'Sachin Tendulkar's back spasm in the Chennai Test was probably a psychological game' - Saqlain Mushtaq
Former Pakistan off-spinner Saqlain Mushtaq believes that Sachin Tendulkar's back spasms during the 1999 Chennai Test could have been a psychological game played by the Master Blaster. He reasoned that the Indian batting great going on to play the next couple of Test matches proved that it was not a major injury.
Saqlain Mushtaq shared his views on the often talked about innings from Sachin Tendulkar in the YouTube show Cricket Baaz.
On being asked if he knew that Sachin Tendulkar had a back issue while bowling to him, the wily off-spinner retorted by asking if the Mumbaikar had gone on to play the next Test match.
"Did Sachin play the next match after that?"
On being told that Sachin Tendulkar did play the next match although he did not score any big runs, Saqlain Mushtaq mentioned that he believes that the injury was a part of the psychological game that the Indian team was playing against Pakistan.
"He had given a slight indication of his injury but we were all saying that he was making a psychological attack on us. I feel, not sure how far it is true, that these are tactics of batsmen and even bowlers that they would come hobbling and then would bowl a fast bouncer and claim a wicket."
Saqlain Mushtaq even cited an example of a deer escaping from a lion's clutches by acting that it is already dead, while adding that it could have been a minor injury as Sachin Tendulkar went on to play the next couple of Test matches.
"You never know. They were saying that he had back spasms, he played the next Test match and after that other matches also. It is possible that it was something like someone getting a cramp while bowling, but it was not anything major."
Saqlain Mushtaq added that an international cricketer would always be carrying a niggle but it is the clarity of thought that matters on the day.
"My claim is that any cricketer who is playing competitive cricket, would always be carrying a niggle. There are some niggles which are physical and then there are some niggles in the mind, when you don't have surety. The day someone performs, niggles are there with him, but his mind is clear."
Sachin Tendulkar's performance in the 1999 India-Pakistan Test series
Saqlain Mushtaq remarked that the Pakistan team was very focused during that Test series and the hard-fought encounters had helped him grow both as a cricketer and a person.
"I believe that we felt the reality of focus in that series. We had a goal, vision, focus, planning and determination and we felt a few elements of that. I feel I had grown up a lot, both as a cricketer and as a human, after that series."
Sachin Tendulkar's 136-run knock in the second innings of the 1999 Chennai Test went in vain as India lost the match by an agonising 12 runs while chasing a 271-run target in the fourth innings.
Sachin Tendulkar scored 171 runs in the two-Test series, with the 136-run knock in the Chennai Test being his only significant contribution with the bat.
The Indian batting maestro also endured two failures in the subsequent Test match played at Kolkata as part of the Asian Test Championship - bowled for a golden duck by Shoaib Akhtar in the 1st innings followed by an extremely unfortunate run out in the second essay.