Sachin Tendulkar is widely regarded as one of the best batsmen to ever play the game. The “master blaster”, as he was fondly called, holds the record for most runs in Tests and ODIs and has also scored the most centuries in international cricket (100). Since his debut in 1989, Tendulkar has garnered praise wherever he has traveled with the Indian team for his incredible batting prowess; however, one of his biggest outings came in Sharjah in 1998 when he smashed 143 off 131 deliveries against Australia in an ODI.
The innings was dubbed the “Sharjah Desert Storm” and cemented Tendulkar’s status as one of the greatest players in the game. More than 24 years later, the former India batsman made a big revelation about the ad for which he was approached – right after the Sharjah tour – during a freewheeling conversation with host Gaurav Kapur at the event.
Tendulkar revealed that he rejected the ad because it “disrespected” the sport and changed its script. “It happened in 1998 after the desert storm in Sharjah. We came back and one of the sponsors wanted to do a commercial where I had cricket balls flying at me and I hit them with a fly swatter outside the stadium. So, I rejected the ad, I said you have to change the script because it disrespects my sport and I worship my sport. I will not be shooting for this ad,” Tendulkar revealed during a chat at an event organized by Infosys.
“Thankfully they did (change the script). I don’t think I could go back home or even to my coach after shooting that commercial. That wasn’t something I was taught. They have instilled the right values and I stand by those values,” Tendulkar further said. In his 24-year career, Tendulkar represented India in 200 Tests and 463 ODIs as well as a single T20I. He retired from all forms of the game in 2013, but continues to participate in unofficial matches from time to time; his last cricket appearance came in October 2022 in the Road Safety World Series where he led the India Legends side to victory in the final against Sri Lanka Legends.
