CRICKET | Tendulkar’s portrait unveiled at MCC’s Museum at Lord’s

England holds a special place in Sachin Tendulkar’s heart. As a youngster, he travelled to England for the first time with Kailash Gattani’s Star Cricket Club. A couple of years later, as a young sensation, he went on to score his maiden Test century for India at the Old Trafford.

Sachin Tendulkar during the unveiling of his portrait painted by Stuart Pearson Wright, at the MCC Museum at Lord’s, in London. 
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So, it was an emotional moment for the former India captain on Thursday as his portrait was unveiled in the MCC Museum at Lord’s ahead of the third Test between India and England.

He also rang the bell to commence the Test matches before the portrait, painted by Stuart Pearson Wright, was unveiled amid fanfare. “I’m really excited. The portrait looks really nice. I spoke to Stuart, who’s the artist and I said that the portrait literally speaks to you and that they have this gift of being able to convey what they want to through their artwork and I think the portrait does that,” an emotional Tendulkar said.

An art connoisseur himself, Tendulkar walked down the memory lane. “I remember in 1988-89 with the Star Cricket Club, I had come to Lords, and we took a photograph in front of the pavilion and today to have my portrait inside the pavilion, it’s been a wonderful journey. I feel I’ve done that full circle and it’s satisfying. It’s pleasing,” Tendulkar said.

He also heaped praise on India’s new captain Shubman Gill, who has been in form in this series. “He’s very calm and composed, and I strongly believe that how the rest of the 10 players also react to what he is doing makes a big difference.

“Whatever decisions he has taken, they’ve been measured, well thought of and his batting is complementing that as well. Because, if a captain is in good form, it makes a huge difference on decision-making. You need to be in the right frame of mind to make those important calls,” Tendulkar added.