Sachin 194*: Why Did Dravid Declare?

Everyone remembers the Multan Test in 2004, one for Virender Sehwag's triple ton and another for the infamous declaration.

With India batting on 675/5 and Sachin Tendulkar unbeaten on 194, skipper Rahul Dravid decided to declare the first innings.

Six runs from a double ton, cameras captured Tendulkar's obvious disappointment. The move, although for the benefit of the team, was panned.

And throwing light on Tendulkar's reaction on returning to the dressing room was then India opener Akash Chopra, who was part of the squad on that tour to Pakistan.

'I was in the dressing room, but I wasn't part of that conversation. To be very honest, I didn't even try to get into it because I was too young. Yes, Paaji (Tendulkar) wasn't happy that day. I think I saw him unhappy for the first time.

'I never saw him lose his temper, and he didn't exactly lose his temper that day but he was visibly unhappy. Something wasn't right,' Chopra told the YouTube channel 2 Sloggers.

It was the team's decision to declare the innings and not Dravid's alone, Chopra clarified. Sourav Ganguly, he added, was part of the think-tank that took the decision.

'Rahul did call, but Dada (Ganguly) was part of the dressing room that day too. He wasn't playing in that game, but he was in the dressing room and I'm sure he was part of the think-tank. It wasn't the captain's decision alone,' said Chopra.

'After the game, Rahul did say that he wouldn't have declared had he known the match would end within 4 days. With Rahul, it is possible that in heat of the moment, you agree or disagree. But you don't doubt his decision. You know that even if he was at a similar position, he would've taken the same decision.'

In his autobiography Playing It My Way, Tendulkar reveals how hurt he was at the declaration and he told Dravid to 'leave him alone' so that he could come to terms with his disappointment of missing out on a double century.

'I assured Rahul that the incident would have no bearing on my involvement on the field, but off the field, I would prefer to be left alone for a while to come to terms with what had happened,' Tendulkar says in the book.