Sachin Tendulkar is widely regarded as one of the greatest batters in the history of the game. Fondly known as the ‘master blaster’, Tendulkar holds the record for most runs in Tests and ODIs, and has also scored the most centuries in international cricket (100). Tendulkar had made his India debut in 1989 during a Test series against Pakistan and during an event, the former India batter revealed an incident concerning Pakistan's decorated ex-captain, Javed Miandad.
Tendulkar, then 16, had produced impressive outings for India in the Test series; however, during the fourth Test, Tendulkar faced a severe injury to his nose from a bouncer off Waqar Younis. While Tendulkar braved the injury and continued to bat, he recalled Javed Miandad's comment towards him right after he was hit off the bouncer.
“My first tour of Pakistan, we were playing the fourth Test, we had drawn the first three. In the last innings of fourth Test, we were some 36/4 down. I got hit off a bouncer from Waqar Younis on my nose, I wasn't used to wearing a grill and my face was exposed to the blow. I broke my nose and I was bleeding,” Tendulkar began as he narrated the story in the event organised by Infosys.
"Naturally , the game stopped. Pakistan players realised that it was a crunc moment. Had I walked off, they would've been in a dominating position. They wanted to finish the game and they wanted to win. In that buzz around me, Javed Miandad -- we all know how he can be -- he was nudging me and said, 'Tera naak toot gaya hai, tere ko hospital jaana padega'.
{{/usCountry}}"Naturally , the game stopped. Pakistan players realised that it was a crunc moment. Had I walked off, they would've been in a dominating position. They wanted to finish the game and they wanted to win. In that buzz around me, Javed Miandad -- we all know how he can be -- he was nudging me and said, 'Tera naak toot gaya hai, tere ko hospital jaana padega'.
{{/usCountry}}“Imran tells him, ‘Javed leave him alone’. I continued batting. That was one moment where I felt that an injury like that can make or break you. I'm glad I did not walk to dressing room and I continued batting there. We drew the Test and we drew the series which meant a lot,” Tendulkar concluded.