VVS Laxman Recounts When Sachin Tendulkar Staged His Redemption Against Shane Warne In Chennai 1998

Sachin Tendulkar is an epitome of what you call perseverance, relentless drive to excel with every passing inning, immaculate match-preparation, and the zeal to be the best in the world. And, he did that throughout his 24-year-old career.

But there were several instances where despite immaculate preparation, Sachin somehow failed to back his efforts on the field. The build-up to the 1998 Test series against Australia was centered around the rivalry between Sachin and Shane Warne.

And, to ensure that he triumphed in the battle, Sachin spent countless hours in the nets, batting against Laxman Sivaramakrishanan, who was asked to bowl in the rough. The first Test was in Chennai.

But, Tendulkar, in an attempt to disturb Warne’s length, went for an extravagant shot and was caught in slips for four. A dejected Tendulkar walked back into the dressing room and 22 years later VVS Laxman had revealed that so disappointed was Sachin that he proceeded to lock himself up in the physio’s room where he stater for almost an hour.

“Sachin was really well prepared for the Test match in Chennai. In the first innings, he was dismissed for 4 runs. He hit a boundary and then tried to play a big shot over mid-on, hitting against the turn and was caught by Mark Taylor. I remember Sachin locked himself in the physio’s room and only came out after almost an hour,” Laxman said on Star Sports’ show Cricket Connected.

Also Read: Sachin Tendulkar Used To Toy With Shane Warne At Times: Brett Lee

Sachin Tendulkar annhilated Shane Warne with a brutal 155 in the second innings

But, as they say, adversary and set-backs brings out a beast in a champion. And, so it did when Sachin marked his guard against Warne in the second innings. A determined Tendulkar smoked the leg-spinner to all corners of the Chepauk, reducing him to a mere punching bag.

Every time Warne, in an attempt to target the rough, bowled short, Tendulkar would hang back on the backfoot and smoke it over mid-wicket. And, when he pitched up, Sachin would advance down the track and hit him over his head.

“When he came out, we could see his eyes were red. I felt he was very emotional because he was unhappy in the manner he was dismissed. Then, in the second innings, the way he blasted and hammered Shane Warne, who was bowling into the rough outside the leg stump. Warne was using the depth of the crease and when he used to pitch it up, Sachin used to hit it through the mid-off, mid-on region. He went on to get a hundred. That battle with Shane Warne is the best I have seen,” Laxman added.

Sachin Tendulkar went on to score a brutal 155 and India went on to win the Test by 179 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the 3-match series.

Also Read: Sachin Tendulkar Could Have Done Even Better, Such Was His Talent, Feels Kapil Dev