Sachin Tendulkar, Indian Cricketer of the Year, Talks up team India's Success

Sachin Tendulkar may have been recognized India's most outstanding cricketer for another year, but his eyes remain firmly focussed on team India as was evident at the awards function.

sachin tendulkar cricketer of the year

While some believe Tendulkar will lead India to success at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 while some other cricketers like Harbhajan Singh believe the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 trophy will be the best gift for Sachin Tendulkar, there is no doubting that Tendulkar is, at heart, the ultimate team player.

On a night of the Castrol awards when Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the Indian ODI player of the year, Harbhajan Singh for the Bowler of the Year, Jaidev Unadkat for junior cricketer of the year, Rahul Dravid for the most number of catches in Test cricket and Yusuf Pathan for being the Impact cricketer of the Year and a Lifetime achievement award for Jimmy Amarnath, the night belonged without doubt to Sachin Tendulkar.

Even as Sachin Tendulkar was being honoured as the Indian cricketer of the year, he remained humble about his own achievement as has become his trademark. However, when it comes to team India, it is a whole other matter.

Where Sachin does not talk up about his own success in the field of cricket, he does hold the pride of the team rather close to him. And it is in keeping with that pride, he stated with some authority when he talked of how India defied the common talk that the no.1 tag was elusive and also, that India could not stand up to such a tall order. Stating that India had now held the reins for a while, clearly Tendulkar was stating just how being a part of team India means to him because he intends to protect its integrity and identity. Nicely spoken, Mr. Tendulkar.