In breaking news, Ramakant Achrekar, who is the childhood coach of cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, passed away in Mumbai on Wednesday, 2 January. Achrekar passed away at 86 due to old-age related ailments, his family member Rashmi Dalvi told PTI.
His contribution to Indian cricket is massive and will be remembered for mentoring Sachin Tendulkar through his growing years before the genius debuted for India in 1989 when he was 16 years old.
“Sir did not say well-played to me ever, (but) I knew (when) Sir has taken me to have bhelpuri or paani-puri, Sir is happy, I have done something nice on the field,” Sachin Tendulkar had said last year at an event while recalling Achrekar’s immense contribution in crafting him the cricketer he became.
Happy #TeachersDay! The lessons you taught me have always served me well. Sharing an incident with you all that changed my life! pic.twitter.com/J1izUvPG3C
— Sachin Tendulkar (@sachin_rt) September 5, 2017
The Board of Control for Cricket in India took to Twitter to express its deepest condolences on the passing of Achrekar. “The BCCI expresses its deepest sympathy on the passing of Dronacharya award-winning guru Shri Ramakant Achrekar. Not only did he produce great cricketers, but also trained them to be fine human beings. His contribution to Indian Cricket has been immense.”
The BCCI expresses its deepest sympathy on the passing of Dronacharya award-winning guru Shri Ramakant Achrekar. Not only did he produce great cricketers, but also trained them to be fine human beings. His contribution to Indian Cricket has been immense. pic.twitter.com/mK0nQODo6b
— BCCI (@BCCI) January 2, 2019
Born in 1932, Achrekar might not have carried the bat-ball game as a player, taking the field in only one first-class match for all-India State Bank against Hyderabad in the year 1963/64, but he himself carved out a reputation as a coach to thousands of budding cricketers spanning generations at Mumbai’s Shivaji Park. Much to his hard work and success, he was bestowed the Padmashri award in 2010.
Other successful cricketers to have been mentored by Achrekar before going on to play for India are Vinod Kambli, Pravin Amre, Sameer Dighe and Balwinder Singh Sandhu.
(With PTI inputs)
