The Mumbai Cricket Association has decided to honor legendary batsman and former Indian captain Sachin Tendulkar by installing a life-size statue of him at the Wankhede Stadium, the same place where the megastar played his final test match for the country. Officials and fans are hoping that the statue would probably be unveiled on 23rd April when the legend would be celebrating his 50th birthday, or else at the 50-over World Cup in October this year.
In an interview with the news organization The Indian Express, Anmol Kale, the president of the Mumbai Cricket Association said, “It will be the first statue in Wankhede Stadium, we will decide where it will be placed.”
“He (Tendulkar) is a Bharat Ratna and everyone knows what he has done for cricket. As he turns 50, it will be a small token of appreciation from the MCA. I spoke to him three weeks ago and his consent was received,” Kale further added.
It is not uncommon for sports organizations to honor their legendary players by installing statues in their honor, and when a player is of Sachin’s caliber and national impact, a life-size statue is only a small token of appreciation for what he has accomplished for the nation.
Sachin already has a stand named after him at the Wankhede, along with the Little Master Sunil Gavaskar, who was a corporate box named after him at the same stadium. It is a very rare feat for cricketers to have life-size statues of their own installed at stadiums and only a handful of cricketers have that attached to their names.
One of the most iconic life-size statues is that of the late Shane Warne, which was installed at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia in 2011. “It’s a great honor, it’s a bit weird seeing yourself up there but I’m very proud. It’s 300 kilos, that statue! it’s pretty life-like for when I played!”, Warne had said at the time of the statue unveiling.
Sachin is not only the most iconic batsman in the country but all across the globe. He is the only player to have scored 100 international centuries and has the most international runs (34,357) to his name.
Stay updated with all the cricketing action, follow Cricadium on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
