Record-breaking Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar has opened up about the time when a delivery by Shoaib Akhtar gave him a broken rib.
Speaking during a session on Unacademy, Tendulkar recalled that the injury happened during Pakistan’s India tour of 2007.
“I got hit in my rib cage in 2007,” shared Tendulkar. “We were playing Pakistan in India and in the first over itself I got hit in the rib cage off a Shoaib Akhtar ball. It was quite painful. For a month and a half or two months, I was not able to cough or sleep on my tummy.”
Interestingly, the cricketer continued to play despite considerable pain as he had no idea that he had fractured his rib.
“I continued playing like that and had designed my own chest guard. I played the remaining four ODIs and the Test series. Before going to Australia as well, I played whatever cricket there was,” said Sachin.
After hosting Pakistan for three Tests and a five-match ODI series in 2007, India then toured Australia for four Tests and VB tri-series also featuring Sri Lanka. Tendulkar was part of both the tours.
In Australia, he suffered a groin injury following which he underwent a full-body scan after returning home. It was then the doctor told Tendulkar he may also have a broken rib.
“When I went to Australia, I played the whole series – we played the VB series and towards the end of it, I had a groin injury. I came back to India and we did a full body scan. At that time, it was the doctor who told me about it,” Tendulkar recalled.
“I did not ask him about my rib, I was worried about my groin injury because the Indian Premier League (IPL) was going to start. But I couldn’t get fit in time and missed the first seven matches. But the doctor told me that there was a hotspot. You must have broken your rib at some stage. It troubled me for two months,” he added.
Meanwhile, the former captain of the Indian cricket team also revealed that he struggled with anxiety for much of his career, often suffering sleepless nights before a game.
The ‘Little Master,’ who accumulated more Test and one-day runs than any other player, said he would shadow bat, watch TV and play video games in the small hours when he was unable to sleep.
“In my mind the match started long before I entered the ground. The anxiety levels were very high,” said Tendulkar.
“I felt anxiety for 10 to 12 years, and had many sleepless nights before a game. Later on I started accepting that it was part of my preparation.
“Then I made peace with the times I was not able to sleep at night. I would start doing something to keep my mind comfortable.” Mental health has become a key consideration among athletes, including cricketers and especially during the pandemic when many are spending long periods in bio-secure “bubbles”.
Tendulkar, who played 200 Tests and 463 ODIs during a 24-year international career, said it was vital to accept first that there is a problem.
“When there is an injury, physios and doctors examine you and diagnose what is wrong with you. Same is the case with mental health,” he said.
“It is normal for anyone to go through ups and downs and when you hit those lows you need people around.
“Acceptability is the key here. Not just for the player, for people around him also. Once you have accepted you start looking for solutions. “
