Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar took exception to criticism that he is no more enjoying his batting like he did in his early years and said those who made such comments do not understand the game.
"People who are talking about me not enjoying my batting better get it right. It's a wrong perception. Those who understand the game wouldn't be talking about it," Tendulkar said, with a rare bluntness after his three-wicket haul and an unbeaten 82 with the bat against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup on Wednesday.
Tendulkar's batting has always caught the eye but he has been more in the news in this tournament because of his six wickets and leg-spin bowling.
"Harbhajan Singh has been goading me to be more regular with leg-spins in the nets than the seam-up bowling I do. I was not bowling leg-spin in the nets because whenever I practiced it there I never used to land it right in match situations!
"But yes, lately I have begun to practice regularly my leg-spin in the nets," he said.
Tendulkar didn't get any over against Sri Lanka in the last league game of Group B, but said it has always been the captain's call.
"As cricketers we can all make suggestions to the captain but he is the leader in the middle and we abide by his decisions," remarked the little master.
Tendulkar bowled his full quota of 10 overs and admitted there are times when he gets blisters on his fingers because of the workload.
"I have noticed whenever I bowl regularly I get blisters on my fingers and the skin around it peels off. That's why I am not Anil Kumble!
"But it must be remembered that I am only a part time bowler and batting is my main occupation."
Tendulkar chose to stand outside his crease while batting and said he did so to meet the ball early as it was hardly coming on to the bat on a slow wicket.
"The ball wasn't quite coming on to the bat and I stood outside the crease to try and meet it early.
"The wicket wasn't an easy one to bat as the ball was kind of stopping and coming on to the bat.
"In the first two games I had felt in good nick but could not quite spend enough time in the middle. I was focused to do so today."
Tendulkar's attention was drawn to the spectacular rise of Irfan Pathan in recent months and asked whether the Baroda left-arm paceman is one of the brightest youngsters he has seen on the Indian cricket firmament in recent years.
"He has an ability which not many left-arm fast bowlers have. He can swing the ball in and it's God's gift.
"He can bowl it consistently and knows its value. But there is no need to put additional pressure on him. We want to stay right behind him and be there when he requires support."
Tendulkar laughed it off when asked if it is right to bill the upcoming India-Pakistan game as a "Shoaib vs Sachin" contest.
"I don't look at it that way. It's the same when we play against Australia, then it's vs McGrath or Shane Warne.
"It's an important game and more than one factor will come into play.
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