As he opens the door to room number 2033 at the ITC Royal Gardenia hotel in Bangalore, the demigod who resides in it apologises for the mess inside. It is instantly evident that Sachin Tendulkar is every bit the unassuming man the world knows him to be.
“These guys are crazy,” Sachin Tendulkar says softly, referring to his mates in blue who are now often talking about winning the cup for him. “They just talk about gifting me something.”The nation wants to win this World Cup — but this time, unlike his five earlier campaigns, they want it as much for him as they want it for themselves. Surely, this is Sachin’s last chance.
He doesn’t want to exaggerate his importance in India .s World Cup campaign, but the more he avoids talk on it, the more it returns to haunt him. “I just want to go out there and play. The rest is,” he looks up as if there is someone else who decides.
And through his gestures he makes it obvious that he just can’t wait to take it on.
Sachin Tendulkar tries an aggressive pose for the camera, but gives up. “It is all inside. It will come out when I am facing the ball,” he says thumping his chest. “You will definitely see a lot of aggression during this edition.”
If that statement is a hint of his strategy for the next 40-odd days, it will rouse the expectant nation that has only now, finally come to grips with his recent measured, cut-out-the-risks approach.
Could he go back to his old, swashbuckling ways?
“Sachin’s aggression will be crucial to India’s fortune this time,” says former all-rounder Mohinder Amarnath
