NEW DELHI: Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar has revealed in his book that he had once taken the field for Pakistan side in a match between two neighbouring countries before making his international debut.
The former Indian skipper, in his autobiography, Playing It My Way, recalled that he fielded for Pakistan in 1987. The former Indian skipper, in his autobiography, Playing It My Way, recalled that he fielded for Pakistan in 1987.
In his book, the batting legend also wondered whether the then-Pakistan captain, Imran Khan, remembers employing him in the field. “I don’t know whether Imran Khan remembers this or has any idea that I once fielded for his Pakistan team,” wrote Tendulkar.”
Pakistan cricketers Javed Miandad and Abdul Qadir had left the field during the lunch break, Tendulkar further recalled. As the standby fielder, Tendulkar was asked to field for the visiting team.
Tendulkar also mentioned how he nearly caught out Kapil Dev in the match but could not get to the ball despite running a long way. If he had been placed at mid-on rather than long-on, he could have taken part in the dismissal for Pakistan, he explained.
Tendulkar took up cricket at the age of eleven, made his Test debut on 15 November 1989 against Pakistan in Karachi at the age of sixteen, and went on to represent Mumbai domestically and India internationally for close to twenty-four years.
In 2002, halfway through his career, Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack ranked him the second greatest Test batsman of all time, behind Don Bradman, and the second greatest ODI batsman of all time, behind Viv Richards.
Later in his career, Tendulkar was a part of the Indian team that won the 2011 World Cup, his first win in six World Cup appearances for India. He had previously been named “Player of the Tournament” at the 2003 edition of the tournament, held in South Africa. He was retired in 2013.
