Wahab Riaz spell in World Cup left an impression on my heart: Sachin Tendulkar

Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar was in support of on-field rivalries between the players. The former Indian cricketer spoke to the Hindustan Times recently about the same. During the interaction, Sachin stressed on the fact that such rivalries keep the audiences interested. Back in the good olden days, the Imran Khan and Sunil Gavaskar clash was something people looked up to.

Later, the focus shifted to Sachin Tendulkar and Shoaib Akhtar rivalry. The list seems endless. In the modern game, though, the list seems to be fading. Although the team rivalries are fierce, player rivalries are seldom seen. In the ongoing India and England series, the battle between Alastair Cook and Ravi Ashwin is something that the fans keep an eye on.

Sachin believes that it is these clashes that can keep the spirit of the game alive and engage the audiences. He cited the bowling spell by Wahab Riaz against Shane Watson in the 2015 ICC World Cup. He mentioned that the spell left an impression on his heart. “To engage the crowd, there must be an even contest between bat and ball. The Wahab Riaz spell against Shane Watson in Adelaide left an impression in my heart,” he quoted.

Wahab Riaz had bowled a fiery spell against Shane Watson that saw the latter struggle against the short ball. Sachin Tendulkar further mentioned the knock by Sunil Gavaskar in 1987 to be a special one for him. Gavaskar had struck 96 in the fifth Test against Pakistan in 1987 in tough conditions. India eventually lost the game but Gavaskar had shown masterclass.

“Gavaskar’s 96 was a great knock because he scored the runs on a difficult surface. It was about skills like footwork. This is what makes an innings special,” said the little master. Sachin also did not agree to the statement that Test cricket is dying now. He believes that it is the mindset of the people that has changed now.

“Test cricket is not dying. People’s mindsets have changed. It’s about the big rivalries. There was a time when everyone wanted to beat West Indies. Later, it was Australia. They had nine world class players and two terrific players. If three-four of their players clicked and did the job, they would win,” he conceded.