' The Legend ' still has a schoolboy's passion for cricket : Kelkar

Mumbai : The batting legend's love-affair with the Wankhede Stadium started when Kelkar selected Tendulkar and his childhood chum Vinod Kambli for ball boy duties outside the boundary line. During the October 17, 1987 ODI between India and Zimbabwe, it was the first World Cup match that Sachin watched in a stadium.

It is often said that Tendulkar never forgets those who have made a contribution to his cricketing career. It was quite evident on Saturday as the batting maestro immediately recognised Kelkar, and stopped for a while to exchange pleasantries. Kelkar, on administrative duty at the Mumbai Cricket Association for the Indian Premier League, praised Tendulkar's down-to-earth nature in spite of all the fame and adulation. "This is his greatness (Tendulkar). I haven't done anything great (giving him an opportunity to be a ball boy), but he doesn't forget the smallest of the things," Kelkar told MiD DAY.

According to Kelkar, only under-16 boys 'qualified' for ball boy duties, but he was keen on recruiting Tendulkar and Kambli because of their exploits in inter-school matches. "I see the same thrill and expression on his face that I saw when he first entered this stadium. Cricket is his only life," Kelkar signed off.

' The Legend ' lone Indian in ICC Test XI of the Year

The Indian cricket team's summer of discontent in the longest format of the game was reflected in the ICC 'Test Team of the Year' in which senior batsman god of cricket ' The Legend ' was the only player from the country to make the cut.

While ' The Legend ' took his customary number four spot for the third year running, Indian fast bowler Zaheer Khan was the other Indian to make it to the team squad albeit as a 12th man.

The duration of the period on which the players were judged on their performance was between August 11, 2010 and August 3, 2011.

' The Legend ' made 973 runs in 10 Tests at an average of 64.86 during the stipulated period.

' The Legend ' deserves nomination for Rajya Sabha : BCCI

The Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) on Thursday welcomed the government's nomination of Sachin Tendulkar as a member of the Rajya Sabha, saying that the iconic batsman deserves such an honour.

BCCI Chief Administrative Officer Prof. Ratnakar Shetty told PTI that the Board was happy with the government's move.

"We (BCCI) are happy that Tendulkar's services as a sportsperson has been recognised. He's been a true ambassador for the country and he deserves it," he said.

Tendulkar is among four eminent persons who have been recommended for nomination as members of the Rajya Sabha. 39-year-old Tendulkar can become a member of Parliament under a provision of the Constitution that allows the President to nominate 12 members to the Upper House.

Tendulkar's nomination to Rajya Sabha has come as a surprise against the backdrop of a long-standing demand for conferring of Bharat Ratna on him for his contribution to the game. He completed the historic achievement of scoring 100 international centuries in March this year.

He would be the first active sportsman and cricketer to be nominated to Rajya Sabha.

SACHIN TENDULKAR - ' The Legend ' of Cricket

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar (born 24 April 1973) is an Indian cricketer. He holds several batting records, including the most Test centuries and the most one-day international centuries, and was rated in 2002 by Wisden as the second greatest Test batsman ever, after Sir Don Bradman. He received the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, India’s highest sporting honour, for 1997-1998, and the civilian award Padma Shri in 1999. Tendulkar was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1997.