"I was more elated to speak to him than to have received my first car!" - Sania Mirza recalls when Sachin Tendulkar presented her with a Fiat Palio

Cricketing legend Sachin Tendulkar is set to turn 50 years old on Monday, April 24, 2023. The former batter is regarded as one of the greatest players the sport has ever seen and his contributions have been appreciated not only by peers in his own sport but across other fields as well.

Indian tennis player Sania Mirza has expressed her admiration for the World Cup-winning player in the past. She further shed praise on Tendulkar through a chapter in the upcoming book titled 'Sachin @50', which celebrates the cricketer's upcoming landmark birthday. Sania Mirza penned:

"To have consistently performed despite the pressure of a billion fans and more sets Sachin Tendulkar apart from the other sporting greats of the world."

The Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) women's team mentor in the Women's Premier League (WPL) 2023 also used the opportunity to recall a story where she was gifted her first car by the Tendulkar himself. She wrote:

"I've been lucky enough to have encountered Sachin reasonably early. The first was when I was just 16 and had won the Junior Wimbledon doubles title. Sachin arranged for his signature Palio car to be presented to me."

Mirza continued:

"While he couldn’t make it to the function, he called me at the time of the presentation, and there’s little doubt I was more elated to speak to him than to have received my first car!"

Sachin Tendulkar retired from the sport in 2013 but still continues to be involved in the game with his coaching stints. He has also voiced his opinion surrounding the changing dynamic of the game influenced by T20 cricket on several occasions.

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"Putting the body through intense physical activity for 24 years couldn’t have been easy" - Sania Mirza on Sachin Tendulkar

While Sachin Tendulkar does not turn 50 until Monday, the occasion was celebrated with fervor during the Mumbai Indians' (MI) home clash against the Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday, April 22.

Sania Mirza also elaborated on the aspects that set Tendulkar apart from other legendary athletes. She wrote:

"The one salient thing that distinguishes Tendulkar from his contemporaries is the pressure we’ve put on him throughout his career. He was expected to score a ton every time he walked out to bat; anything less was considered unacceptable."

Also highlighting the legendary cricketer's feat of playing cricket at the highest level for almost a quarter of a century, Mirza stated:

"I know what it takes to keep fit in high performance sport. You must sacrifice many usual pleasures and maintain a strict work ethic all year round. Give up on the simple joys of life. And yet there are injuries. Injuries that leave you in pain and make you frustrated."

She continued:

"It takes longer to get fit again and play at your best. Being able to do so when you’re 40 and after putting the body through intense physical activity for 24 years couldn’t have been easy."

Sachin Tendulkar has shouldered the responsibility of over a billion people and arguably kept India relevant and on the cricketing map through multiple transitions as well as highs and lows.