After 15 years, Sachin Tendulkar finally repays the teammate who launched his India career

Sachin Tendulkar fulfills 15-year promise after teammate’s selfless act led to his India debut.

Although Sachin Tendulkar's career as an Indian cricket player lasted for 25 years, several people were instrumental in shaping young Sachin into the Master Blaster of Indian cricket even before he started playing. Ramakant Achrekar, Tendulkar's coach, polished an uncut diamond, and Professor Ramesh Tendulkar played a crucial role in ensuring Tendulkar had the ideal upbringing.

In addition, Tendulkar was greatly influenced by players like Sunil Gavaskar and Viv Richards as well as Kapil Dev's 1983 World Cup-winning squad, which inspired a 10-year-old Bandra, Mumbai resident to play for India.

However, Tendulkar's fame is so great that stories about him continue to surface even now, twelve years after he stopped playing competitive cricket. During a Mumbai event, Tendulkar recounted a situation in which it may have taken longer for him to join the Indian squad if it weren't for his teammate's altruistic deed.

In November 1989, Tendulkar made his debut for India. Although he had fulfilled all the requirements for a young player to represent India, there was still one more audition. Sachin was batting on 85 when the ninth wicket fell while representing the "Rest of India" in the Irani Cup. Vice-captain Gursharan Singh was next in line. Due to a fractured finger he suffered during the first innings, Singh was unable to bat, but he eventually did so after being encouraged by the late Raj Singh Dungarpur.

“That was my trial match for the Indian team. Gursharan wasn’t supposed to bat, but he listened to Raj Singh and came out to bat, and eventually helped me get my 100. And I got selected to play for India after that. Later, Gursharan also became a part of the Indian cricket team. I thanked him profusely there, because it was a big thing for him to come out with his broken hand. His intent, his attitude mattered the most to me. That touched my heart,” Tendulkar reminisced during an Ageas Federal Life Insurance event on Tuesday.

A few months later, Tendulkar's first India call-up was made possible by the knock. But Gursharan's gesture stuck with him even as he went on to become a legend of the game. When it came time for him to return the favor years later, Tendulkar did it in style in 2005.

“In those days, there were benefit matches for retired cricketers. So I told him in New Zealand, ‘Gushi, someday or the other, you will retire. You can’t play for a lifetime. But the day you retire and you get a benefit match, I promise I will come and play.’ And I’m glad that I was able to play his match…” added Sachin.

“I told him, ‘Gushi, I had promised you in New Zealand (in 1990) that I will play in your benefit match, and 15 years later, now that you have decided to host the benefit match, I will definitely come and play. That’s my promise,” the former India captain said with a smile, adding: “These memories still stay with me. And today, I can proudly say, whatever I promised, I fulfilled…”