Team India’s young sensation Hardik Pandya has revealed that it was the legendary Sachin Tendulkar who had recognized his talent before anyone else. Tendulkar had told Pandya that he would take only one or one-and-a-half-years to break into the Indian cricket team.
While speaking to Vikram Sathaye on the show ‘What the Duck’, Pandya revealed how he first met Sachin Tendulkar.
“My moment in seventh heaven was when everyone from the Mumbai Indians met for a get together and it was my first time, back then,” said Pandya.
“So I was busy eating when suddenly someone taps on my shoulder and turn around to see Sachin standing there saying ‘hi’ to me.”
In a comic incident, Pandya also revealed that he accidentally dropped his plate, when he found out that it was Sachin Tendulkar, who had tapped on his shoulder.
However, what Sachin had to say to the all-rounder, arguably changed his life as a professional cricketer.
“Later on, Sachin said that if you maintain the form you will start playing for the Indian team within a year or so. As luck would have it, within 5 months I was playing for the Indian team,” he concluded.
