Sourav Ganguly, the former India skipper and teammate of Sachin Tendulkar, believes that the hundred Tendulkar scored in Perth in 1992 was the best innings of his entire career. In the book ‘Sachin@50’, Ganguly recalls how tough it was to bat on that Perth wicket against one of the best bowling attacks of the time and how comfortable the 18-year-old Little Master was as he smashed 114 runs of the highest quality. He said:
“The WACA pitch is now slower than in 1992, and it was undoubtedly one of the hardest wickets to bat on. Sachin’s height made it more challenging to negotiate the excessive bounce, for it was impossible for a short man to play shots in front of the wicket.
“I can say it was the best innings of his career. To score a hundred on that wicket against the Australian bowling attack was simply sensational. Most of our other batsmen weren’t even able to get bat on ball, and here was an 18-year-old putting together a batting master class.”
Ganguly also spoke about another century by Sachin Tendulkar on the same tour in Sydney. He revealed that Tendulkar had a lack of sleep the night before and how just a short nap at the dining table was enough for him to score a brilliant 148.
“I remember telling him that if he was to play the next day, he desperately needed to sleep. He said he couldn’t and started telling me where he would hit McDermott and the others! The next day, he said to me that he was starved of sleep and that he’d nap on the dining table in the team dressing room at the SCG.
“He asked me to wake him up at the fall of the next wicket. Sachin was to bat at number six, and I woke him up when Azhar [Mohd. Azharuddin] got out. He said he was refreshed now that he’d had some sleep. It was odd how he could sleep on a dining table!”
“Sachin’s insatiable hunger and incredible talent made him an absolute genius”: Ganguly
Sourav Ganguly believes that scoring 100 international centuries separates Sachin Tendulkar from any other batter he has seen play. He reckons that Sachin’s hunger to convert his fifties into hundreds and his consistency made him the best batter he has ever seen.
“I haven’t seen [Sir Don] Bradman, but he is as close to perfection as you can get. His insatiable hunger and incredible talent made him an absolute genius. When people say things about him, I point to them the 100 international hundreds. Can you imagine the hunger and motivation of a player who has achieved that? He is the best I have seen and will ever see. No batsman in the next decade and more can score 100 international hundreds.”