The statue is dedicated to 50 years of Sachin Tendulkar's life.
Hours after Sachin Tendulkar's life-sized statue was unveiled at Wankhede Stadium, the master blaster penned a heartfelt note on X (formerly Twitter) on his memorable journey. Tendulkar's statue was unveiled at his home ground by Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde at a grand ceremony on Wednesday. The sculpture shows the batting maestro in action, and it is installed next to his stand in the stadium. Now, recalling his illustrious career, the legendary batsman wrote about his first visit to Wankhede and then playing his last international game at the stadium.
"This photo has a very special place in my heart. From being a 10-year-old boy who was sneaked into the North Stand with only 24 tickets for 25 eager fans, to having my statue unveiled at the iconic Wankhede, life has truly come full circle," Tendulkar wrote. "To think that I first stepped foot in Wankhede as a fan, then went on to be the ball boy in the '87 World Cup, lifted the 2011 World Cup, and played my last international game here - it is a journey words can't capture," he added.
Take a look at his post below:
Further, the cricketer went on to say that the statue is a dedication to every person who stood by his side. "This statue isn't just mine. It is a dedication to every non-striker, my cricket heroes, every teammate, every colleague, who stood by my side, for without them, this journey wouldn't have been possible," he wrote, adding, "Wankhede, and cricket, you've been very kind".
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Since being shared, Tendulkar's post has accumulated more than 533,000 views and over 24,000 likes. It also garnered several reactions in the comments section. "This is the journey of life. Hope you enjoyed it very well," wrote one user. "This is such a wholesome message for the God of cricket. The way he acknowledges all that enabled him for greatness and looking at his journey with humility, makes me wonder if we will ever have anyone like him again. We miss you, SRT," said another.
"Always soaring high, yet so grounded," commented a third user. "You are not only the God of Cricket but Much more than that for all the Cricketers and All Indians. Your life is followed and idolized by Many," added another.
The statue is dedicated to 50 years of Tendulkar's life. During the unveiling ceremony, he was accompanied by his wife Anjali, and daughter Sara. The dignitaries present on the occasion were former BCCI and ICC chief Sharad Pawar, incumbent BCCI secretary Jay Shah, treasurer Ashish Shelar, vice-president Rajiv Shukla, and Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) president Amol Kale among others.