Sammy to cheer for Tendulkar’s 100th ton, in another series

NEW DELHI, (Reuters) – After denying Sachin Tendulkar  a 100th international century today, West Indies captain  Darren Sammy promised to salute the Indian batting great when he  reaches the milestone — providing it comes against another  side.
Tendulkar was 24 runs away from what could have been his  52nd test century, to go with his 48 ODI tons, when leg-spinner  Devendra Bishoo trapped him leg before.
Tendulkar was so keen to get to the mark that he even  declined a leg bye, prompting Sammy to plot his dismissal.
“When I saw him turning down the single, I went to  Bishoo and told him ‘let’s try to go round the wicket and force  him to sweep off the rough’,” Sammy told reporters after his  team lost the first test by five wickets.
“But Bishoo asked to give him two more balls from over the  wicket and he got him out! Sachin really wanted to get the  hundred but unfortunately for him…
“Like I said before the game, I would love him to get 100  hundreds but I’d prefer watching him playing an India v  Australia series sittng on my couch and cheering for Sachin,”  quipped the jovial 27-year-old.
India will travel to Australia in December for four tests,  to be followed by two Twenty20 Internationals and a tri-series  also involving Sri Lanka.
Sammy’s Indian counterpart Mahendra Singh Dhoni dismissed  suggestions that Tendulkar crumbled again under the pressure of  expectation.
“If you are talking about the gentleman, the expectation has  always been the size of Everest,” Dhoni said.
“Whatever he has done so far… right from the first two  years of his career, he has been a star.
“If he comes on to the field and does not score 50, people  think he has not scored. It’s something he deals with each and  every day.
“Any individual who comes close to any milestone… somehow  it takes more time than usual. I think it’s just round the  corner. We just need to wait.”