On the occasion of Teachers' Day, Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar expressed heartfelt gratitude to the three key mentors who shaped his iconic career his father Ramesh Tendulkar, childhood coach Ramakant Vitthal Achrekar, and elder brother Ajit Tendulkar. In a touching tribute shared on social media platform X on Friday.
Tendulkar wrote "The journey started with a coin, a kit bag, and three guiding hands, my father, Achrekar sir, and Ajit. Grateful, always. #TeachersDay."
Sachin Tendulkar's father, passed away more than 26 years ago when Sachin was just 26. His brother Ajit, who first recognized Sachin’s cricketing potential, played a pivotal role in nurturing his talent, even taking him to meet coach Achrekar for the first time.
Ramakant Achrekar, Tendulkar’s first formal coach, was instrumental in developing his technique and discipline. Under Achrekar's watchful eye, Tendulkar honed the skills that would eventually make him one of the greatest cricketers of all time. Achrekar, a recipient of the Dronacharya Award in 1990 and the Padma Shri in 2010, passed away at the age of 87 on January 2, 2019.
Sachin Tendulkar's career
Throughout his remarkable career, Tendulkar rewrote cricketing history. He scored 34,357 runs in 664 international matches at an average of 48.52, holding the record as the highest run-scorer in international cricket. He is the only player to register a century of centuries — 100 international hundreds, which include 51 in Test cricket and 49 in ODIs.
In ODIs, he amassed 18,426 runs at an average of 44.83, while in Tests, he scored 15,921 runs at 53.78. He also became the first cricketer to score a double century in ODIs and the first to play 200 Test matches.
Tendulkar’s long-cherished dream of winning the ICC Cricket World Cup came true in 2011, when India defeated Sri Lanka in the final. It was a fairytale ending to a storied career that began with just a coin, a kit bag, and the unwavering support of three guiding hands.
