He became the anathema of the Pakistani bowlers, and amassed 569 runs for a staggering Bradman-like average of 95.
India had gained from strength to strength while the exuberant captain Krishnamachari Srikanth was learning from his mistakes though his own form in the series left a lot to be desired.
‘That there was an explosive, classy batsman lying in the shape of a 16 year old kid was the talk in Pakistan once Sachin Tendulkar walked into the scene dominated by adults,
Tendulkar belted two fifties while figuring in two century partnerships in test matches at Faisalabad and Sialkot and played in a fashion as if he was a 25 test veteran.
A bloodied nose at Sialkot from a Wasim Akram delivery only brought out Tendulkar’s grit as he carried on with a revenge to make a fluent 50,
“He is of Rohan Kanhai’s class, He will cat up everybody,” so said Abdul Qadir of Tendulkar. Manjrekar may score many, many centuries in his cricketing career, but you will always remember a forty or a fifty scored by Tendulkar. He is a sheer class,” Qadir said.
“From where does this small fellow get the power and timing,” asked his captain ‘Srikkanth.
While Manjrekar and Tendulkar were applying themselves to the task of batting well, another Indian player was silently transforming himself into an all-round force… Learning to swing the old ball in this series, Manoj Prabhakar has grabbed 16 wickets and played some good knocks with grit and tenacity to make up for whatever he lacks in technique. He was in such a form that players like Salim Malik and Javed Miandad had started to work out pre-match strategies to negotiate his vicious in-swingers.
It is true that India that India did not have a third seamer but the young Vivek Razdan filled in the void, though a little late in the series. It was a good omen for Indian Cricket that Razdan struck form with a five ‘wickets haul on the green top Sialkot track.
Razdan also seems to have booked a spot for the tour of New Zealand as he was a much improved bowler after the Sialkot test, often putting his rivals at the wrong end of the stick.
On the other hand the master was always in charge of the Indian bowling. Playing in his 100th test at Karachi, Kapil Dev took four wickets to become the third highest wicket taker behind Richard Hadlee and Ian Botham and finished the series with a haul of 12 wickets to prove that ‘many years of cricket is still left in him.
Article extracted from this publication >> January 12, 1990
