By his own admission, Chennai holds a special place in Sachin Tendulkar’s heart. The cricket superstar who shattered many a record and conquered the loftiest of peaks at international level has a long-drawn romance with the cricket-frenzy city. When Sachin first came to Chennai to learn the art of fast bowling at the MRF Pace Foundation in 1986, he was still in his formative years. Since then, the association has only grown by leaps and bounds.
Sachin’s mind traversed back to his good old days as he began his speech at an ICC event in Chennai recently. He was in awe of the city, when he dwelled on the tremendous comeback it has made from the devastating floods.
“This is my first time to Chennai after the floods. What I am experiencing is the same vibrant energy that I experienced over a number of years here,” said an emotional Sachin. He thanked all the good Samaritans who helped the flood victims. “In difficult times, people came from various parts of India, and extended their helping hand in getting things back on track. So a big, big thank you to all of them! It shows the real character of our country. During times of peril, we get together and that is our true strength. That is something India is known for. And I hope and pray we continue to stay like this in difficult times — I want people to help each other,” added the 42-year-old.
