On Tuesday at the P Sara Oval, he will set a new benchmark in longevity, too. The third Test against Sri Lanka will be Tendulkar’s 169th Test appearance, edging him ahead of former Australian captain Steve Waugh’s long-standing mark of 168.
That record, in his 21st year as an international cricketer, is a tribute to the 37-year-old’s longevity and durability, a point stressed by VVS Laxman. By the time Laxman broke into the Indian Test squad in late ’96, the legend of Tendulkar had already been born. Now, more than 13 years down the line, Laxman says he sees the same passion and hunger in the little man.
“It’s great that he is setting the record for the most Tests played,” Laxman told Deccan Herald. “It goes to show his commitment to the game. To play 169 Tests has to be a great feeling. What’s special is that he started young, as a 16-year-old. He has had more than his fair share of injuries, and the way he has come back from those injuries and performed time after time speaks so much about the individual. “Every Test, every match he has played for India, he has had the pressure of huge responsibilities and expectations of the entire country. It calls for a Herculean effort to live up to those expectations, and Sachin has done that so consistently for so long.”
Laxman and Tendulkar have been involved in seven century stands in Test cricket, but each Tendulkar innings still amazes the graceful Hyderabadi. “When you see him bat like he did at the SSC, no matter whether you are a debutant like Suresh or experienced players like Rahul and myself, what is obvious is much he loves the game. Sitting in the dressing room, you can see how meticulous he is in what he does.
“He has always been very mature, and impeccable in his training and preparation,” continued Laxman, who was associated in a triple-century stand with Tendulkar in Sydney against Australia in Jaunary 2004. “He was disappointed at getting out in the second innings in Galle, and you could sense then that a big one was on the way in the second Test. It just goes to show how hungry he is for runs even now, how much zeal he still has towards the game. The love and the passion has not died, he still has the same desire as when I first met him.” More than anything else, Laxman is a huge fan of Tendulkar the man. “When you meet him and come to know him, you admire him more for his simplicity, his balance and his humility. He is a very modest and approachable human being, a devoted family man. That speaks volumes of his upbringing, that’s what stands out the most in Sachin,” Laxman added.
Test toppers
1 S Tendulkar 168*
2 S Waugh 168
3 A Border 156
4 R Ponting 146*
5 S Warne 145
6 R Dravid 141*
7 J Kallis 140*
8 M Boucher 134*
9 M Muralitharan 133
10 A Stewart 133
* Indicates active players