What did Sachin Tendulkar do after India won the 2011 World Cup
Indian cricket in the era of fab four have had some really jubilant moments, some of which were characterized by gestures – on and off-field – that, till today, are used by marketers to promote rivalries.
But more often than not, the quartet remained a de facto proponent of ‘how to conduct yourself’ even in times of celebration. Of course, there were moments that saw Sachin Tendulkar give it back to the bowlers, or Rahul Dravid ensure that Pakistan be aware of repercussions of running into The Wall, or Lord’s balcony having a date with a shirtless euphoric man dancing like a maniac who had won the biggest lottery of his life.
Notwithstanding these moments the collective image of the unit was so ultra-professional that sometimes it bordered on sombre.
There was another exceptional moment that until recently was not known to this cricket crazy nation. Nine years after India won their 2nd ODI world cup, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh has revealed that the victory was so joyous that Sachin Tendulkar – the solitary member of the quartet with a World Cup to his name – danced with everyone around him. Harbhajan had never seen such carefree Sachin ignorant of people around him.
“That day I saw Sachin Tendulkar dancing for the first time, for the first time he didn't care about people around him and was enjoying with everyone which I will always remember,” Harbhajan told Star Sports.
It was not just the dance but also the emotional upheaval that was beamed live to an elated country. One of the most alluring images from the night of the final was of the players crying and hugging around, signifying what that title meant to them.
"It was something that we dreamed together, it was just coming through and it was an unbelievable feeling. I still get those goosebumps when I think about those moments,” Bhajji concluded.
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