Ravi Shastri has always advocated for a bold approach when facing the Australians in their home country. He emphasized the importance of matching their intensity and returning any verbal jabs. However, Shastri shared a unique incident where he deviated from this strategy while batting alongside Sachin Tendulkar during Tendulkar’s inaugural tour of Australia.
Speaking ahead of the Ashes series, Shastri recalled a moment from a match at the SCG where he silenced the Australian sledging directed at a young Tendulkar by the Waugh brothers, Steve and Mark, during Tendulkar’s early days in international cricket.
Shastri, reflecting on the incident, mentioned that despite his usual approach of retaliating to verbal provocations, he opted to keep Tendulkar focused on his game rather than engage in banter.
During their partnership, Tendulkar expressed his desire to respond to the Australians once he reached his century. However, Shastri advised Tendulkar to let his bat do the talking, acknowledging the young talent’s class and skill.
Tendulkar went on to achieve his maiden century in Australia, while Shastri converted his own hundred into a double century. Their partnership contributed significantly to India’s formidable total of 483 runs in the innings, marking Tendulkar’s emergence on the global cricket stage.
Shastri commended the Australian team for their sportsmanship, highlighting their gesture of visiting the Indian dressing room post-match to share a celebratory beer.
“At the conclusion of the game, they were the first to join us in the dressing room for a friendly drink. The essence of playing hard yet maintaining sportsmanship is crucial for both players and spectators,” Shastri stated.
Tendulkar’s inaugural century in Australia marked the inception of a memorable rivalry. Throughout his illustrious career, Tendulkar excelled against the Australian team, accumulating 6,707 runs in various formats, showcasing his dominance against one of cricket’s toughest opponents.