It’s irony indeed that India too won the MCG Test by a similar margin, and Paranjpe – who was part of that semifinal win and scored an unbeaten half-century and the winning runs with Tendulkar batting alongside him – cannot help but draw a unique comparison.
“Ajinkya’s knock reminded me of that Tamil Nadu innings from Sachin, when he took us (Mumbai) through single-handedly. Tough players steer their teams through tough situations. You could feel he wants to see his team through," says Paranjpe.
"It was a psychological battle and not an ordinary innings. He rattled the Aussies, and that coming after the Adelaide jolt made it even more special.”