The legendary Indian batsman, Sachin Tendulkar, will have a life-sized statue at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. The decision was taken by the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to offer a special gift to the Indian cricket legend, Sachin Tendulkar. The statue is expected to be unveiled on April 24, 2023, on Tendulkar’s birthday, who will be turning 50 this year.
Sachin and his wife, Anjali Tendulkar, visited the iconic Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday (February 28) to finalise the statue’s location. When asked about MCA’s special gift to him, Sachin stated that he had unforgettable memories in Wankhede Stadium, and it is a pleasant surprise for him as he started his career on this ground and ended it here. He went on to say that his biggest moment was in 2013, when they won the World Cup.
“Well, it’s a pleasant surprise. The president is here, Mr. Kale and the other committee members are going to join us in a while. We’ve come here to identify a spot. The idea was shared with me, and as I said it is a pleasant surprise. My career had started here and this is like the completion of a big circle,” Sachin said to ANI.
He further said, “It’s been a journey with unbelievable memories, and the best moment of my cricketing career came here when we won the World Cup in 2011. The reason that happened was a long time ago when (Ramakant) Achrekar sir (Sachin’s coach) reprimanded me and from there on, I became a serious cricketer. The last international game I played as also at this very ground so it’s very special and a great moment for me.”
While speaking to The Indian Express, the Mumbai Cricket Association President Amol Kale said, “It will be the first statue in Wankhede Stadium, we will decide where it will be placed. He (Tendulkar) is a Bharat Ratna and everyone knows what he has done for cricket. As he turns 50, it will be a small token of appreciation from the MCA. I spoke to him three weeks ago and his consent was received.”
Sachin Tendulkar played 200 test matches and 463 ODI games, from which he scored 15921 and 18426 runs, respectively. He is also holds the record of being the only player to score 15,000 runs in Test cricket. Sachin took 300 innings to achieve this record. Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai already has a stand named after him.
