the curator at the Wankhede stadium, wants Sachin Tendulkar to score a century in his 200th and final Test, which begins in Mumbai on November 14, but made it clear the batsman would not get any favours as far as the pitch was concerned.
"I will be happy if he gets a hundred because I want that," Naik told ESPNcricinfo as he was busy giving the final touches to the ground. "I also want the century because he is our boy, Bombay boy. He has done so well all his career, so let people remember him forever ki isne last match main bhi sau banaya (because he made a century in his last match).
"He is good enough to do it himself. He does not need my help. This wicket is good enough for batting so that might automatically help him," Naik said. "It will be an emotional one, definitely, because I have seen him right from his first day in first-class cricket till the day he leaves the game. So not seeing him again will be difficult. But we have rules and norms to follow so my emotions will not get in the way of my work."
According to Naik, neither has anyone from the BCCI issued a directive to make a particular kind of surface, nor will he be under duress himself. "I will be under no pressure for any match because my approach is simple," he said. "I have to prepare something which is good for cricket."
The Wankhede wicket, however, is expected to offer good bounce to the bowlers as well stay firm and only wear off gradually. Naik is confident it will last the whole five days. He knows that Tendulkar will come and have a quiet word with him about the pitch, as he always does. He complimented Naik and his team after the 2011 World Cup final for preparing a "nice wicket," appropriate for a good ODI contest.
According to Naik, it was harder to prepare the pitch for the World Cup final than it is for Tendulkar's farewell Test. "It was a fresh wicket and people were worried about whether there will be bounce and how it will behave. This match, not many would be bothered, because the focus and attention will be on Sachin."
{ link :
http://www.espncricinfo.com/india-v-west-indies-2013-14/content/story/687499.html }
"I will be happy if he gets a hundred because I want that," Naik told ESPNcricinfo as he was busy giving the final touches to the ground. "I also want the century because he is our boy, Bombay boy. He has done so well all his career, so let people remember him forever ki isne last match main bhi sau banaya (because he made a century in his last match).
"He is good enough to do it himself. He does not need my help. This wicket is good enough for batting so that might automatically help him," Naik said. "It will be an emotional one, definitely, because I have seen him right from his first day in first-class cricket till the day he leaves the game. So not seeing him again will be difficult. But we have rules and norms to follow so my emotions will not get in the way of my work."
According to Naik, neither has anyone from the BCCI issued a directive to make a particular kind of surface, nor will he be under duress himself. "I will be under no pressure for any match because my approach is simple," he said. "I have to prepare something which is good for cricket."
The Wankhede wicket, however, is expected to offer good bounce to the bowlers as well stay firm and only wear off gradually. Naik is confident it will last the whole five days. He knows that Tendulkar will come and have a quiet word with him about the pitch, as he always does. He complimented Naik and his team after the 2011 World Cup final for preparing a "nice wicket," appropriate for a good ODI contest.
According to Naik, it was harder to prepare the pitch for the World Cup final than it is for Tendulkar's farewell Test. "It was a fresh wicket and people were worried about whether there will be bounce and how it will behave. This match, not many would be bothered, because the focus and attention will be on Sachin."
{ link :
http://www.espncricinfo.com/india-v-west-indies-2013-14/content/story/687499.html }
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