It is well known that India’s legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar aspired to be a fast bowler. However, Tendulkar’s childhood coach Ramakant Achrekar asked him to focus on his batting and he never looked back. In fact, Sachin was known to bowl off-spin, leg-spin and he could also bowl some medium pace. However, when Sachin’s batting clicked, he went on to become the best batsman in the history of the game.
Meanwhile, we have seen examples of players who want to have different roles as players but eventually end in a different role altogether. In fact, former Australia fast bowler Dennis Lillee had suggested Tendulkar to choose batting over fast bowling.
Sachin Tendulkar scalped 201 wickets in International career
On the other hand, Sachin Tendulkar also wanted to bowl fast but the destiny had a completely different story for the Master Blaster. Tendulkar took the batting world by storm and he holds most of the batting records to his name.
It is well known that Sachin’s son, Arjun Tendulkar is a fast bowler and Ajay Jadeja understands that the expectations will be huge on the youngster’s shoulders.
“Same thing would be happening to Arjun now. Wherever he must be playing, they would be saying he is Tendulkar’s son. And it not easy, luckily he does not enjoy batting as much as his father and bowls instead,” Jadeja told to Gaurav Kapur on the latter’s show ’22 Yarns’.
“Father would have loved to be the fastest bowler in the world. Just that, he couldn’t do it. So, he found another way, he started batting. That’s what this sport allows you to do,” he stated.
Anil Kumble and former legend Ranjitsinghji also wanted to be fast bowlers. Kumble went on to become India’s most successful spinner whereas Ranjitsinghji went on to become a successful batsman, who later became the first Indian to play for the English side. Ranji trophy is also named after the legendary Ranjitsinghji.
“The greatest players, two you have named, let me add a few more – Anil Kumble, Ranjitsinhji – they also started off as fast bowlers. I think any kid, whatever success they may have enjoyed at international would have started in their homes as a fast bowler. Because the pleasure of bowling a fast ball gets the passion ignited. Every human wants to bowl fast,” Jadeja added.
Meanwhile, Steven Smith had also started as a spinner and he is currently the best Test batsman in the world. Ajit Agarkar also wanted to be a batsman but he went on to become one of India’s most successful fast bowlers.