When Sachin Tendulkar pulled a prank on former India captain Ajit Wadekar

Sachin Tendulkar

Former India captain Ajit Wadekar revealed about the lesser-known notorious side of Sachin Tendulkar, who turned 42 yesterday, during a Cricket Club of India (CCI) function in Mumbai on Friday. Over the years, people have spoken extensively about the Mumbaikar’s illustrious achievements in the game of cricket and his cricketing acumen, but there’s also a cheeky side to Tendulkar which, apart from his friends and family, only those within the confines of the dressing room get to witness.

“There was this incident in New Zealand. It was on my birthday which is on April 1. We had a lovely nets session the day before and I retired to bed early as I used to fool others on All Fools' Day,” Wadekar said, referring to India’s tour of New Zealand in 1994 when he was the manager of the team.

"I was half asleep when at the stroke of midnight, Sachin was at my room door with a serious look on his face," Wadekar, during his keynote address on the occasion of Tendulkar’s birthday, added.

"I asked Sachin why he was knocking at my door at such an odd hour and he said that something was wrong with Kapil Dev. I wore my pyjamas and went to Kapil's room two floors away. When we entered the room, I saw the entire team with a cake and a champagne bottle. I was shocked and surprised.

"Suddenly, from the connecting room, belly dancers, six of them, walked in and started dancing. I wondered this must have been Sachin's idea as Sunny (Sunil Gavaskar), though a commentator on that tour, was not to be seen. Sunny is famous for his pranks but this must have been Sachin's idea,” he added, sending the audience present into gales of laughter in the process.

"I really enjoyed the belly dancing and had two glasses of champagne, before I realised that everyone had started leaving. I was suddenly left with one belly dancer. Being the manager of the team, I had to observe the code of conduct and retire to my room,” he recalled.

Wadekar also recalled an incident which embodies the fact that Tendulkar was not just one of the best batsmen the game has ever seen but also an excellent tactician who was always keen on coming up with new ideas to counter the opposition.

"We were playing in Sri Lanka and he would come up with ideas. After team meetings, he would come to my room and have dinner so that he did not have to pay for it. Sachin came up with the idea of us starting to attack by bowling only on the middle and leg stump line. I said to him, ‘If you can show me how one can bowl all six balls on middle and leg, I will take it seriously’.

“Next day, he did bowl six balls on middle and leg. That is Sachin Tendulkar. He is above everyone else," he concluded.