Published: Mar 16, 2023, 08:29 AM (IST)
Edited: Mar 16, 2023, 11:03 AM (IST)
The God of Cricket had some of the most iconic cricket rivalries. He had his fair share of tug of wars-with the likes of Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Wasim Akram, Allan Donald, Muttiah Muralitharan, James Anderson, Shoaib Akhtar, etc. However, there’s also one faceoff that always gets overlooked and it’s with former Pakistan spinner Saqlain Mushtaq. He might have not been as successful as James Anderson, Brett Lee, and Abdul Razzaq but he still managed to trouble Tendulkar on a few occasions.
The world talks a lot about Saqlain’s doosra to Tendulkar in the 1999 Chennai Test that broke for Sachin and countless Indian hearts, but that wasn’t the only time Saqlain managed to take an upper hand on the Legend. In an exhibition match back in 2015, Saqlain cleaned up Tendulkar with what he claimed was the ‘Teesra’.
Sachin vs Saqlain is not a much-talked-about rivalry. However, during a recent interview former Pak spinner revealed a never heard before tale about an on-field banter with Sachin Tendulkar. It was about Saqlain sledging Sachin and the Indian cricketer coming up with an epic reply.
“I once had an incident with Sachin. We went to Canada. I had come there after playing County cricket in England. I was a young boy then and I was in my own world of bowling. So after playing County I became a little cocky. Sachin was a very intelligent cricketer. I bowled a very tight first over to him and sledged him. I used some harsh words. He came to me and said very nicely “Saqi… I never thought you would do this. And you don’t even appear the kind of person who would say such words. I thought you’re a very decent person”. He said it so nicely and believe me for the next 4 overs, his words hit me. I was so consumed by what he said to me that before I could realise, he had done his job. He got set while batting,” Saqlain said on The Nadir Ali podcast.
“These are tactics. When someone talk to you nicely, you start thinking about it. While I was in my own thoughts, Sachin kept hitting at least one boundary in the next 4-5 overs and I began respecting him. When he finally stepped out and smashed another four, I felt a slap on my face. I then realised ‘He played a game with me’. By then he was well set and things had gotten out of my hands. Later in the evening, we met and the hotel and I said to him ‘You’re a clever person’. And he started smiling. How well did he trap me. Not with the bat, but only by using his words,” added Saqlain.
