Sachin unknown entity for Formula One scribes

Sachin Tendulkar may be a world-renowned figure in the cricketing circle but for a few foreign journalists and photographers, who are covering the inaugural Indian Grand Prix, the iconic batsman still remains an unknown figure.

A self-confessed F1 fan, Tendulkar was one of the first of the celebrities to arrive at the Buddh International Circuit here this afternoon along with his wife Anjali and daughter Sara.

The star Indian cricketer was received at the circuit by promoters of the race, Jaypee Sports International managing director Sameer Gaur.

Soon after Tendulkar was spotted at the circuit, the Indian media went berserk and photographers were seen scampering here and there to get a snap of the cricketer.

But for some foreign scribes, it was a surprise to see the extra attention been given to Tendulkar, who plays a sport which obviously is not as popular worldwide as soccer or F1.

"Who is he? Why everyone is running after him? Is he a very rich man?" asked a bemused Spanish journalist to an Indian reporter. "He is Sachin Tendulkar, the God of Indian cricket," replied the Indian scribe.

After arriving at the circuit, Tendulkar first met F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone at the lounge. The duo was later joined by legendary racing driver Jackie Stewart and Bollywood actor Gulshan Grover.

The cricketing icon then headed straight to the Mercedes team building where he exchanged pleasantries with Mercedes team principal Ross brawn before meeting his long-time friend Schumacher.

Tendulkar also introduced his wife and daughter with the German driver and met the other Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg before heading straight to the VIP area.

Tendulkar listened to too many people as captain: Lele

He sits on a pile of batting records but Sachin Tendulkar's 'not-so-impressive' stint as captain remains an abiding paradox in Indian cricket and former BCCI secretary JY Lele feels it was because he used to pay heed to too many advices.

For a cricketer who has made it a habit of breaking one record after another and is on the threshold of another - 100 international centuries - the champion batsman has a modest captaincy record to boast of.

Lele, in his newly published book, 'I Was There - Memoirs of a Cricket Administrator', writes that Tendulkar used to pay heed to too many advices and thought it was disrespectful to ignore suggestions from elders.

"Sachin could not exactly prove himself as a successful captain, though as a player he is a legend, the greatest! I need not specially write about his unmatched batting prowess, as it is a worldwide accepted fact and volumes have gone into describing his cricketing skills. When I saw him step down as captain, I was in tears!" writes Lele in his memoirs.

"I consider myself lucky that I got many opportunities to interact with him when he was captain. His biggest problem was that he used to listen to too many people. Basically a very soft, rather shy, cultured gentleman, Sachin played international cricket at the tender age of 16 plus, and from then on, formed the habit of respecting elders. He thought it was his duty to implement what they suggested. While doing so, he sometimes did not apply his mind. In deserving cases, it proved advantageous, in others, otherwise," Lele writes.

Lele also says that Tendulkar, at least on one occasion, listened to someone else's recommendation and backed a player without knowing that he had been dropped by his own Ranji Trophy team.

"A classic example came at the very beginning of his stint. In the series against South Africa, after the Kanpur Test match, the selection committee met to select the team for the next match in Ahmedabad. Chairman Kishan Rungta was a no-nonsense man and the best selector, who always attended meetings well-informed, to do justice to his job," writes Lele.

"At that meeting, Sachin said that Mumbai's Nilesh Kulkarni was a fine bowler and as he had taken 26 wickets the previous season, he should find a place in the team. Rungta asked him, "Yeh wickets usane kaunsi tournament me liye? (In which tournament has he had taken these wickets?) Have you seen him bowl?

"Sachin fumbled. Though he himself was a Mumbai player, he had rarely played a Ranji Trophy match for Mumbai for some time due to his busy international schedule, nor had he followed the scores. 'No sir, but I know he has taken 26 wickets and is very good'," Sachin continued tentatively.

Rungta said, "Dear skipper, I might have given thought to your recommendation if you had seen him bowl. Now, let me tell you for your kind information that in the current season, Mumbai has played two Ranji matches and Kulkarni has not played a single. He was dropped from the team. Tell me, how can a player find a place in the national team when he is not found worthy of selection in the local team?"

"Sachin had no answer. The fact was that someone had strongly recommended Kulkarni's name and without cross-checking the records, Sachin blindly put his proposal forth and unfortunately had to cut a sorry figure!" Lele writes.

Lele, whose stint as a BCCI office-bearer almost coincided with the master-blaster's grand entry into international cricket, has also revealed that Tendulkar was intent on quitting the captaincy in the midst of the opening Test against South Africa in 1999-2000 and finally hung up his boots as captain after the Test series got over.

Michael Schumacher looking forward to meet Sachin Tendulkar

The inaugural Indian Grand Prix gets underway this weekend and F1 legend Michael Schumacher said he is looking forward to meet India batting legend Sachin Tendulkar.

The seven times F1 champion will be driving for the German team Mercedes GP in the upcoming race.

“I am looking forward to see Sachin Tendulkar. We have met each other couple of times. It would be nice to see him during the race.


Tendulkar and Schumacher had earlier meet during the 2002 British Grand Prix at the Silverstone track in England.

According to reports, Tendulkar will wave the chequered flag at the end of the Indian GP this weekend. The master-blaster himself is quite excited about being at the F1 venue.

"I am excited about Indian Grand Prix F1 race. I will support the Force India team. I have friends like Michael Schumacher but I will support Force India because that is the Indian team and country comes first," Tendulkar said.

Sachin Tendulkar helps Vidhu Vinod Chopra to shoot in Lords

There is no doubt about the fact Bollywood and cricket has a strong connection. Till date, we have heard about the gossips of love affairs between Bollywood beauties and our Men in blue. But, recently according to reports, it is revealed that the relation and bonding between the duo is so strong that one could go to any extend to help out the other.

According to the Mumbai Mirror reports, Sachin Tendulkar used his good offices to secure permission to shoot at the historic Lords stadium for director Vidhu Vinod Chopra. The film, Ferrari Ki Safari, is about an eight-year-old who gets a chance to play at the stadium where Team India led by Kapil Dev had first lifted the World Cup way back in 1983.

Infact, Mumbai Mirror reporters caught Chopra and director Rajesh Mapuskar discussing a scene at the stadium, which played gracious host to the first-ever Hindi film.

Tendulkar to wave chequered flag at Indian GP

Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar will make his presence felt at the historic Indian Grand Prix, by waving the chequered flag at the end of the race on Sunday.

A spokesman for the organizers was quoted as saying, "Sachin's love for motorsport is well known, and he is also the biggest sporting icon of the country, it's only logical that we nominate him."

Earlier it was reported in the wide sections of the media that Tendulkar was personally invited by F1 chief Bernie Ecclestone to watch India’s first F1 Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit in Greater Noida.

Kapil forced Sachin to change follow-on decision: Lele

At the height of the match-fixing saga a decade ago, the then India coach Kapil Dev had overruled captain Sachin Tendulkar's decision to enforce the follow on against New Zealand in the Ahmedabad Test, former BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele has recalled in a new book.

"The subject of match-fixing was riding very high at that time (1999-2000). It was a Test match in Ahmedabad against New Zealand. India had put on a mammoth total of 583 runs in the first innings, against which, the visitors could post only 308. Everyone expected India to impose a follow-on," Lele has written in his autobiography "I was There - Memoirs of a Cricket Administrator".

F1 race will be good for the nation, says Sachin