Sachin Tendulkar isn’t just a cricketing wonder. Someone who played the game for 24 years withstanding numerous injuries has to be some sort of a medical phenomenon as well and the doctor behind Tendulkar’s amazing survival thinks it was the mind that kept the body going, through everything.
Dr Anant Joshi isn’t just a renowned orthopedic surgeon. Being one consulted by the BCCI, he has treated many cricketers including Tendulkar. Although he never operated on him, Dr Joshi was with him throughout the tennis elbow problem in 2004 and other injuries.
Having seen Tendulkar from close, Dr Joshi thinks his mind has played a major part. “In any sport, it’s the survival of the fittest. There is a combination of factors which goes into the survival. You need luck so that you are never seriously injured. Second is your physical and mental fitness. The mind is very important and Sachin is extremely tough mentally,” Dr Joshi told TNIE.
The surgeon also praised Tendulkar’s attitude towards injuries. This, he thinks, helped the batsman keep things under control. “Addressing injuries at the right time is also very important. It’s essential to get proper medical attention when you get the injury so that is does not get worse. That matters quite a bit,” he said.
Among other niggles, Dr Joshi has dealt with Tendulkar’s tennis elbow, back, toe and finger injuries. He says the elbow was most problematic. “Getting rid of this can be extremely difficult, because it is directly related to hand and wrist movements. For a cricketer, who is going to bat with a flick of his wrists, this is a big issue. Giving rest to the injured area is very difficult. To get rid of it was challenging,” he said.
The elbow needed surgery in England as did a shoulder problem, under Dr Andrew Wallace. Tendulkar also had his fingers under the knife in Baltimore. Apart from these, there were back and other problems, but he carried on.
“The element of luck can’t be overlooked. Apart from that, his determination to get better after getting down with something was remarkable. For him, there is nothing besides cricket and coming back to the game as soon as possible was absolutely crucial,” said Dr Joshi.
He also says it’s been a “miracle” that Tendulkar carried on for so long. But then, Dr Joshi adds that a strong mind and an equally strong will to stay clear of all problems contributed to this miracle. For Tendulkar, managing his body was a cerebral affair