The impact that legendary Sachin Tendulkar had on the generation of players who came after him cannot be overstated. Scores of cricketers who went on to play at the highest level admit to have grown up watching him bat, as he acted as the single biggest source of inspiration for millions of Indians across career fields back during his golden playing days.
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Just like Sachin Tendulkar had a spark lit from within to represent team India after watching the legendary Kapil Dev lift the first-ever World Cup for India in 1983, former Indian batter Virender Sehwag too had started developing an interest in the sport after watching Sachin play his maiden World Cup in 1992.
Thus, when Sehwag had this opportunity to meet his idol for the first time in the year 2001, he admits to have been star-struck by his aura and continued to stare at him in admiration and adulation.
Virender Sehwag recollects how he was ignored by Sachin Tendulkar
However, the excitement from his face faded a tad after Tendulkar just shook his hand momentarily and went about his business. While Sehwag did understand that he had not yet made a mark for himself to invite a special reaction from one of the greatest batters of all time, he was naturally disappointed that his fanboy moment lasted mere seconds.
“Mai bhi jab Tendulkar ko pehli baar mila tha na, to main sirf unki taraf dekhe jaa raha, dekhe jaa raha. Vo chale jaa rahe the main unki taraf dekhe jaa raha tha. To vo fan moment mere liye aisa tha ki main smile kare jaa raha hun, aur dekhe jaa raha hun, aur unhone mujhe sirf ‘hello’ kiya aur haath milaya aur aage badh gaye (When I first had an opportunity to meet Tendulkar, I just couldn’t stop staring at him. He kept walking, and I just kept looking at him. It was such a huge fan-moment for me, that I just couldn’t stop smiling, and all he did was a ‘hello’, shook my hands and went forward),” remarked Sehwag during an interaction with popular YouTuber Ranveer Allahbadia.
When Tendulkar himself texted Sehwag to praise his special knock
Sehwag then knew that in order to have his attention, he had to come up with some special on-field performance. Much to his surprise, the moment arrived pretty soon that year itself, when he had scored the second-fastest ODI century by an Indian.
Sehwag admitted that the particular congratulatory text from Tendulkar post that knock, had in it which would break the ice between the two. The two gelled up pretty seamlessly in the years to come, so much so that Tendulkar even became fed up with his chit-chattering habit in the dressing room.
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