Blasting the master

When news channel CNN-IBN decided to do a Republic Day programme with Sachin Tendulkar and the National Security Guard (NSG) commandos (whom the cricketer had wished to meet), little did it know that dealing with the NSG Director General (DG) would be far more challenging than managing the superstar of cricket. Having had tea (twice) with the DG at the NSG facilities in Manesar, Tendulkar, like a good sport, toured the campus, had a one-hour interaction with the jawans and played cricket with them. But this did not satisfy the DG who insisted on playing a tennis match with Tendulkar. The cricketer — who had already overshot his time at the facility — was clearly not interested. He called for his car and quietly slipped away, leaving the DG fuming.