"The game will take care of you in the future" - Ajinkya Rahane recalls life-changing advice Sachin Tendulkar gave him on the day of his retirement

The retirement of legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar was an emotional moment for billions of Indians. But veteran batter Ajinkya Rahane remembers that day in particular for the priceless advice that the Master Blaster gave him.

Rahane recently recalled how Tendulkar had a chat with him at the time. Rahane wasn't getting regular matches for India and the fact that Rohit Sharma scored two centuries in his first two Tests of the West Indies series meant that he potentially had to wait longer for his opportunity.

In the book 'Sachin@50', Rahane was quoted speaking about how Tendulkar motivated him to continue putting in the hard yards and not worry about the results. It was a huge morale booster for Rahane; Tendulkar, despite having just retired, ensured that the then-youngster felt good about his game.

Here's what Rahane had to say:

"We had decided to give Paaji (Sachin Tendulkar) some space, and I was astonished when he called me over. Paaji had seen me from very close and had this to say. ‘I have known you for years and have seen how much you love the game. You have been the perfect devotee and have served cricket with all the dedication and commitment over the last few years.

"You might feel hard done by what has happened so far in your career, but you should continue to be the way you are. You will get your chance, and you should grab it with both hands once you do. For the moment, you may feel it is a cruel game, but I am certain the game will take care of you in the future if you continue to serve it the way you have always done.’"

Whenever Rahane faces any difficulty in his career, he goes back to the conversation he had with Tendulkar.

"I was stunned," he said. "For him to call me on a day like this and spend 15 minutes speaking to me was unthinkable. If I was ever in need of motivation, I had it in front of me. I can’t describe in words what that conversation meant to me."

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Ajinkya Rahane on how Sachin Tendulkar helped him during his MCG hundred in 2020

Ajinkya Rahane has had some incredible knocks in Tests away from home. But many believe his century against Australia at the MCG during the Boxing Day Test of the 2020-21 Border-Gavaskar Trophy is arguably his greatest Test knock so far.

India were crushed by the hosts in the first Test at Adelaide, as they were bowled out for just 36 runs in the second innings. The then-skipper Virat Kohli headed home after the first Test for the birth of his child and Rahane was asked to lead the side instead.

Rahane scored a fantastic hundred and helped India make one of the greatest comebacks of all time. Not only did they win the MCG Test, they also bagged series 2-1 with another triumph at the Gabba.

Interestingly, the 34-year-old has revealed that it was Sachin Tendulkar's hundred against Australia in the 1999 MCG Test that gave him the inspiration to do well.

"As skipper, I had to lead from the front," Rahane said. "For a young team to take heart, the captain had to score. And that’s when my thoughts went back to Paaji. He scored a hundred at the MCG in 1999, and I still rate it as one of his best knocks. I remember seeing the innings five or six times before walking out, and it helped me immensely."

"I went on to score a hundred at the MCG in a Boxing Day Test, and more importantly, we won the Test match and levelled the series," he added. "After that, we went on to win the series after a spectacular effort in Brisbane, and it will forever rank as the best series win of my career. In a significant way, Paaji was with me in this victory."

Rahane is enjoying a comeback of sorts in the ongoing IPL 2023 with the Chennai Super Kings (CSK). He has scored 209 runs in five matches, the third highest in the team, with an average of 52.25 and a strike rate of 199.04.