When Ganguly told Tendulkar whose ribcage was broken by Shoaib Akthar: ‘Tu toh champion hai rey, you won’t go back to dressing room’

“I said I will play on. I knew there was some drastically wrong. The first thing I felt was the sensation of throwing up. I had to control that. I didn’t want to show the bowler that I am injured. It’s about controlling what you want to show and what you don’t want to the bowler. It’s about mind games as well.

Tendulkar was having a midas touch in the 2003 World Cup. (FILE)

Dada (Ganguly) was I think the captain and was worried that I would go to the dressing room. So, I told him don’t worry, I am going to continue batting.

Not only would Tendulkar bat on in that game but travelled to the Australia series with the injury. He says he designed a special chest guard. But the pain remained.

“I couldn’t sleep for long time or even cough. I couldn’t lie on my back. I couldn’t even laugh. There were some characters in the dressing room; so I had to choose my evening partners carefully!” Tendulkar says with a smile.

At the end of the Australian series, Tendulkar returned to India to have a check up for some other injury on tour. “That’s when the doctor did a scan and hotspot showed my ribcage. He said you have broken your ribcage! I knew that but couldn’t share it with any body.

It’s not just me, there are number of athletes who play with broken parts all over the body. Playing for India is a huge honour and nothing can replace that.”

When the host Gaurav Kapoor asked him did he choose Cricket or did cricket chose him, Tendulkar smiles and says, “I chose cricket. I was passionate. A beautiful journey began; I had some amazing moments. I have been always wanted to get better. We have been brought up at home and by coach that never think you are bigger than sport … you can’t get bigger than sport. No individual can get bigger than a profession. From there you can only fall down. That was the simple rule at home. When something good happens to me, we will offer sweets to god.”