best thing to have happened to Sachin... He had the maximum overs and made the most of his boundary-hitting abilities... He paced his innings very well... That he’s technically so correct helped in making him so destructive.
It was Sachin’s idea to open, on the 1994 tour of New Zealand, when Navjot Sidhu had an injury...
(Laughs) Interesting... So, Sidhu’s made quite a few careers!
Which of Sachin’s innings come to mind instantly?
Lots... Sachin’s innings in Sharjah (April 1998)... The 143 and 134 against Australia... Then, his 99 and 93 in Belfast, versus South Africa, in 2007... Those were on wickets which did everything. I know, for I was at the other end. In between, how can one forget the way Sachin batted in the 2003 World Cup? He was brilliant.
There was a period when Sachin took batting in limited overs cricket to quite another level...
He did, yes, but in Test cricket too. The 22 yards seemed to belong to Sachin.
The two of you had 21 century partnerships in ODIs, which remains a record. What went into the making of such a successful pair?
One, that it was a left-right combination... We understood each other well and one could anticipate what the other would do... Both of us could hit boundaries almost at will... That we could play in all conditions also made us successful.
Did the two of you only talk cricket during the mid-pitch ‘conferences’?
(Laughs) Largely cricket... Who was bowling well, if one of us needed to change our approach... The situation we were in.
What was it like watching Sachin from the other end?
Would be fun... If he was going great guns, I’d curb my instincts... If we had 300-plus to chase, then both of us had to go for it. We didn’t have a choice then.
Sachin hasn’t spelt it out, but it’s assumed he’s available for Test cricket. Your take?
Doesn’t surprise me. Sachin will surely continue playing Test cricket, but can’t be for long. Only Sachin can decide when to call it a day... He should go when he wants to... Left to me, I’d quit all formats at the same time.
Have you spoken to Sachin in recent days?
Not a lengthy conversation.
What will you tell Sachin if you do get to talk to him in the near future?
Enjoy this break!
The final one... As a nation, do we treat our heroes the way they should be treated?
We don’t, we should treat them better.
Also See:
Sachin Tendulkar retires from ODIs
Sidhu's loss, Tendulkar's gain
Coach wanted Sachin to continue
Sachin never made same mistake twice
Sachin must have set aside his inner call
Tendulkar - Before and after his 100th century
Yahoo! Cricket's Special on Tendulkar's 100th ton
Tendulkar scores landmark century of centuries
I am glad it's out of the way, says Tendulkar
'Historic' Tendulkar century loses India match
100 Hundreds & Other Incredible Acts of Longevity
Sachin Tendulkar's 100 Hundreds: The Chronology
Sachin Tendulkar: A diminutive man and colossal cricketer
Used to love seeing Tendulkar take on Warne: Mark Taylor
The 22 yards seemed to belong to Tendulkar: Ganguly
By Lokendra Pratap Sahi | The Telegraph – Mon 24 Dec, 2012 11:37 AM IST
Latest Photos
Featured Interactives
MORE TOP STORIES TODAY
BCCI chief N Srinivasan's rivals have started plotting his downfall. More » Ousting Srinivasan won't be easy
Kolkata, May 25 (IANS) Amid the intriguing but dark saga of the unfolding spot fixing and betting scam, two-time champions Chennai Super Kings take on traditional underachievers Mumbai Indians in the final … More » Chennai stand in Mumbai's way of maiden IPL crown
New Delhi, May 25 -- His alleged involvement in T20 betting scam landed him in Mumbai Police custody on Friday night. But Gurunath Meiyappan's innings with betting goes a long way-since his school days. … More » Guru was betting on sports since schooldays
[Round-up]: CSK 'owner' sent to police custody till May 29; Srinivasan refuses to quit More » IPL Spot-Fixing: Cops to grill Meiyappan some more
Joe Root hit a maiden test century on his home ground at Headingley and county colleague Jonny Bairstow chipped in with 64 to leave England on top at 337 for seven in the second test against New Zealand … More » Root lifts England with maiden Test century
Kolkata, May 25 (IANS) The Chennai Super Kings Saturday said its players and support staff have no knowledge of betting and spot fixing, and were distressed by the allegations and news reports concerning … More » Our players, staff have no knowledge of spot-fixing: CSK
Kolkata: Rajasthan Royals skipper Rahul Dravid hopes that investigators "get to the bottom of the mess and reveal the truth" about spot fixing. More » Dravid: Get to the bottom of the mess
Troubled Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf will fight to clear his name in an ongoing spot-fixing scandal in India, family sources told AFP on Saturday, saying he had returned to his home in Lahore. More » Umpire Rauf will fight to clear name - family
The other finalists, Chennai Super Kings, are in grave danger of a dishonourable exit. More » Who will Mumbai play in the final?
NEW DELHI, May 25, 2013 (AFP) - A top Indian industry body has called for legalising sports betting amid a spot-fixing scandal in which cricketers were allegedly paid tens of thousands of dollars by bookmakers … More » Make betting legal, says top Indian body
Understanding the fragility of the world's top players and the human element of the game have been the cornerstone of Gary Kirsten's approach to coaching international cricket teams. The 45-year-old heads … More » Interview: All in the mind for Kirsten
What I wonder now, amidst these ruins, is this: how do I watch a cricket match again? More » [COMMENTS:] Paradise Lost
Camp Srinivasan lacks a moral compass and a sense of fairplay. It is time Srinivasan resigned from his his positions as an administrator in Indian cricket. More » Meiyappan is the Chennai team owner
New Delhi, May 24 (IANS) Having pulled out its franchise Pune Warriors from the Indian Premier League (IPL), Sahara chief Subrata Roy fired another salvo saying he would immediately stop sponsoring the … More » Subrata Roy wants Srinivasan out
Asad Rauf, the Pakistani umpire whose name has cropped up in the current T20 league spot fixing scandal, has left the country in a hurry. Rauf, who was officiating in the current T20 league season, was … More » Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf leaves India
PepsiCo didn't confirm or deny if it was considering invoking a clause to look at a possible exit from its title sponsorship. More » Spot fixing: Pepsi mulls pulling out of IPL
Three Chennai Super Kings players, one of them quite senior, were in touch with Vindoo Dara Singh during the ongoing T20 season. More » Three Chennai players 'linked' to probe
MUMBAI, May 24, 2013 (AFP) - Police said Friday they were "investigating all the angles" in the Indian spot-fixing scandal but refused to confirm if they were targeting top Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf. More » Asad Rauf being investigated?
LEEDS, United Kingdom, May 24, 2013 (AFP) - Rain meant there was no play on the first day of the second and final Test between England and New Zealand at Headingley on Friday. More » Eng-NZ: Rain plays spoilsport on Day 1
[SPOT-FIXING ROUND-UP]: Meiyappan finally surfaces | Rauf dropped from ICC event More » Rauf dropped from Champions Trophy
Pakistan could manage only a tie in the first ODI against Ireland at a bitterly cold Clontarf after Kevin O'Brien hit the last ball of the match for four. More » Kevin gives Ireland thrilling tie with Pak
New Zealand tour of England, 2nd Test More » 2nd Test Live: New Zealand vs England at Leeds
Rajasthan Royals skipper Rahul Dravid said dealing with the spot-fixing allegations surrounding his team in the IPL has been one of the toughest phases of his career. More » 'Dealing with spot-fixing has been tough'
Australian Test batsman David Warner has said that the Indian players caught in the IPL spot-fixing scandal should be banned from cricket. More » Warner calls for ban on IPL spot-fixers
Misbah ul-Haq has told his Pakistan team they must improve in all three departments ahead of Sunday's series decider with Ireland. More » All-round improvement needed: Misbah
Akhtar said that he doesn’t understand why Pakistani officials — umpires and coaching staff — are welcome in IPL while players have been kept out. More » Akhtar appalled by double standards
Cook believes Headingley will be far from the bowling-friendly ground of old when the second Test against New Zealand starts at Yorkshire's headquarters on Friday. More » Cook expects hard work at Headingley
Sunrisers Hyderabad came up short against Rajasthan Royals in the Eliminator here but their inaugural Indian Premier League campaign was a successful one, their captain Cameron White has said. More » 'Sunrisers can be proud of their effort'
Thanks to the format of the IPL, Mumbai Indians still have a chance to qualify for the final. More » Mumbai look to make most of second chance
Rajasthan Royals skipper Rahul Dravid hinted at retiring from the Indian Premier League (IPL) after this season. More » Dravid to hang up gloves for good?
He was ruled out after doubts over his ability to last a five-day match. More » Vettori out of second Test against England
Arrested Rajasthan Royals player Ajit Chandila had received Rs.12 lakh for spot fixing in IPL 2012 matches, Delhi Police said Thursday. More » Chandila spot fixed in 2012 IPL: Police
England captain Alastair Cook found himself being quizzed about the star batsman in Leeds on the eve of the second Test against New Zealand at Headingley. More » Absent KP puts pressure on England
Delhi Police contacted their counterparts in Mumbai seeking details about the articles seized from the hotel where Sreesanth stayed, said a police official. More » Delhi Police seek details of seizures
Result: embarrassment in one dressing room, and one set of flabbergasted bookies. More » A T20 match both teams wanted to lose
He facilitated others in Bollywood in placing bets with bookies he knew. More » Vindoo spills the beans on Bollywood