Playing It My Way: My Autobiography (64 page)

Recuperating after elbow surgery in 2005. It was the most frustrating injury of my career.

Listening to the children at a home for the underprivileged in Bangalore in 2003.

Don’t be fooled by the smile! This was one of the scariest experiences of my life – the Sky Walk on the ramp at the Sky Tower in Auckland.

Facing Australia in 2003–4. Making runs against the world’s best team was always enjoyable.

Shaking hands with an old adversary. The 2004 Sydney Test marked the end of Steve Waugh’s fantastic career.

This is where Daddy works. With Anjali, Sara and Arjun, as well as Anand and Annabel Mehta at the MCG in December 2003. It was the first time I had taken Arjun and Sara inside a stadium.

Above: With Anil Kumble: one of the best triers on the field.

Congratulating Virender Sehwag on reaching 300 in Multan in 2004 – a terrific Test innings.

With Indian and Pakistani soldiers at the Wagah border in 2004.

It meant a lot when my batting hero, Sunil Gavaskar, congratulated me on reaching his record of 34 Test hundreds.

John Wright and I are great friends. John, why did you have to take that catch in New Zealand in 1990?

With one of the best batsmen of all time and a very good friend, Brian Lara.

With Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits, one of my all-time favourite bands, in Mumbai. I treasure the guitar he gave me.