Centurion, Dec. 19: Sachin Tendulkar can’t hide his delight but for the Little Master, ‘50 is just another number.’
“Yesterday was my father’s (late Ramesh Tendulkar) birthday. I dedicate this century to him. As for myself, I am happy and okay to have scored runs. I really don’t know how to express my feelings,” Tendulkar said at the end of the day’s play, which saw him reach his 50th Test century.
Tendulkar still believes that the Indian team should be able to save the Test match. “I believe in positive thinking. If you remain positive, you will find positive things happening for you,” he said.
Asked the secret behind his stupendous success, he said, “It’s a state of mind. For the last two years, I have been doing well. I have been really enjoying my batting. I believe doing well is a habit and a good habit. So if you have this good habit, you shouldn’t let it go.”
Tendulkar was also happy that the team has batted well in the second innings. “It was extremely important for us to do well and send a strong message. The wicket was difficult to bat on in the first innings. We needed to remain positive and confident.”
Asked about the pressure that was on him with the entire nation waiting for his 50th Test ton with bated breath, the legend feels that it was more of a media creation.
“I wasn’t under any kind of pressure. It was you guys who laid the foundation stone of pressure. I just built around that foundation stone,” he said.
A champion in every sense of the term, he was gracious when he praised his rival Jacques Kallis for getting his maiden double hundred in Test cricket. “He (Jacques) is a great player. He has been the backbone of South African batting and what he has acheived is terrific.”