Having silenced his critics with a consistent performance in the ongoing one-day series against Pakistan, Sachin Tendulkar said he has been given a "certain role" by the team and he was keen to live up to that expectation.
Tendulkar, who marked his return to form with a century in the first match in Peshawar, also said he was playing his natural game.
"I have been playing my natural game, I don't know why people say I am not playing my natural game. I have been given a certain role. You have to do what the team is expecting from you," the batting maestro said after India pulled off a thrilling five-wicket victory in the third one-dayer here.
The star batsman, who slammed a sparkling 95 to lay the platform for India's win, said the Pakistani bowlers got some assistance in the first 15 overs or so.
"The ball did quite a bit in the first 15 overs. I thought the Pakistani bowlers were bowling in good areas", he said.
"We lost a couple of early wickets, so we thought we should just hang around for a while".
{{/usCountry}}"We lost a couple of early wickets, so we thought we should just hang around for a while".
{{/usCountry}}On bowling ten overs in the match, Tendulkar said he resorted to bowling medium pacers as the Pakistani batsmen were strong against spin.
"They play spin very well. That's why I bowled medium pace. I felt I was cramping a little bit towards the middle of my innings, its not often that I bowl ten overs", he said.