Sachin didn't face a single ball in nets in 2003 WC: Rahul Dravid

New Delhi Sachin Tendulkar produced a fairytale run in the 2003 World Cup which in his own words included the biggest match of his career without facing a single ball in the nets according to former teammate Rahul Dravid who says the iconic cricketer defied imaginationNo cricketer ever has scored more runs than the 673 recorded then by the Indian legend in a single edition of a World Cup The highlight was the 98run knock that saw him take on the likes of Wasim Akram Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar with aplombRahul Dravid File PicIt his preparation changes from time to time In the 2003 World Cup Sachin Tendulkar didnt bat a single ball in the nets right through the tournament He only got throwdowns He just received hundreds of throwdowns through the whole tournament Dravid saidAll of us were wondering Why is he doing that When I asked him he said Im feeling good I dont want to go into the nets and waste the touch I want to feel good about my batting If I have that sort of feeling I will score runs when I go in And thats what happened Calling the Mumbaikar the greatest player he has played with Dravid said Tendulkar changed the landscape of Indian cricketHes changed the landscape both on and off the field for Indian cricket over the last two decades Its almost mindboggling A whole generation has grown up with Tendulkar Theyve seen his ups and downs and lived their lives and dreams through his feats So many people in India want to be a cricketer Dravid said while speaking on ESPNcricinfos Modern MastersRahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar Pic Suresh KKFor the last twenty four years theres been a whole generation of people whove had this privilege and opportunity of claiming to say We were there when Tendulkar was the best batsman in the world The former India captain said Tendulkar defied imagination A legend The greatest player that Ive played with as a batsman Hes been a huge inspiration To see a 16year old boy do what he did was unbelievable It defied imagination and was a huge inspiration for me I felt like if he could do it then I should also try to be a Test cricketer Dravid saidOn Tendulkar being accused of selfishness Dravid said I think its a little bit unfair All of us want to score hundreds all of us want to score runs and the team does benefit when you score runs When someones scored a hundred hundreds if you start nitpicking and looking at each and every innings sure youll find enough innings to prove your point but there are also other innings when those hundreds have been critically important to Indian cricketIts hard to begrudge someone the desire to score hundreds The countrys obsession with his hundredth hundred Theres no way that cannot affect you You have to be human even if youre Tendulkar Dravid said Tendulkar could not lead India to victory on a few occasions in Tests beacuse of a weak bowling attackI still think in ODI cricket he has had quite a few match winning match defining innings In one day cricket even if someone scores 300350 as a pure batsman you can still control the game In Test cricket you have to rely on other people you have to rely on the bowling attacks Bowling attacks win you Test matches he saidEspecially through Sachins golden period 199820022003 and especially away from home when he got a lot of runs maybe we didnt have the bowling attack to back him up in those games I can remember even as recently as Centurion his last Test hundred was a brilliant Test hundred against Steyn and Morkel But we couldnt get South Africa out in the fourth innings The context of those hundreds changes completely if you have the bowling attack to get people out If theres one thing hed like to better about his numbers though itll probably be his fourth innings in overseas Test seriesDravid felt Tendulkars greatest biggest strength has been his temperament For me Sachins greatest strength really is his temperament his ability to handle the pressures that have surrounded him Hes been the focus of attention since he was a 16year old kid And for so many years to be able to handle all of that and still to be able to perform and not get frustrated by it and not get disillusioned by it shows an incredible mindSpeaking about Tendulkars technique Dravid said One of the things that has always stood out for me for Sachin has been balance Its that ability to judge length and to be in that right position for nearly every ball Its very rare that Ive seen Sachin struggle for any particular ball His judgment of length was a marvel