The world celebrated Sachin Tendulkar's 50th birthday on Tuesday. To the Indians, Sachin Tendulkar is the man for "all seasons". It has been 10 years since he bid farewell to international cricket, leaving the nation full of moist eyes. For over two decades, Sachin carried the hopes of an entire country. His batting exploits are part of Indian cricket folklore. Hence, when he turned 50 two days ago, former cricketers and people from all walks of life wished him on the special occassion. Tendulkar thanked them in a special way in a tweet on Wednesday.
"Along with the trophies you win on the field, the friendships off the field are what make life special. To receive all your love and affection in such abundance has been very heartwarming for me. I'm short of words to explain the warmth I've received with all the beautiful photos, videos and messages that all of you have sent me. Thank you to everyone for the wishes. I'm not 50 - I'm a 25-year-old with 25 years of experience," Sachin wrote in a Tweet.
One of India's greatest white ball players and hero of two World Cup triumphs, Yuvraj Singh has been one of Tendulkar's closest friends in the Indian dressing room and for him the maestro is a life coach.
"When I played international cricket, we had coaches but if I faced any technical issues with my batting, he was my 'go-to' person. He provided solutions but he wasn't just my cricketing idol," Yuvraj said recently.
"Beyond 22 yards also, he is like a guardian angel for me. Whenever I have faced any personal crisis or dilemmas in life, Paaji would be one of the first persons that I would dial. And he would always have the best life lessons and advice for me," he said.
He remembered how concerned Tendulkar was when he was having sleepless nights and regularly coughing and vomiting during the 2011 World Cup, which he singlehandedly won for India with more than 350 runs and 15 wickets.
With PTI inputs