A life-size statue of Sachin Tendulkar will be installed inside the iconic Wankhede stadium in Mumbai where he played his final game for India, 10 years after he retired from cricket.
𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝘂𝗲 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝘂𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗱𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗪𝗖 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟯
The statue is expected to be unveiled when Tendulkar turns 50 on April 24, during the 2023 ICC World Cup. The cricket icon already has a stand named after him at the Wankhede and has a wax statue of him at Madame Tussauds in London.
"Yes, we have decided to have the statue here," Amol Kale, the chairman of the Mumbai Cricket Association, said on Tuesday.
“It will be the first statue in Wankhede Stadium,” Kale said, adding that the final call about the size and cost will be decided in a fortnight. “We have shortlisted four artists and the final call will be taken in seven days," he said.
𝗧𝗼𝗸𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗠𝗖𝗔
Tendulkar is a Bharat Ratna and everyone knows what he has done for cricket, Kale highlighted. As icon turns 50, it will be a small token of appreciation from the MCA, he said.
It will be the first instance of a player's statue being installed at the iconic stadium. It will be erected outside the MCA lounge on a circular platform.
𝗪𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲: 𝗦𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻
“I started my cricketing journey representing Mumbai. India winning the World Cup in 2011 remains the biggest moment in my life. My last match representing India was very memorable and that happened in Mumbai as well,” Tendulkar said.
"Life has come full circle for me at Wankhede, which has been witness to some very special moments. When the Mumbai Cricket Association suggested that my statue be erected at Wankhede, I was pleasantly surprised,” Tendulkar said.
“I've always taken a lot of pride in representing Mumbai cricket and my wonderful association with the MCA continues today as well. I'm very grateful to them for this kind of gesture," he said.
𝗠𝗖𝗔 𝗰𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗴𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗻 𝗷𝘂𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗲 𝘆𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗧𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗸𝗮𝗿 𝗮𝘁 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝗸𝗵𝗲𝗱𝗲
The MCA is celebrating the golden jubilee year of the Master Blaster at the Wankhede and the statue is a part of the celebration.
There are only a handful of life-size statues in cricket stadiums across the country.
There are three separate such statues of the former big-hitting India great C K Nayudu at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Stadium, the VDCA Stadium in Andhra Pradesh, and the Holkar Stadium in Indore.
There are wax statues of several players with stands named after them in their respective state associations. Many former cricket greats have also found a place at Madame Tussauds in London.
One of the most famous statues of cricketers is that of the late Shane Warne at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
