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He's a few days short of completing his 21st year in the international circuit and owns almost every batting record in both forms of the game, but somehow, Sachin Tendulkar craves for more. After all, at the age of 37 while his contemporaries are either retired or planning their future away from the game Tendulkar is in the middle of his "sweetest year" in Test cricket. While he is one short of 50 Test centuries and a few hundred runs away from becoming the player to own the most runs in a calendar year, Tendulkar is hoping to get even better and find his next level a notch that no other cricketer in the modern era can claim as their own.
"I'm really focusing now on how I can get to the next level as a batsman. How can I get even more competitive? How can I get even more consistent? How can I get better?" Tendulkar said, during an interview with The Guardian.
The questions he poses for himself, and the dreams he has for his career are two of many things that keeps Tendulkar ticking.
"Life would be flat without dreams. I think it's really important to dream and then to chase those dreams. I really believe in this because it's this dreaming that makes me work so hard. I want to continue doing that because I've worked very hard the last couple of years on my batting," he said.
The hardwork has borne results, as 2010 has been a landmark year. He won his first ICC's Player of the Year Award earlier this month and returned to the top of the world batting rankings for the first time since 2002. In February, Tendulkar scored centuries in successive Tests against South Africa before becoming the first man ever to score a double century in an ODI. Tendulkar was the highest run scorer in IPL III and also made a Test double-hundred against Sri Lanka before his remarkable performances against Australia which saw him reach the 14,000 landmark in Bangalore (while scoring 214 and an unbeaten 53) to complete India's 2-0 series victory. Tendulkar feels that coach Gary Kirsten has been a key to his success.
"Gary Kirsten has been instrumental in this. Together we've worked hard in the last couple of years to improve my batting. He's given me the freedom to express myself, and to pace my innings as I see fit. I can slow down occasionally. Gary has helped me do this and it's because he's more a friend than a coach," Tendulkar is quoted as saying.
The 2011 World Cup at home too is an all-important motivating factor for the batsman to keep stretching himself. "It's going to be massive. Everyone in India is already looking forward to hosting a mega tournament and although people haven't started talking yet about 1983, it will happen soon. But, given our recent form, people have a right to be excited and have extremely high hopes for us. There are going to be big expectations."
But he is quick to add that he is taking tournaments one at a time and his current focus is on the upcoming New Zealand series. "The momentum is with us right now and we should not let it go. We are not taking anything for granted and want to be on our toes. The tour to South Africa and the World Cup can wait for now," he said.
Despite all the success this season and 20 before, Tendulkar is not satisfied, and hungry for a lot more. "There is always room for improvement. I am happy, but not satisfied. I want to get better. I always want to remain a student of the game because that is when you grasp more."
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