MUMBAI: Shaun Pollock is occupying the same dressing room at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai which the Indian team had used a couple of days back, working their way to World Cup glory.
Sitting there, watching the turf through the thick glass panelled viewing area, he tries recollecting what he saw of India's victory in the final over Sri Lanka on television.
"It was an amazing moment," he says. "A well-deserved victory for a very good team."
Pollock is here for the Indian Premier League, as a mentor for Mumbai Indians, the team he's been associated with for two of the three years and the idea of working with Sachin Tendulkar again has fascinated the former South African all-rounder. "He's been an amazing role model."
Pollock puts a lot of emphasis on the humility of Tendulkar. "From the media, from the public, there's so much pressure. I have travelled with him across the country in the same team bus. To see him keep his focus completely on the game despite the kind of adulation he receives is something."
Pollock says the senior batsman has a very good idea of how youngsters watch his every step and therefore, to be the right role model for growing cricketers is the biggest service Tendulkar might be doing.
He's hoping that Mumbai Indians will be a bigger draw than any time before because of Tendulkar's presence. Not that it wasn't the case earlier, but this time because Tendulkar will be playing the tournament as a World Cup winner.
"The Indian community has always been such a great fan of this game and I'm hoping they'll flock the stadiums to watch Tendulkar like never before," says Pollock.
Sadly, Pollock is yet to see his national team South Africa lay its hands on the Cup. But, he doesn't feel the Proteas are chokers as labelled. "The media, opposition teams add to the pressure when they keep repeating it. These things make a difference," insists Pollock.
But, with India's victory, he sees a ray of hope for South Africa shedding the chokers tag. "The Indian team also faced enough pressure but they managed to win the trophy and South Africa can do the same," he says.
Pollock is about to find the next 40 days in India interesting because it'll give him a good idea of how the frenzy post the World Cup victory has caught up with the whole country. In the process, he's looking forward to having a great time helping Mumbai Indians win their first IPL trophy, one that is yet to find its way into Tendulkar's growing trophy cabinet.
Read More
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/Sachin-has-been-an-amazing-role-model-Pollock/articleshow/7890792.cms
Sitting there, watching the turf through the thick glass panelled viewing area, he tries recollecting what he saw of India's victory in the final over Sri Lanka on television.
"It was an amazing moment," he says. "A well-deserved victory for a very good team."
Pollock is here for the Indian Premier League, as a mentor for Mumbai Indians, the team he's been associated with for two of the three years and the idea of working with Sachin Tendulkar again has fascinated the former South African all-rounder. "He's been an amazing role model."
Pollock puts a lot of emphasis on the humility of Tendulkar. "From the media, from the public, there's so much pressure. I have travelled with him across the country in the same team bus. To see him keep his focus completely on the game despite the kind of adulation he receives is something."
Pollock says the senior batsman has a very good idea of how youngsters watch his every step and therefore, to be the right role model for growing cricketers is the biggest service Tendulkar might be doing.
He's hoping that Mumbai Indians will be a bigger draw than any time before because of Tendulkar's presence. Not that it wasn't the case earlier, but this time because Tendulkar will be playing the tournament as a World Cup winner.
"The Indian community has always been such a great fan of this game and I'm hoping they'll flock the stadiums to watch Tendulkar like never before," says Pollock.
Sadly, Pollock is yet to see his national team South Africa lay its hands on the Cup. But, he doesn't feel the Proteas are chokers as labelled. "The media, opposition teams add to the pressure when they keep repeating it. These things make a difference," insists Pollock.
But, with India's victory, he sees a ray of hope for South Africa shedding the chokers tag. "The Indian team also faced enough pressure but they managed to win the trophy and South Africa can do the same," he says.
Pollock is about to find the next 40 days in India interesting because it'll give him a good idea of how the frenzy post the World Cup victory has caught up with the whole country. In the process, he's looking forward to having a great time helping Mumbai Indians win their first IPL trophy, one that is yet to find its way into Tendulkar's growing trophy cabinet.
Read More
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/Sachin-has-been-an-amazing-role-model-Pollock/articleshow/7890792.cms
