The legendary coach Ramakant Achrekar, known for shaping the career of Sachin Tendulkar, breathed his last at the age of 87. He left the world on Wednesday, January 2. Achrekar was a popular figure who not only coached Tendulkar in his early days but also trained many cricketers who went on to achieve substantially.
Vinod Kambli, Ajit Agarkar, Chandrakant Pandit, Sanjay Bangar, Pravin Amre and Ramesh Powar were amongst those who went through the initial training under Ramakant Achrekar. He received the Dronacharya Award in 2010 and became only the third from the field of cricket to be conferred with the honor. In 2010, he received the Padma Shri – the fourth highest civilian honor in India.
Sachin Tendulkar paid tribute to Ramakant Achrekar
The biggest trainee of Achrekar, Sachin Tendulkar, paid a tribute to his coach. The 45-year-old mentioned that he learned the basics of the game from Achrekar and that he would forever be in debt for what his coach did for him. He thanked him for his contribution and making him a part of his life.
“Cricket in heaven will be enriched with the presence of Achrekar sir. Like many of his students, I learnt my ABCD of cricket under Sir’s guidance. His contribution to my life cannot be captured in words. He built the foundation that I stand on. Last month, I met Sir along with some of his students and spent some time together. We shared a laugh as we remembered the old times. Achrekar sir taught us the virtues of playing straight and living straight. Thank you for making us a part of your life and enriching us with your coaching manual. Well played Sir and may you coach more wherever you are,” wrote Tendulkar in a statement.
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