Describing the win in the second Test against England as "special",Sachin Tendulkar today said it was important to keep the winning momentum goingwhen they go into the third Test at Oval.
"The third Test is getting more importance now. That's what every one iseyeing," Tendulkar said.
On the fiery Indian batting performance, he said it was a conscious effort bythe frontline batsmen to establish big partnerships after what happened atLord's.
"We'd planned not to lose early wickets and get very good partnerships.There was a lot of seam movement, which we knew would last for 15-20 overs.There was swing but less movement off the stumps.
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"We knew, if we would last that it would make the difference," saidTendulkar, who himself had a 97-run partnership with Rahul Dravid and 96-runstand with Sourav Ganguly. Openers Wasim Jaffer and Dinesh Kaarthick made 147runs together.
Tendulkar, who was denied a hundred due to an erroneous umpiring decision bySimon Taufel, described the win as very special especially since it came after along gap and series of lows.
"It is extremely special and important, especially after what hadhappened in the World Cup," he said and rated it alongside the Headingleywin five years ago and the Adelaide win in 2004.
Tendulkar said the final match of the rubber had assumed a lot ofsignificance after the win as it had drawn them closer to an overseas serieswin.
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He singled out Ganguly's innings of 79 as solid and described him as"terrific".
"He looked very solid. To me he is a terrific player. It is a treat towatch him. So many times I talk to him in Bengali which takes the pressure offus," he said.
On the last day's game, Tendulkar said "It was a bit of inconsistentbounce and pace on the wicket" but added "that was expected on a Testwicket. England had nothing to lose, they also did not appear to have aplan," he said.
PTI
