Here’s what Sachin Tendulkar’s father advised him before taking up cricket full-time

At the age of 16, an Indian kid faced the international bowling attack of Pakistan in a Test match in Karachi. In the years to come, the prodigy stood tall against some of the most fearsome bowling units from all around the world and dazzled with great glory. However, the road that wonderkid, Sachin Tendulkar, followed was not an established pathway in India. Growing up in a middle-class family, Tendulkar revealed the advice given to him by his father in 1989.

Tendulkar’s world-winning talent was best recognised by Ramakant Achrekar who helped the schoolboy in going on to become an international cricketer. The coach called Ramesh Tendulkar, a renowned poet and Sachin’s father. Achrekar asked the boy’s father whether he was interested in bringing up Sachin as a professional cricketer.

In a recently released video interview with Graham Bensinger, Tendulkar revisited his father’s dilemma and his advice.

“Achrekar sir asked my father if Sachin is interested in pursuing this (cricket) as his career. This was a massive decision for my father. The place where we lived was full of poets and scholars. Is Sachin going to be a professional cricketer? What else is he going to do in life? were the questions my father based on a regular basis,” Tendulkar said.

Back in the 90s, cricket was still not a fancied profession. There were not that many options available for a cricketer and the odds of making it at the highest level were very less. Tendulkar had already played for India at the age of 16 and his father was aware of his son’s magical talent.

“My father clearly told me that what you are doing at the age of 16, not many children in the world do that. So my father said, Hi devane dileli gift aahe…this is a god’s gift..donhi haatane pakdun thev…hold this with the both the hands. It means don’t take things for granted. That would be my message to anyone and everyone. It need not be just cricket, any field that you are in, don’t take things for granted when you are gifted with something special. Hold it with both your hands and value what you have got,” Tendulkar added.

Tendulkar went on to become a path-breaking cricketer and established hope for millions in India. Cricket became mainstream and with the advent of IPL and the other T20 leagues, many are taking up the game as a viable career option. Watch the full video interview here.