The Hindu : Sport : `It's a nice feeling'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Mar 17, 2005

Sport

Sport

`It's a nice feeling'

By S. Sabanayakan

KOLKATA, MARCH 16. In a remarkable and highly successful career, India's little master, Sachin Tendulkar, achieved one of the greatest feats in Test cricket by going past the 10,000-run mark on the opening day of the second Test .

Needing 27 runs more to join the elite league of four great players, Sunil Gavaskar, Allan Border, Steve Waugh and Brian Lara, at the beginning of the day's play, Tendulkar went past the landmark with ease."I am extremely happy to join the four great players. It feels nice to join the elite club,'' said Tendulkar. "I am quite thrilled that the runs I scored reflected the type of cricket I played throughout my career. I am also very happy to note that the 10,000th run came in a big series versus Pakistan.''

After making his debut as a teenager, incidentally against Pakistan in 1989-90 series, Tendulkar hoped it (scoring runs) did not stop here. "I have plenty of cricket left in me and want to go on,'' he told reporters.

"It was not easy getting up there. It was sheer hard work and a lot of sacrifices and team work,'' he said and thanked his parents, brothers and sister, his wife, coaches and all his teammates whom, he felt, helped him achieve the feat. "I thank everyone for standing by me through my career. Without their support it would not have been possible for me to reach where I am now.''

At the same time Tendulkar was not really disappointed to miss out on another stupendous feat of scoring the highest number of Test hundreds. Now equal with Gavaskar on 34, Tendulkar looked in extremely good nick to post the memorable century. "What will happen will happen. I'll be trying harder when I go out next time. There is more to life and cricket,'' he said.

He explained that he did not have anything in mind when he was about to reach the landmark. "I was relaxed and there was no special feeling. Only when the crowd reacted I realised that I had reached a big milestone,'' he said.

"I value all my one-day runs as much as I value the Test runs. All these runs are scored against different oppositions, situations and type of pitches,'' he opined.

Rahul Dravid too praised Tendulkar in achieving such a feat. Speaking to newsmen after the day's play, Dravid said, "I told him that reaching 10,000 runs was his first step and his next target should be 15,000."

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