Tendulkar meets childhood friend Kambli, unveil coach Ramakant Achrekar memorial in Mumbai

MUMBAI: India cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar met his childhood friend Vinod Kambli and unveiled a memorial of renowned cricket coach Ramakant Vitthal Achrekar at the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Park on Tuesday.

Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray, former cricketer and Sachin’s childhood friend Vinod Kambli, former India batting coach Sanjay Bangar, former bowling coach Paras Mhambrey, Pravin Amre, 1983 World Cup-winning player Balwinder Singh Sandhu and others were also present during the unveiling ceremony of the memorial of the legendary coach.

In a video shared by Shivaji Park Gymkhana, Sachin walked to Kambli to greet him. The duo, who were pupils of Ramakant Vitthal Achrekar, embraced each other and had a brief chat.

After the memorial ceremony, Ramakant’s daughter, Vishakha Dalvi, talked about her father being a “selfless coach” and how the essence of being a teacher to him was to guide children.

“Sir was always known as the ‘Selfless Coach’ in newspaper headlines. He never had a commercial approach. To him, the essence of being a teacher was to guide the children, and he did so wholeheartedly. He shaped the future of his students, always putting others before himself. We can call him a saint, as people like him are rare. Because of him, I am where I am today”, she said.

“He received numerous awards, such as the Dronacharya Award, Lifetime Achievement Award, and Padma Shri. Despite his accolades, he remained a simple man who knew how to love and live life fully. I never saw him exhausted. Even after returning from a tour, he would go straight to the ground right after having a meal. Rest was not in his dictionary, and I am following the same path”, she added.

During his decorated career, Sachin amassed 34,357 runs in 664 international appearances at an average of 48.52. Sachin is the highest run-scorer in international cricket. He has scored 100 centuries and 164 half-centuries, most in international cricket. He is the only player to have a century of centuries.

Apart from Test cricket, Sachin has created numerous records in the ODI format as well. With 18,426 runs in ODIs at an average of 44.83, 49 centuries and 96 half-centuries, and 15,921 runs in Tests at an average of 53.78 with 51 centuries and 68 fifties.

Sachin has the highest runs in both formats as well. The Master Blaster is also the first-ever cricketer to have hit a double hundred in ODIs and to have played a total of 200 Test matches.

Tendulkar was a part of the Indian Team which won the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2011. After his World Cup debut in 1992, his dream to win the prestigious trophy came true in 2011 after India defeated Sri Lanka in the final by six wickets.

Though Tendulkar failed to win an ICC Champions Trophy with India, he was a part of a total of five CT campaigns with Team India. Tendulkar has a solid record in the Champions Trophy as well, though not as good as his World Cup records. (ANI)