Know Your Lord: Things You Didn't Know About Sachin Tendulkar
Gavaskar's pads, fielding for Pakistan, nearly becoming a fast bowler, a McEnroe haircut and the one-rupee coins: facts from 'Sachin: 501 Things You Didn't Know About The Master Blaster'.
Think you know all there’s to know about Sachin? Then pick up a copy of ‘Sachin: 501 Things You Didn’t Know About The Master Blaster’ by Suvam Pal and test your GK!
Gift from Gavaskar: Sachin was given a pair of pads by his cricket hero Sunil Gavaskar when he was a schoolboy – and he made his Test debut for India against Pakistan aged just 15-years old in 1989 wearing those very pads.
Played for Pakistan: Fielded for Pakistan as a substitute during a one day practice match against India at Brabourne Stadium in 1988.
Almost a pacer: Wanted to be a tearing fast bowler and even went to the MRF Pace Academy, but head coach Dennis Lillee asked him to concentrate on his batting.
Ambidextrous: Sachin is ambidextrous: bats with his right hand, autographs and eats with his left.
Lets rock! Loves Kishore Kumar and rock group Dire Straits. Fuses over his personal stereo.
A McEnroe fan: Grew his hair and tied a band around it to copy his idol John McEnroe. Was called McEnroe by his friends. Admires Boris Becker, Pete Sampras and Diego Maradona.
Practice makes perfect: His coach at Shardashram Ramakant Acherkar used to offer a one rupee coin as a prize to any bowler who dismissed him. If he remained not out, the coin belonged to Sachin. That he still has a good bunch of those coins tells the story.
Respects the game: Refused to shoot for a soft drink ad of him smashing cricket balls with a fly swatter. He reportedly told film-maker Prahlad Kakkar, “That would make me greater than the game.” The ad was modified: he hit the balls with a stump.
From the November 2011 issue of FHM India.
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