The two biggest influences on Sachin ‘The Master’ Tendulkar, the cricketer, have been Dronacharya awardee Ramakant Achrekar and elder brother Ajit. To both, Sachin will forever be indebted.
On Wednesday evening, Achrekar (always referred to as ‘Sir’ by Sachin) passed away at the age of 86.
Sachin’s phenomenal rise thrust the limelight on Achrekar, but the latter never tried to usurp centre stage. Perhaps, that Sachin touched his feet each time he met him was recognition enough.
Best way to describe Achrekar? A committed coach who sought and got absolute commitment from his wards.
Sachin Tendulkar The Telegraph file picture
Less than an hour after Achrekar’s demise, Sachin sent an emotional tribute by way of a statement to The Telegraph. It read:
“Cricket in heaven will be enriched with the presence of Achrekar Sir. Like many of his students, I learnt my ABCD of cricket under Sir’s guidance…
His contribution to my life cannot be captured in words. He built the foundation that I stand on…
Last month, I met Sir along with some of his students and spent some time together. We shared a laugh as we remembered the old times…
Achrekar Sir taught us the virtues of playing straight and living straight. Thank you for making us a part of your life and enriching us with your coaching manual. Well played Sir and may you coach more wherever you are.”
Surely, it will be tough to pen a better tribute at such short notice.
Despite being such a tough taskmaster, Achrekar had a soft side too. Old-timers in and around Shivaji Park recall Sachin riding pillion on the revered coach’s scooter. Not once or twice, but very often.
Twenty six years ago, this Reporter was privileged to spend quite a few hours with Achrekar during one of his rare visits to Calcutta.
Excerpts from that exclusive interaction with Achrekar will give an insight into the coach he was and his thinking.
Here goes…
- “What’s the big deal about scoring a century? Go for a double hundred. Better still aim for a triple…”
- “Maybe the fact that I’ve never tinkered around with natural ability (top reason for his success)… Some honing of talent is called for, but what comes naturally ought to be respected…”
- “Sachin, for instance, proved a natural straightaway and, so, he was ‘promoted’ to (formal) nets very quickly. There wasn’t any need for him to continue playing with other newcomers. His place was with the big boys…”
- “In my manual, nets comes second. After all, it’s only in actual play that natural ability surfaces…”
- “I’ve always been a simple man and, if you find me dabbing some Paco Rabanne or Givenchy, it’s only because one of my boys has presented it…”
Achrekar, a wicketkeeper-batsman during his playing days, also mentored Vinod Kambli and Pravin Amre.
While Amre is a centurion on Test debut, Kambli registered double hundreds in successive Tests.
Besides the trio, Achrekar had a hand in shaping the cricket of others as well. Be it Balwinder Singh Sandhu or Lalchand Rajput.