Pragyan Ojha takes us through the emotions of Sachin's final Test match

11/14/2016

On the three-year anniversary of the final Test match the legendary Sachin Tendulkar played for India, left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha has recalled the emotions the Indian dressing room was going through when the Master Blaster took to the pitch to play his final innings for India against West Indies.

There was hardly an eye that was not moist when Sachin Tendulkar walked off the Wankhede pitch on November 16, 2013, for the final time bringing an end to his 24-year long international career. It was even difficult to hold back tears when he gave that heart-warming speech during the post-match presentation. The second Test of the two-match Test series against West Indies ended on the third day with Sachin scoring a signature 74-run knock in his final innings.

“I find it a little hard to believe that is has already been three years since Sachin paaji retired from cricket,” Pragyan Ojha, who was a part of Sachin's farewell Test match, told Cricbuzz on Monday. “We've grown up watching him play and I was quite emotional when I came to know that he'll be playing his final Test series (he, of course, had retired from One-Day Internationals). To be honest, I didn't really know how to react. I was feeling sad but then I was happy as well that I'll be part of his final series. I felt I was fortunate enough to have played with him,” Ojha remembered the flurry of emotions he was feeling at the time.

Ojha put in a Man-of-the-Match performance in the Wankhede Test bagging 10 wickets for 80 wickets as India won the match by an innings and 126 runs and the left-arm spinner recalled that everyone in the team were pushing themselves to make the match memorable for Sachin.

“Everyone was eager to give their 100 percent in that series. Everyone wanted to come up with a special performance in those special matches. The atmosphere also contributed to the players pushing a little bit extra. It was just unique if I could put it that way,” the 30-year old spinner said.

“I was very focused on doing well in that game. I was determined but I really didn't look at it as an opportunity to get my name into the history books. I wasn't thinking on those lines. I believe winning any Test is special because you have to pick those 20 wickets. You have to get each batsman out twice and at the international stage, it's not easy to do,” he further added.

Despite all the hype surrounding his final Test, Ojha still remains in awe of Sachin on how the Little Master kept things simple in the dressing room.

“I will also have to credit Sachin paaji. Though he was a bit emotional, till the last day he kept things simple. Even with the buzz, he just ensured that it didn't feel like a special Test. During breakfasts in the hotel in the lead up to the final Test, he did his bit to keep things very normal,” Ojha revealed his first-hand experience of the Master's final Test.

Everyone expected Sachin to end his career with a century but cricket's all-time scoring batsman departed for a well-crafted knock of 74 and finally walked off the pitch in tears after India won the match on the third day. And Ojha, much like any other fan, was no different when it came to holding back his emotions.

“Also it came as little surprise that he got so emotional after the Test was over. It's never easy to bottle up emotions - good or bad. For someone, who had played the game for over 24 years, to suddenly realise that he'll not be representing India anymore is a big thing.”

“Then the speech! The whole of India stopped to listen to him. Everyone was very emotional at that time in the team. His speech touched everyone. The way he spoke about every single person in his life and those who helped him on and off the field also reflected the kind of person he is. Very down to earth and very genuine,” Ojha recalled.

The left-arm spinner signed off by saying, “To say that it was the most special series of my career would be just stating the obvious. I'll always remember each and every moment I lived in that series for the rest of my life. Getting those wickets, getting the Man of the Match award in his final Test is special. But those moments lived with Sachin paaji are even more special. That time has a special place in my life and I'm just grateful that I was part of that series.”

15,921 Test runs, 18,426 ODI runs, 100 hundreds, countless memories, one name—Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. Thank you Sachin!