Mumbai, Nov 01, 2023, By K.R. Nayar From Wankhede Stadium
Mumbai. Years ago, I had heard this saying: "At the right time, at the right place, God will show up." It happened today to me when Sachin Tendulkar, hailed as the 'God of Cricket,' turned up to unveil his own statue at the Wankhede Stadium. It is amazing how fortunate I have been to be present during all the great moments of this legendary batsman, including his last match, and now, even after that.
Having watched him as a school cricketer, reporting his Ranji Trophy matches, and witnessing his World Cup knocks here, I wonder how it is that I could be present for yet another special moment in his life.
I was delighted when I received an invite to be a part of this special function. I have never seen so much excitement like today on a pre-match day at any venue during this World Cup. The walls of the Wankhede Stadium were adorned with flowers, and boards guiding everyone on where to be seated for the unveiling were being fixed. There was a separate section allocated for Tendulkar's friends and family.
Shortly after the Sri Lanka pre-match press conference, drum beats began, and in walked the legend, along with Eknath Shinde, the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Sharad Pawar, the former BCCI and ICC President, Jay Shah, the Secretary of BCCI, and Rajiv Sukhla, Vice President of BCCI, accompanied by all officials from the Mumbai Cricket Association. The statue, draped in a red cloth, was unveiled amidst thunderous applause and the resounding beats of drums.
The Tendulkar statue, depicting him playing a lofted shot, was crafted by Pramod Kamble, a sculptor from Ahmednagar. Kamble revealed that Tendulkar was particular even about the position of his hand while playing the shot in the statue. Tendulkar then addressed the large turnout at the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) Lounge, accompanied by his wife, Anjali. Everyone lauded Tendulkar and expressed their delight that this batsman, known for his centuries, will now live on for centuries through this statue.
Tendulkar then shared some stories about this stadium and his first visit to this venue. He said, " My first visit to the Wankhede Stadium was way back in 1983 as a 10-year-old. West Indies had come to India. This was after the 1983 World Cup. The excitement was all around that that West Indies are here. All my friends from my colony in Bandra, not 10-yera-olds buy my brother's friends, possibly 30-40-year olds, all of them decided to go for this match. I don't know how it happened but a 10-year-old Sachin was also asked to accompany them. We took a train from Bandra to Churchgate. It was a fun- filled day. We were sitting in the North Stand, and as well all know, cricketers too know this, what the North Stand is capable of. When they get behind a team, no opposition can stop India and Mumbai. I was a part of the North Stand gang. I too made a lot of noise and enjoyed the game. On the way back in the train, somebody said, 'Tera achcha manage kiya na'. (You were managed brilliantly). So I asked what is it they had managed. We were 25 of us with only 24 tickets for the match. Thats when they said, 'Sachin ko chupa ke leke jaane ka'. (Hiding Sachin and taking him in). So you see, sometimes being vertically challenged can be an advantage!”
His first entry to Wankhede without a ticket drew laughter from the audience.
Tendulkar also revealed how thrilled he was when he played at Wankhede for the first time in the Harris Shield interschool match. He recalled: “I had played only at Shivaji Park, Cross Maidan and Azad Maidan where there is a lot of noise, crowd, and thousands of guys playing around us. At the Wankhede Stadium, suddenly I felt that it was all quiet and lush green. That's when I figured that at the Wankhede Stadium there are many more gaps than they are actually visible when you are batting and there are just nine fielders on the ground. At Azad Maidan, you don't know if the fielder is for your match or another match. That was when I realised that there are nine fielders on the ground, there are gaps, and you can score runs.”
Tendulkar then shared how he felt when he was selected as a ball boy in the 1987 World Cup and his huge admiration and regard for Sunil Gavaskar. He said: “I was selected as a ball boy for 1987 World Cup and was sitting right in front of the dressing room. A gentleman called Sunil Gavaskar invited me to the dressing room. I can never forget that. He was sitting in the corner and I met a few other players. I was only 14 then, and to be invited to the dressing room by your hero was a big thing. The very next year, I played for Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy. Unfortunately, I did not get the chance to play with Sunil Gavaskar. When I walked into the dressing room and was looking for a spot to sit, I saw there was only one seat in the far left that was vacant. So I went and placed my kitbag there. There were 7-8 Indian team players in the playing 11. Everyone told me that was Gavaskar's seat and no one else But I just left my kit there and went out to bat. It was my debut match and I managed to score a hundred.”
Tendulkar believes that even without sitting on that seat but merely placing his kit on it made it special for him. He then went on to narrate some incredible moments that happened in his life. “Playing for Mumbai was a huge honour for me. It was such a joy, and surely one of the best cricketing years of my life. Of course, playing for India was equally important and that was my dream. It was also my dream to lift the World Cup, which was realised in 2011.
I remember practicing for hours at the Wankhede stadium. There was an occasion when we landed from New Zealand at 2.30am, and the very next morning was a Ranji trophy match. And I turned up to play. It was not that anybody forced me to play; it was something that came from within and I cared for Mumbai cricket. I believe that when an organisation has given us a platform to realise our dreams, it is only fair that we reciprocate that. I took a lot of joy in doing that.
At the same venue, now that the statue is installed, it is a tribute to me by the MCA.
Tendulkar thanked his teammates Nilesh Kulkarni and Pravin Amre who were present at the function, and added, "If not for their support, my teammates, and MCA, which provided me with a stage to perform, I would not have achieved what I did. He also revealed how he had turned down Sharad Pawar's request to become the Indian captain for the 2007 T20 World Cup and suggested Mahendra Singh Dhoni's name.
In a befitting end to his talk, Tendulkar said, "A big thank you to the MCA from the bottom of my heart."