Sachin Tendulkar scored an unbeaten century as India completed the fourth highest successful run chase in Test history to win Chennai days after the Mumbai terror attack.
Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar has revealed how Team India drew inspiration from the bravery and valour of the Indian security forces during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and scripted a win in the Chennai Test match in 2008.
The Chennai Test was played just after the attack in Mumbai. England had cancelled their ongoing tour and decided to return back after the attacks, which killed 166 people and over 300 injured. However, they agreed to come back to India to resume the series in Chennai a few days later.
India were strugling in the match for the first three and a half days. Chasing a huge target of 387, Team India were under pressure with four sessions to play. However, India came out with a brilliant batting performance, led by Tendulkar. They won the match by 6 wickets with Tendulkar remaining unbeaten on 103, his 41st Test century. He batted for five hours and struck an unbroken 163-run stand with Yuvraj Singh to complete the fourth highest successful run chase in Test history.
Tendulkar talked about the match and the 26/11 attacks in an exclusive conversation with former Marine Commando Praveen Kumar Teotia as part of the Indian Express’ Stories of Strength event held in Mumbai. The event was held on the ninth anniversary of the 26/11 attacks,
Tendulkar said that the team drew inspiration from the bravery and valour of the Indian security forces during the dastardly terror attacks. “When the terror attack took place in Mumbai, I remember we were playing Test match against England in Cuttack. After the match, we went to the dressing room and saw news channels on television reporting that a gang-war has started in Mumbai. The reporting, initially, was of gang-war. Nobody had any thought that it was a terror attack,” Tendulkar recalled.
“When we reached out hotel in Bhubaneswar after an hour and a half, the news reporting about the incident changed. News channels were showing Taj Hotel, Trident Hotel and other things. But they were now not using the word gang-war. We could not sleep the whole night,” he added.
“Next day, the ongoing tour was cancelled. The England cricket team decided to return back. We also returned back to Mumbai. After 10 days, we had our Test match in Chennai. The England cricket team came back and agreed to play two Test matches. When we reached Chennai, the frame of mind of the entire team was different. No matter how much we tried to focus on cricket, at the back end of our minds, we all were thinking about the terror attack,” said Tendulkar.
“For the first three and a half days of the Chennai Test, England completely dominated us. But we didn’t give up. We all had in our minds that we will do something for the country, for the people. After three and a half days in the Test match, things started to change and we went on to win the match, that too comprehensively. The whole team was so high on emotions that after the win, for the very first time, groundswomen, instead of groundsmen, came to the field, they celebrated our win, they congratulated us.”
“Even in our cricket team, we have people from different castes, religions etc but they all play together for India. When it comes to India, we all are together. This feeling of togetherness can never be removed. And all this was possible because of our brave Indian soldiers. On behalf of entire nation and the people of India, I thank you, our Indian armed forces and your bravery. I salute to you,” he concluded.
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