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Sachin Tendulkar was the central figure of India’s victorious 2011 World Cup campaign at home, one that no Indian around for it has forgotten. In the Master’s last tournament, he finally ended his long drought by lifting the trophy at his home ground, and finished as India’s highest run-scorer in a star-studded lineup.
Nevertheless, Tendulkar is ready to admit that belief and ‘inner strength’ had a big role to play in lifting that trophy, as well as the support of a millions of fans enroute to the final. Speaking at Sathya Sai Baba’s birth centenary celebrations in Puttaparthi in Andhra Pradesh, Tendulkar revealed how the spiritual leader’s book was a ‘constant companion’ and provided him the belief that India were bound for success at home.
“I remember in 2011, after having played multiple World Cups, I knew that that was going to be my last World Cup,” reflected Tendulkar while speaking at the centenary event.
“We were having a camp in Bengaluru and I received a phone call saying that Baba has sent you his book. It brought a smile to my face,” continued Tendulkar. “I knew that this World Cup was going to be a special one for us. It gave me that confidence, that inner strength… That book became my constant companion.”
The ‘golden moment’ of Tendulkar’s career
Tendulkar scored two centuries and racked up 482 runs in the tournament, as India racked up the wins through the group stages before overcoming Australia and Pakistan enroute to the finals. However, it was the final against Sri Lanka itself that holds a special place in Indian hearts, with MS Dhoni’s six to finish things off being one of the msot iconic moments in Indian history.
“We all know what happened after that in 2011 when India played against Sri Lanka in Mumbai and ended up lifting that trophy. The entire nation was celebrating. It was the golden moment of my cricketing life,” said Tendulkar, who would receive a lap of honour on the shoulders of India’s young stars around the ground in his home city of Mumbai.
Tendulkar was happy to admit that having the energy of the entire country behind them combined with the energy provided from the team’s mentors as well as spiritual figures such as Sai Baba helped pull over the line.
“I don’t think I’ve experienced anything like that in my career where the entire nation got together and they were celebrating. That was only possible because of the blessings of our well-wishers and our gurus and above all, Baba’s blessings,” concluded Tendulkar.
