Playing It My Way: Best anecdotes from Sachin Tendulkar's book launch

Sachin Tendulkar launched his much awaited autobiography ‘Playing It My Way’ in Mumbai today where Sachin’s ex-teammates and his family gathered to share some interesting anecdotes about the batsman’s 24-year long career and his life outside the sport.Be it Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri, who welcomed Sachin to the Indian squad when he was still a 16-year-old making his international debut, or Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, who formed the great Indian middle-order with the batting maestro for more than a decade.Even his elder brother Ajit Tendulkar, Sachin’s closest ally since he first showed interest in the sport, discussing and dissecting cricket till he retired, and Anjali, the constant support of the man who carried the burden of a billion expectations, recalled some personal memories which enthralled the audience.Here, we take a look at what everyone said at the book launch:

#7 Sachin\'s seniors

Sunil Gavaskar

“I went to see Sachin practice at the Wankhede Stadium. He was batting against Raju Kulkarni, whom we all fondly call "Mad Thompson". And Raju was slippery and in the nets not many bowlers think about the no-ball. The bowl from 18 yards or so. Raju was doing that but Sachin was punching him off the back foot. The time he had to do that really impressed me.”

“When Sachin was in the 90s, approaching his 34th ton, I was put on commentary and spoke when the record [Gavaskar’s 34 hundreds] was equalled. The producer was in tears and he told me my commentary was so natural.”

Ravi Shastri

[On Sachin’s 148 at SCG in 1992] “I had the best seat in the house. I could see greatness. He was becoming the youngest visiting centurion in Australia. I remember, he was batting on five and he had been sledged by Aussies. He came to me and he told me, ‘let me get a ton and then I will show them’. What SCG saw was strokeplay of the highest order.”

[On Sachin’s debut tour, to Pakistan] “I told him to respect the conditions. Respect the opponent. But don't change your game for anybody. Just give it a little bit of time. That first innings he looked like a fish out of water. A month later he had turned into a great white shark.”