Cricket News

‘I worship my sport’ – Sachin Tendulkar recalls an incident where he turned down an ad as it disrespected the game

"That wasn't something they had taught me," Sachin Tendulkar.

Dec 17, 2022 2:59 pm

Sachin Tendulkar is considered the second-greatest batter of all time in the history of cricket. The legendary batter shattered several batting records in his 24-year-long career. He’s the highest run-getter in both Tests and ODIs and has a whopping 100 centuries to his name in his international career. The year 1998 was the most successful year of Tendulkar’s career when he played his best-ever ODI innings of 143 off 131 balls against Australia in Sharjah.

The innings, popularly known as ‘Desert Storm in Sharjah’ catapulted Tendulkar’s career as people began touting him as one of the greats of the game. Over 24 years later, the former India batter, during a conversation with host Gaurav Kapur for an event, shared an incident where he was approached for an advertisement right after the Sharjah tour.

Tendulkar revealed that he rejected the ad because it was “disrespecting” to the sport, and had its script changed.

“It happened in 1998 after the desert storm tour in Sharjah. We came back and one of the sponsors wanted to shoot an ad where cricket balls were coming at me and with a fly swatter, I’m hitting them outside the stadium. So, I turned down the ad, I said you have to change the script because this is disrespecting my sport and I worship my sport. I will not be shooting for this ad,” Tendulkar revealed during a chat in an event organised by Infosys.

After shooting that ad, I wouldn’t have been able to go back home: Tendulkar

“Fortunately, they did (change the script). I don’t think that after shooting that ad, I would have been able to go back home or even go back to my coach. That wasn’t something they had taught me. They had inculcated right values and I stand by those values,” Tendulkar further said.

In a 24-year-long career, Tendulkar represented India in 200 Tests and 463 ODIs, and one T20I as well. He bid adieu to all forms of the game in 2013 but continues to take part in unofficial matches from time to time. His last cricketing appearance came in October 2022 in the Road Safety World Series, where he led the India Legends side to victory in the final against Sri Lanka Legends.