‘Life has come a full circle for me’ - Sachin Tendulkar on his life-size statue at Wankhede Stadium

Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) is set to unveil a life-sized statue of Sachin Tendulkar outside the Wankhede Stadium to celebrate the legendary cricketer’s 50th birthday on April 24, 2023. Reacting to the same, the former cricketer mentioned that he is pleasantly surprised.

Tendulkar recalled all the glorious times he have spent in Wankhede. He managed to realise his boyhood dream by winning the ODI World Cup in 2011 and has also played his final Test (200th match) at the iconic venue against West Indies. Thus, the legendary cricketer believes that life has come full circle for him.

“This decision is a pleasant surprise for me, 1998 is when it all started at the Wankhede. The journey started here for me. [I] played my first Ranji match here. Long ago, [Ramakant] Achrekar sir reprimanded me here and from thereon I became a serious cricketer. I played my last match at this very venue. Life has come full circle for me here. I have wonderful memories of this place, some memorable and some not-so-good. It’s a big moment for me,” Tendulkar said as quoted by The Print.

The legendary batter further talked about the honour bestowed upon him and called it a rare and unique moment in his life.

“I am still a 25-year-old with 25 years of experience I would say. It’s good and I would like to thank the MCA for this really great gesture. It’s a very special place for me and a lot of things happened in my career because of the MCA. The amount of time that I have spent here is second to none and I have enjoyed being here and playing here.

A special place for me. I got the message from MCA regarding the statue and it’s a special occasion for me. I came here to discuss the type of statue that will be created and to identify a place for it. Things such as these are rare and unique,” stated the former India player.

Notably, the Mumbai-born cricketer made his international debut in 1989 and went on to represent India in 200 Tests, 463 ODIs and a solitary T20I. Overall, he amassed over 34,000 runs and holds the record for most runs in international cricket.

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