Tom Alter the man who interviewed Sachin for the first time dies at 67

Tom Alter, the cricket journalist and even the player once, died at the age of 67 on Saturday night due to skin cancer. He was an accomplished actor more than anything else and India lost him unfortunately as the memories of him related to cricket are being recalled. He was a cricket expert who took the first interview of the Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar in his early playing days in 1988. At that time Sachin was new to international cricket and was in the news for his aggressive batting at a young age of 16.

His first job was that of a school teacher at St. Thomas School, Jagadhri, in Haryana. Being a cricket aficionado, he also became his students’ cricket coach. Starting as a coach, he went to become a cricket writer as well, penning pieces for publications like Sportsweek, Outlook and Debonair. He also played for an Indian XI once in 1983 after India’s triumph in the World Cup.

Ban Dhoni

Tom Alter took one of his most important sports interview of his life in 1988, though few had the hint of what was to follow. Sachin Tendulkar ruled cricket since then for next 25 years and served Indian cricket with immense dedication. He took his questions on West Indies, their fast bowlers as well as his thought on domestic cricket. That interaction would go down as the first TV interview of India’s most famous cricketer and Alter played a prominent part of it.

However, Alter was criticised many when he had created controversy by asking Dhoni to be banned from cricket after he retired from Test cricket in 2014. “He should be banned from representing India ever again. He has not only broken his contract, he has broken a sacred bond with those of us who truly love Indian cricket and he does not give a damn. Why? Because he is the corporate favourite, the boss’ and the bosses’ favourite, and for them losing or winning is not important, it is all ‘brand’ and money and such total and utter rubbish,” he had written in a piece for Firstpost angrily.

But today the famous personality who was no less than an all-rounder in his life and did everything he could is not amongst us and his contribution to every field will surely be remembered forever.