'Gavaskar, 60? Never, he doesn't look old enough'

Sachin Tendulkar is among the legends of the game, with fans always eager to hear about his exploits.

But Gulf News turned the tables this time around and asked him about his thoughts on another legend, Sunil Gavaskar, who hits 60 today. Excerpts from a telephone interview.

Question: Are you aware of the fact that Sunil Gavaskar is reaching his 60th birthday today?

SACHIN TENDULKAR: What? 60? I can't believe it! But he doesn't look 60.

Can you recall your first meeting?

I was a ball boy at the Wankhede Stadium during the 1987 World Cup. For an aspiring youngster to be at the ground during the World Cup and to watch my heroes from close quarters was a memorable experience.

What made it even more special was when Sunil Gavaskar called me to the Indian dressing room and introduced me to the then superstars of the Indian team.

It must have been a huge inspiration.

Of course, it was. What's more, he then spoke highly of me and my cricketing ability to his teammates. For me it was a massive break, a huge inspiration as well.

What was your age then? Were you in school?

Yeah, I was then just a school cricketer but from the way he treated me, it felt as if I had already played for India. I could feel his affection for me. I consider myself fortunate in this regard.

When did he write a letter to inspire you?

It was in 1987. I scored 1,500 runs, yet I did not get the award for the Best Junior Cricketer from the Mumbai Cricket Association. I was just 14 then.

I was really disappointed in not getting that award. That's when I got a letter from him. He wrote that I should not be disappointed because bigger awards were in store for me.

Did he inspire you by any other means?

He presented me with a pair of his batting pads just before my Ranji Trophy debut. I was thrilled to use them during the match. It was a very light pair and not many youngsters in my age group would use those kind of pads.

How would you describe him?

He is the benchmark that everyone has tried to follow. When he retired from international cricket, for our generation 34 Test hundreds was the ultimate ambition.

What was your feeling when you reached the magic number of 34 Test centuries?

It was a great feeling to see him waiting for me just outside the boundary rope to congratulate me. It was truly a wonderful moment to be congratulated by him soon after reaching the 34th hundred.

Your message on his 60th birthday?

First of all, happy birthday to SMG. He still and will continue to remain my hero, the same person that I met first in 1987.