"You have seen my good side but if I want, I can be rude" - When Sachin Tendulkar lost his cool with Harbhajan Singh
Former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh recently shared a story about a rare instance of Sachin Tendulkar getting angry with him.
Tendulkar is considered one of the most humble and calm figures in the game's history. But across his 24-year playing career, the legendary batter did lose his cool on a few occasions.
Harbhajan recalled how he was distracted on the boundary line during a tour game in Australia, leading to Tendulkar, the captain of the team, admonishing him on the field.
In a chapter in the soon-to-be-released book 'Sachin @50', the off-spinner quoted Tendulkar as saying:
"Bhajji, please know one thing. You have seen my good side, but if I want, I can be rude, and you wouldn’t like to see that side of me, you better concentrate."
Harbhajan also talked about how, after the match, Tendulkar offered him advice on the importance of focus and concentration.
"Sachin, I remember, pulled a chair and sat beside me long after the Test got over," he said. "'Bhajju, have you seen a racehorse? It doesn’t look sideways. It doesn’t have peripheral vision. It looks straight, and eyes are transfixed on the target. You have to be that. You cannot be distracted by the stardom which you have attained now.'"
Harbhajan went on to have an incredibly successful career. He also shared several great moments with Tendulkar, particularly in the 2000s.
"Sachin Tendulkar stood by me like a rock during those dark days when I was at my lowest ebb" - Harbhajan Singh
While he made his debut in 1998, Harbhajan Singh truly burst into prominence during the 2001 Border-Gavaskar Trophy. The off-spinner claimed 32 wickets and was adjudged Player of the Series as India won by a 2-1 margin.
Harbhajan Singh and Sachin Tendulkar both played a part with the ball in the historic second Test at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. While Harbhajan took a hat-trick, Tendulkar picked up some crucial wickets in a memorable spell.
Their efforts, coupled with VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid's heroics with the bat in the second innings, helped India script one of their greatest Test wins ever. Recalling an incident with his teammate post the match, Harbhajan wrote:
"There were two things that I remember after the Kolkata hat-trick. First, Paaji came up to me and said: ‘Bol Bhajji kya chahiye tujhe (Tell me, Bhajji, what do you want?)’ I hesitantly said, ‘Paaji, I love your Adidas bowling spikes. Can you get me a pair?
"Sachin laughed and said, ‘Bas itni si baat (That’s it. That’s all you want?)?’ Within a week, an Adidas representative came with a couple of expensive bowling spikes, which I used for the next three years."
Harbhajan also recalled how Tendulkar had his back when he was embroiled in the 'Monkey Gate' controversy during India's tour of Australia in 2008.
"The kind of support I got post the infamous Monkey Gate was incredible," the off-spinner said. "He defended me stoutly in front of the match referee and the CA panel. Sachin stood by me like a rock during those dark days when I was at my lowest ebb."
Aside from being a legendary batter, Sachin Tendulkar was also known to be a great teammate. Tendulkar's contributions in the dressing room, including helping newcomers and offering them advice, is another reason why many consider him to be the greatest cricketer to have ever lived.