Dubai, March 3 Almost a decade ago, Dwayne Smith of the West Indies was opening the batting with the legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar for the Mumbai Indians (MI), with the duo also going on to lift the 2013 Champions League Twenty20, a competition which is now defunct.
Smith recalled that opening the batting with Tendulkar and walking behind him while coming out of the dugout was a dream-come-true moment for him. “Playing days with him were very easy. I remember the time in IPL where I battled with him, and he was telling me to keep hitting the ball straight and play and don't go cutting or pulling across the line.”
“He was doing the opposite, and I was like, 'Sheesh .’ Then he came down, and he just smirked at me and said, ‘Do as I say, not as I do. ’ It's something that's stuck in my mind from then onwards. Opening the batting with him was one of my dreams - that you would always want to be out there with one of the greats of cricket, and to walk up behind him was something special because I always had to walk up behind him as he’s the great man.”
“Walking up behind him, I don't know who's cheering for me. So after he's gone out and they're cheering so much, I know that they could be cheering for me as well too. But it's great to play against these guys and also to play with them,” Smith told IANS from the sidelines of the International Masters League (IML) in Vadodara, where he’s turning out for the West Indies side.
Dipping more into nostalgia, Smith recalled how he saw glimpses of what made Tendulkar a worldwide cricketing legend. “When I was at Mumbai, I always used to try and stick around him, because when I was opening with him, I always wanted to know the person that I am playing with and who am I going up there with.”
“So I always used to stick with him and ask him some questions and stuff. He's been very accommodating and very, very good with the guys around as well too. So he's always sharing his knowledge, and you could see why he was so great because of how he used to prepare for his match.”
The ongoing tournament has also got Smith a reunion with another legendary figure in Brian Lara, something which he cherishes a lot. “It's special to see him. Actually, as a young guy, I watched him break the record for the first time, and then actually being in the team with him and it happening on my birthday.”
“For him scoring the 400 (highest individual score in Tests) was a dream come true. To actually bat with him, I've had some very good partnerships with him as well. So I enjoy batting with him, and it's like ease out there when he's up there.”
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