Sachin Tendulkar opens up on getting script of ‘disrespectful’ ad changed: “Cricket balls were coming at me with a fly swatter”

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has revealed that he once got a script of an advertisement offered to him changed because he felt the concept was disrespectful towards the sport. The incident occurred after the Master Blaster’s terrific exploits in Sharjah in 1998.

The former India captain played many great knocks during his international career. But his popularity perhaps hit its peak when he scored two hundreds against Australia in Sharjah in 1998. The second ton came in the final on Tendulkar’s 25th birthday.

In a recent chat with host Gaurav Kapur at an event organized by Infosys, the cricket great revealed why he turned down an ad offered to him immediately after the 1998 tri-series win in Sharjah. He recalled:

“It happened in 1998 after the desert storm tour in Sharjah. We came back and one of the sponsors wanted to shoot an ad where cricket balls were coming at me and with a fly swatter, I'm hitting them outside the stadium.

“So, I turned down the ad, I said you have to change the script because this is disrespecting my sport and I worship my sport. I will not be shooting for this ad.”

The 49-year-old added that the script was changed following his request. Elaborating on why he refused to shoot the advertisement with the original concept, Tendulkar explained:

“I don't think that after shooting that ad, I would have been able to go back home or even go back to my coach. That wasn't something they had taught me. They had inculcated right values and I stand by those values.”

Despite retiring from international cricket back in 2013, the batting maestro from Mumbai remains a popular choice when it comes to brand endorsements in India.

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Sachin Tendulkar’s “desert storm” knock

During the 1998 tri-series in Sharjah, Tendulkar played one of his finest knocks, hammering 143 off 131 runs in the last league clash against Australia. The Men in Blue were chasing 285 for victory, a target which was revised to 276 in 46 overs, following an interruption due to a sandstorm.

The Master Blaster clubbed nine fours and as many as five sixes during his knock before being dismissed by Damien Fleming. While India ended on 250/5, they did well enough to qualify for the final.

In the summit clash, Tendulkar hammered a superb 134 off 131 balls as India chased down 273 and registered an unforgettable six-wicket triumph.