‘I am sitting here because of my kit’: Sachin Tendulkar shares anecdotes about childhood coach Achrekar | Cricket News

NEW DELHI: India's legendary batsman Sachin Tendulkar paid tribute to his childhood coach Ramakant Achrekar and described him as an “all-rounder” and visionary in the field cricket coaching.
Tendulkar unveiled a memorial dedicated to Achrekar at the famous Shivaji Park in Mumbai in the presence of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray.
Recalling his days under Achrekar's tutelage, Tendulkar highlighted how the coach instilled a solid temperament in his students that enabled them to play without pressure during matches.
“Ajit (Tendulkar's elder brother) used to play and during games he would observe that the students, who were not the Lord's disciples, were tensed. He always marveled that the Lord's disciples were never under pressure. Then he realized that the gentleman had a lot of practice in matches, and this temperament was no exception,” Tendulkar spoke in Marathi.

“cricket was always going on under Sir. Sir always asked us to bring nets. Jeetu's father had given sir a room for the club's equipment, he told me to use that and I used to play,” he added. “He taught us to value things, we used to bowl, sprinkle water, set up nets and practice, he trained us. The connection and understanding, a smart player on the street, is someone who understands all that, water given to the wicket, That's how our brain absorbed that information as we were doing that.”
Achrekar's innovative coaching methods, which included practice games and practical training, helped develop a street-smart approach in his students.
“Sir was a Level 1, 2, 3 and 4 coach in the 1970s and 1980s. He had the vision to teach players and respect the equipment. I still tell the players that you are on the field because of the bat and you respect it.” . Please remember your cricket equipment, don't throw it in a particular place, don't take out your frustration on your cricket equipment. I'm sitting here because I will always pass it on “We will try,” shared Tendulkar. “Sir always said a lot with his eyes. We always figured it out by his body language. He never told me he played well. Sir never used that chance, after a game he sometimes did that. “Give me money to take a vada pav, I thought, I must have done something well.” There was always that kind of affection. We used to go to his house, he and his wife would invite us and our favorite food was mutton curry, pav, lemon and onions would always come and serve us.”

The memorial, located near Gate No. 5 in Shivaji Park, received approval from the Government of Maharashtra in August 2022.
Tendulkar shared anecdotes about Achrekar's unique coaching methods, such as coding game observations, observing player actions and giving practical lessons on pitch preparation.
“Sir had a Swiss knife, glue, sandpaper and first aid. After the game he always said: 'Let's do the game demonstration'. He wrote in code language who did what wrong in the game. “Once, while batting, a friend was flying a kite, he stood there watching and taking notes,” he continued. “He was an all-rounder.”
Achrekar, who coached several Indian cricketers, was honored with the prestigious award Dronacharya Award in 1990 and the Padma Shri in 2010. His commitment to shaping the careers of aspiring cricketers has left a lasting impression and the memorial serves as motivation for future generations of players.