da bet vitoria： Sir Donald Bradman was first impressed by Sachin Tendulkar whilewatching a one-day game against Australia in the 1996 World Cup andnever missed a chance to see an innings from the Indian maestro afterthat, the book ‘Bradman’s Best’ reveals
16-Aug-2001Sir Donald Bradman was first impressed by Sachin Tendulkar whilewatching a one-day game against Australia in the 1996 World Cup andnever missed a chance to see an innings from the Indian maestro afterthat, the book ‘Bradman’s Best’ reveals.”Australia won (that match) but not before a stunning 90 fromTendulkar that captured the Don’s attention,” the book, whichchronicles each of the 12 members of the ‘Dream Team’ selected byBradman, says in the chapter ‘The Star of India’.The book, authored by Roland Perry which has seen just half a day inthe shops, has already become a best-seller with a strong responsereported from buyers.”He was most taken in by Tendulkar’s technique, compactness and hisshot production and had asked his wife to have a look at the Indian ashe felt that Tendulkar played like he had. Jessie agreed that theyappeared similar.”Bradman never missed a chance to see Tendulkar from then until theend of the 1999 three-match Test series in Australia,” the book says.”Bradman ranked Brian Lara and Tendulkar as the best batsmen in theworld and found it difficult to judge who was better. He thought thatTendulkar had a very sound defence while Lara was marginally moreaggressive and took more risks.”By 2000, he held the view that they were the best in world cricket,but that Tendulkar just pipped Lara as the world’s number one,” itsays.Perry adds that by mid-1998, after watching Tendulkar destroyAustralia in Tests and one-day games in India, Bradman ranked him withBarry Richards, Arthur Morris and Gary Sobers.”Not long after that series against Australia, Tendulkar received theinvitation of a lifetime to join Shane Warne in meeting Bradman at hisKensington Park home in Adelaide on his 90th birthday (August 27,1998). Tendulkar was honoured to be told by Bradman that he wastoday’s best batsman. They discussed Gary Sobers, whom Bradman hadlong regarded as the best cricketer of all time,” the book reads.On their meeting, Perry writes, “Tendulkar asked Bradman how heprepared himself before a big match. Bradman replied that when he wasin Adelaide he would go to his job as a sharebroker for several hoursbefore going to the ground.”Sometimes he would even toss the coin still wearing his suit. Afterthe game he would return to the office for several more hours. When hewas playing games away from Adelaide, he would go for a long walkbefore and after the match.”After the meeting, Bradman told Perry how impressed he was withTendulkar and how he expected him to go on to even greaterachievements. With a little luck, he will have another decade at thetop, the Don told Perry.”Sir Don found Sunil Gavaskar a fine technician but thought his chieffault was lack of aggression. Bradman noted, it is not sufficient tokeep the ball out of the stumps and not give a catch. There is need toattack, take the initiative from the bowlers and set up conditions forthe batsmen to follow.”After the Don stopped South Africa from touring Australia in 1971-72,he had set up alternative teams. The world squad included SunilGavaskar, Gary Sobers, FM Engineer, Rohan Kanhai, Zaheer Abbas, CliveLloyd and Tony Greig,” it says.The book also contains a letter by Gavaskar to Tendulkar when thelatter failed to win the Mumbai Cricket Associations Best JuniorCricketer Award.”The ‘Little Master’ commended Tendulkar on his performance and askedhim not to be disappointed. Gavaskar wrote, If you look at the bestaward winners, you will find one name missing and that person has notdone too badly in Test cricket!!”