I am happy, but not satisfied: Tendulkar

Image
Press Trust of India Melbourne
Last Updated : Feb 23 2015 | 4:45 PM IST
Impressed with India's dominating performance in the World Cup so far but not completely satisfied with it, cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar said that the team can raise its game a few notches higher.
India are comfortably perched atop Pool B after two straight wins against Pakistan and South Africa respectively and Tendulkar, who had predicted at least a final-four placing for the defending champions, feels it's "so far so good".
"So far whatever I have seen we have concretised that spot. It looks very bright. I am happy but I am not satisfied. I want the team to continue doing this," the cricketer-turned-analyst told Headlines Today after India's 130-run win against South Africa yesterday.
Riding on Shikhar Dhawan's 137 runs India posted 307 for seven against one of the most potent bowling attacks in the 50-over showpiece event and then bundled out the Proteas for 177 in 40.2 overs. Tendulkar, who has been part of record six World Cup campaigns with the Men in Blue including the historic win last time around, feels that the boys can still raise their bar.
"I had said earlier that they can bat better, because I know their talent I know their capability. And we batted beautifully yesterday. The finish could have been better but at no stage we felt that we were short of ideas and at no stage it looked as if the South Africans have tied us down. We were prepared to hang in there also prepared for that chance to put the loose ball away and we did so," he said.
Shikhar, whose seventh ODI ton was laced with 16 fours and 2 sixes, was supported by Virat Kohli (46) and Ajinkya Rahane (79) during his 146-ball stay at the crease. Tendulkar was all praise for Dhawan and Rahane.
"I think Shikhar has done brilliantly in the first two games and I hope that he will continue with this performance. Shikhar will be feeling on top of this world, he will be feeling so confident. I had said earlier that he is one impact player," Tendulkar said.
"But the icing on the cake was Ajinkya batting at No.4. A brilliant display of effortless shots. When Ajinkya plays big shots, somehow it looks as if he is not looking to play a big shot, he is just looking to time the ball or it lob over ball over the 30-yard circle, but on occasions it just fell inside the boundary line. And the shot that he played off Dale Steyn was amazing," he added.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Feb 23 2015 | 4:45 PM IST

Next Story