It was 10th August in 2006. My first (&last) abroad sports assignment while I was working for Deccan Herald. We were on board of Sri Lankan airways in which Indian cricket team too was traveling to play in the tri-series with Sri Lanka and South Africa being two other teams. We landed into a turbulent weather at Bandaranaike International Airport 40 kms away from Colombo. We were waiting for our baggages when on the others side Indian cricketers emerged out to pick up their baggages. And there he was, the Master, standing next to another Gentleman, Dravid. I had shock of my life. Sachin waved at me, I turned around to look if I had mistaken. But, he did wave to me and gestured this time. It took few seconds to register what he was trying to tell me. He was in fact asking me to call R Kaushik, cricket correspondent who was my colleague in Deccan Herald. Kaush went to Sachin spoke to him and also with Dravid and other senior cricketers before returning where I was waiting. While many of us crave to draw the attention of personalities like Sachin, Kaushik was one gentleman whom Sachin was wanting to talk to. I immediately swung into action. I asked Kaushik that I want a separate photo session with Sachin with sea as backdrop. I asked this the with the hope that Kaushik will organize this as he was Sachin's 'friend'. But, Kaushi politely said that he would try. Because as a friend he can't ask Sachin anything related to profession as Sachin was quite reserved to pose to anyone in his room with sea as backdrop. But Kaushik said he would try.
It was Friday noon, Rahul Dravid (then the captain of the team) had called for a press conference at Taj Samudra, right in front of sprawling main beach in Colombo. After the media interaction, whilr other journalists settled for high tea, I tried following Dravid in the hope of finding a different picture. I had a company, another photojournalist from AP. Gurinder Osan who is now National Photo Editior of Hindustan Times. We were surprised see Sachin & Yuvi waiting in te portico. We too waited. Within minutes, Dravid joined them. Wow.. We got our pictures. Click.. Click...Click we wnet on shooting spree. It didn't stop there. Now the trio were crossing the road, all by themselves. No fear, no security. We clicked that too. And then they entered the beach and started jogging. By the time they started jogging, the other team members were returning from the far end. Including long haired Dhoni. With a heavy camera kit, a monopod, laptop hanging all over me I got exhausted withing seconds without getting a good jogging picture. So I waited for their returned. Changed to wide angle lens and mounted the flash to get the fill in light and thought of clicking motion blur picture when Sachin & Dravid would return in the same route. An they did. I ran as close to them, shot good enough pictures, and they did'nt object. It was then I heard Sachin talking to Dravid, in Hindi. " Kya ab Tsunami aagaya tho hamara kya ho..." they went out of my hearing distance. Don't know what Dravid replied. (I do not know if Sachin would refute and deny saying so, but he did and I heard him right). I was very much elated. I got the picture of Sachin with Seashore backdrop and also Gentleman to accompany him. Great cricketing legend in one frame. I immediately called Kaushik and told hi that I got the picture that I was willing to shoot on the day I landed in Colombo. It was a great start to the cricket series trip, only that not a single match took place due to rain, South Africa returned half way due to LTTE blast near their hotel (we were in the same hotel, Cinnamon Grand) and the whole series got washed out. But, I happened to cover that LTTE blast related pictures and stayed in Colombo to cover South Asian Games. Oh my god, it was one hell of a trip, but a great experience on my first abroad assignment.
