Sachin Tendulkar the first one to celebrate, open the champagne: VVS Laxman
The Test legend hopes that Team India can give Sachin Tendulkar the perfect send off at the Wankhede in what will be his final Test match.
- NDTVSports
- Updated: November 08, 2013 06:01 PM IST
While praising Team India for a victory over West Indies within three days, former Indian Test cricketer VVS said that Sachin Tendulkar would be the center of the celebrations at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
In an exclusive interview to NDTV, Laxman added that it would be an emotional moment when Sachin steps out in Mumbai to play his 200th and final Test. However, he played down any thoughts of the occasion getting the better of the legend, as he feels the Master Blaster does not have the word 'pressure' in his dictionary.
"It will be an emotional moment, but once Sachin is on the field, he goes into his zone and stays focussed. He shuts everything else out of his mind," said Laxman.
Laxman added that Sachin would be unhappy by the way he got dismissed in the first innings.
"I don't think he will be unhappy at not getting another chance to bat, but he will be disappointed with the way he got out in the first innings."
Laxman maintained that Sachin is the first person in the team to savour a victory and always leads in the celebrations.
"Sachin is the first one to celebrate a win and open the champagne."
On his favourite memory with Sachin at Eden Gardens, Laxman looked back at the 2002 Test against West Indies, when they both scored hundreds to save the game.
"The partnership with Sachin to save the 2002 Test vs West Indies is my favourite memory at Eden."
He added that the last over Sachin bowled against South Africa in the 1993 Hero Cup semi-final against South Africa was the best memory Eden would have of the great man.
"What was special about that over, was that he had not bowled at all in the innings till then so it was remarkable how he turned the game around and won it for India."