Tendulkar Very Impressed With American Teens
By Dr. Sham Samaroo
Aug 19, 2009
I guess August 17th must be my lucky day. A year ago, on August 17, 2008…well that’s another story for another time. Last Monday, I watched the USA pull off a one-run thriller against Bermuda in the ICC Americas U15 tournament at the Gateway Oval in Brooklyn. It was an exciting, nail-biting, and, ultimately, moral boosting win for the USA – currently experiencing a rebirth of its cricketing fortunes.
But the piece de resistance of this sumptuously memorable day was the privilege of watching and analyzing the play in the company of Ajit Tendulkar. 
After winning the toss, Bermuda asked the USA to take first strike. And with the flags of Bermuda, Canada, and the Stars and Stripes, of host USA, billowing lazily in a gentle breeze, Vikram Valluri and Arsh Buch confidently strode to the middle to open the innings. Watching as the left-handed Vikram negotiate the early attack, I thought out-loud that left-handers, somehow, do look so very elegant. Tendulkar enjoined that he was “extremely impressed” by Vikram. “He is very natural”. He does not reach for the ball but instead “allows it [the ball] to come on to him”. By now the temperature, too, was coming on… fast approaching 90 degrees, but Tendulkar assured me that it’s usually very hot in India too – although "California is not as humid". For the last few years, American players and coaches have enjoyed the benefit of Tendulkar's coaching and guidance at an annual summer coaching camp organized under the auspices of the California Cricket Academy, co-founded by Hemant Buch – USACA’s Regional Chair for the West Coast.
In between the play, we talked some about the early years in Mumbai; Shivaji Park; Indian cricket and, of course, his brother, Sachin. Meanwhile, with diminutive Buch playing the anchor role to perfection (Tendulkar assures me that despite his small stature, Buch can be quite a hard hitting batsman), the opening pair brought up the fifty partnership with Vikram growing steadily in confidence. One particular cover drive had four written all over it from the moment it left the bat…eliciting a chorus of oohs and aahs from the small crowd. It's a working day in New York, you know. Vikram reminds us of one VVS Laxman or Mohammad Azharuddin, I chimed in. Tendulkar nodded, pointing out that Vikram too comes from Hyderabad. Tendulkar drew my attention to Vikram’s technique – “see…the full swing of the bat…it’s a natural motion, he is not trying to force it”. The next few minutes, I watched Vikram intently. The kid seemed unhurried in his strokeplay … caressing the ball with a lazy elegance, seemingly as though he has all the time in the world to play his shot. No wonder Tendulkar considers him “the best” among the youngsters he has seen so far.
The opening partnership had already progressed to 63 when Vikram went, stumped for 38, attempting to launch the off spinner over the top. That brought USA captain, Steven Taylor to the crease and he immediately went on the offensive with some lusty blows. And though he lost Buch along the way, Taylor continued to take the attack to the Bermudians. He brought up his fifty with a massive six over long on – his third of the innings. Tendulkar admiringly thought that Taylor was playing some intelligent cricket. When he came to the crease, the spinners were looking to put the breaks on the US scoring rate after the fall of the attacking Vikram, but Taylor would have none of it. Instead he chose the best form of defense – attack! He did benefit from a few lapses in the field, but fortune does, indeed, favour the brave.
So what did Tendulkar think of the US squad? To be fair, apart from the California players, Tendulkar hasn’t had enough of an opportunity to evaluate the other players, but he is very impressed by what he has seen so far. Taylor’s partner at the other end was New York’s own – Amarnauth Persaud. I wanted to know if Tendulkar had seen Amarnauth, and, if so, what he thought of the young man “Yes, I saw him yesterday”, he tells me. Tendulkar added that after watching Amarnauth at practice, he right away told the coach, Raj Badadare, that he was “very impressed”. Coach Badadare, who by this time had joined us, nodded in agreement. I commented that I first saw Amarnauth just a few weeks ago, and consider him one of the rising stars in US cricket. Hearing it confirmed by Ajit Tendulkar – mentor and coach of Sachin Tendulkar, arguably the greatest batsman ever to play the game - it was high praise, indeed, for the young Amarnauth.
Any suggestions Tendulkar might have for the American teens? It is crucial that the players get the opportunity to play on different surfaces – "particularly turf wickets" – and "play against different opposition" regularly. But, undoubtedly, the future of USA cricket is bright, Tendulkar confidently reassures me.
And as this memorable day drew to a close, I briefly wondered what August 17, 2010 has in store…maybe international cricket from sea to shining sea! Now, wouldn’t that be something?
Later today, team USA take on our neighbour to the north, Canada, in what promises to be a most mouth-watering encounter. Come on out and support the children...they truly are our future.
Photo © Venus Auxier