India were set to tour Pakistan in the month of November back in 1989. The chatter for the inclusion of then-16-year-old Sachin Tendulkar was getting louder but the selectors were happy to play the waiting game and didn’t want to rush the talented right-hander in the senior team. Little over a week before the opening Test vs Pakistan in Karachi, an Irani Trophy fixture was scheduled between 1988-89 Ranji Trophy champions Delhi and a star-studded Rest of India side at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. While Delhi were led by all-rounder Madan Lal, Lalchand Rajput was in command of the Rest of India unit and had Gursharan Singh as his deputy.
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All five selectors – late Raj Singh Dungarpur, Akash Lal, late Ramesh Saxena, Gundappa Viswanath and late Naren Tamhane – were in attendance and wanted to see how Tendulkar goes about against Delhi after a brilliant Ranji Trophy season – 583 runs in 7 matches – for then Bombay. The Irani Trophy fixture was the perfect opportunity for the youngster to force his way into the side and put all doubts to rest. Former India cricketer Gursharan, who was the vice-captain of ROI for that fixture, remembers the match like it happened yesterday.
“Delhi were playing the Rest of India for the Irani Trophy at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. I was the vice-captain for the Rest of India and the God of Cricket (Sachin) was playing his first Irani Trophy match. Sachin got out for 30 (39) in the first innings and all five selectors were watching that match. Word around was that if he scores a hundred, his chances of getting in the team for the Pakistan tour would have substantially increased," recalls Gursharan.
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Gursharan, who has scored bucket loads of runs for Delhi and Punjab in the domestic circuit, didn’t have an ideal outing in that match as he fractured his finger while batting in the first innings. The classy right-hander was in their 30s when a Sanjeev Sharma delivery broke the middle finger of his right hand.
“I clearly remember that I got out for 35 (31) in the first innings. I was batting on 25 when a Sanjeev Sharma delivery hit me on the middle finger of my right hand and it got fractured. I came out, got some treatment done and went inside to bat again. I played a back-foot flick off Atul Wassan, the ball hit the bat but the umpire gave me LBW. Even Sunny bhai (Sunil Gavaskar) wrote in his column back then that the whole stadium heard the sound but the umpire (laughs). Sunny bhai gave me a pair of gloves after that innings which had double protection to save my fingers. Kitni badi soch thi Sunny bhai ki," says Gursharan.
‘Why don’t you pad up?’
For former India cricketer Gursharan, the match was well and truly over but he had no option but to put the pads on when the chairman of the selection committee late Dungarpur asked him to help Sachin score a hundred in the second innings. Rest of India suffered a collapse but Sachin was batting really well and nearing his maiden hundred in Irani Trophy.
“When the second innings got started, we lost wickets and were eight down and I was sitting on the bench with a plaster on my hand. Suddenly late Raj Singh Dungarpur sir came. Sachin I think was batting on 84 or 85 then. Dungarpur sir said ‘why don’t you pad up?’. He said Sachin is nearing a hundred and asked me to bat with one hand and help Sachin score a hundred. I padded up and when the ninth wicket fell, I walked out to bat," recalls Gursharan.
‘Sachin, tera 100 karake jaaege’
When the ninth wicket fell and Venkatapathy Raju was walking back, Sachin too commenced the walk back to the hut as he was aware about Gursharan’s injury. The Little Master, however, was “surprised" to see the right-hander walk out to bat.
“Sachin was surprised to see me walk out. He thought I wouldn’t come out to bat and was walking back to the pavilion. He quickly asked me whether I am okay and I assured him that I am and said ‘Sachin tera 100 karake jaaege’. He returned a shy smile and resumed batting. I played around 30-40 balls with him. He was in the 90s and the hundred took some time. Look how big his thinking was even back then when he asked for a strike and said he will go after Maninder Singh, who was a champion bowler and in his prime days. ‘Mai isko maar duga,’ he quipped and showed so much confidence. He got Mani’s full over and hit two boundaries before the innings came to a close and he remained unbeaten on 103. Sachin was then picked for the team for the Pakistan tour and I was so happy," says Gursharan.
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Not only did Sachin make it to the Indian team for the Pakistan tour later that month but also went on to make his debut in the opening Test and commenced what turned out to be an incredible journey of 24 years.
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