Got a scolding from my brother for shouting at VVS Laxman, recalls Sachin Tendulkar

Mind games, passion and competitive spirit- these are the things that the Australian team brought the best out of their opposition in the late 90s and the early 2000s. In the 1998 Coca Cola Cup encounter between Australia and India, Sachin recalled that he got a scolding from his brother Ajit for shouting at VVS Laxman. 

It was during the must-win encounter for India, where Sachin yelled at Laxman for not running across the pitch for a double. Laxman stayed unbeaten at the other end after scoring 23 off 36 deliveries in a game where India narrowly missed out. However, that did not stop them from getting to the finals. 

“I remember that a couple of times by emotions came out and I ended up shouting at Laxman ‘Run two, it’s my call why aren’t you running?” Sachin said on Star Sports show Cricket Connected, reported Hindustan Times. 

“I received a scolding from my brother as soon as I reached home. He told me ‘these sort of things shouldn’t happen in the ground. He’s your teammate, he’s also playing for the team. It’s not your match alone; he’s also playing with you. I got a bit of a hiding at home,” Sachin added.

However, despite the qualification, the Mumbaikar added that his first intentions were to win the game and qualify for the final. While India did reach it anyway, Sachin added that if they had beaten Australia in the encounter, they would have had a massive advantage mentally going into the final. 

“In my mind, I always wanted to win that game and qualify to the finals as a victorious team because I knew it might play a mental role. There is difference if you just qualify and when you qualify by beating them,” he concluded.