Sachin Tendulkar came within 12 runs of breaking the record in 1989-90. But it was Mohammad Ashraful who, 11 years later, became the youngest Test centurion in history. It’s been a long, hard haul since that balmy Colombo morning, however, as his collection of six fifties will testify. Now 20 and one of the mainstays of the Bangladesh team, his inability to fulfil that early potential has affected the team, and the player himself. After the first Test, he had the opportunity to come face to face with Tendulkar himself and so, translator at hand, he sat down with the maetsro. The questions flowed from the youngster as the champion listened and asnwered with interest for the next 20 minutes. There were two main queries, both related to his approach in Test matches. The pull shot, his most productive stroke, is also the cause of his downfall. So much so the Bangladesh think-tank has asked him to stop playing it altogether. Should he follow that advice, he asked Tendulkar. ‘‘No way,’’ answered Tendulkar in a flash. ‘‘That is your strength. Play it carefully and think about it. If you have, say, two fielders waiting for it, then don’t play it,’’ he added, using his hands to illustrate the point. During the Dhaka Test, for example, Ashraful was caught in two minds as his doubts were exploited by Irfan Pathan. He was successful in the first innings, when he score a fifty, but didn’t last long in the second. Indeed, it’s another area of concern for the youngster: his second innings are never as productive. What’s the reason, he asked. ‘‘You are going in with a negative mindset so you are never able to do well. Go in positively, why shouldn’t you do well.’’ Session over, Ashraful was still in awe as the master wished him good luck and a bright future.
