He was the heir apparent when Sachin Tendulkar was in the twilight of his career and, on Monday, when Virat Kohli bid adieu to his storied Test run, the “Master Blaster” recalled a thread that became a binding force between them.
It was 12 years ago when Tendulkar was playing his last Test in Mumbai when Kohli, then 24, already a world champion and in a nascent stage of his Test career, came up to his idol with a “thoughtful gesture”.
“You offered to gift me a thread from your late father. It was something too personal for me to accept, but the gesture was heartwarming and has stayed with me ever since,” Tendulkar remembered in a post on X while paying his tribute to the modern day great, who called it quits after scoring 9,230 runs in 123 Tests.
"While I may not have a thread to offer in return, please know that you carry my deepest admiration and very best wishes. Your true legacy, Virat, lies in inspiring countless young cricketers to pick up the sport,” Tendulkar said.
Kohli lost his father as a teenager and has often talked about the void it created in his life. Kohli has also never hidden his reverence for the Mumbaikar. He had carried Tendulkar on his shoulders during a victory lap after India won the 2011 World Cup.
This was after famously proclaiming that “Sachin Tendulkar carried the burden of the entire nation for 21 years, so it's time we carried him on our shoulders”.
Tendulkar was effusive in his praise for the batter, who was widely considered his successor even though he is ending his career without achieving the 10,000 run mark. Tendulkar amassed 15,921 runs in his Test career that lasted over two decades.
“What an incredible Test career you have had! You have given Indian cricket so much more than just runs – you have given it a new generation of passionate fans and players,” he wrote.
“Congratulations on a very special Test career,” he signed off.
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