Question

'Achrekar was a sincere coach'. Substantiate.

Answer 1

Ramakant Achrekar started playing Cricket in the year 1943 when he was eleven. His most famous student is undoubtedly Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, India’s highest run-scorer in both Tests and ODIs and also the current record holder for multiple records! He has been instrumental in grooming some of the country’s most renowned cricketers like Vinod Kambli, Ajit Agarkar, and Romesh Powar.

Achrekar coached young cricketers at Shivaji Park, Dadar in Mumbai. Sachin trained under him when he too was just eleven, while he was a student at the New English School, Mumbai. Later Sachin was asked to change to Shardashram Vidyamandir, Mumbai where he coached. When he was young, Tendulkar would practice for hours and hours in the nets. If he became exhausted, Achrekar would put a one-rupee-coin on the top of the stumps, and the bowler who dismissed Tendulkar would get the coin.

If Tendulkar passed the whole session without getting dismissed, the coach would give him the coin. Such a motivational reward from the coach made Tendulkar strive and survive to win the coin. Tendulkar recalled an incident when his coach told him to play for the ‘B’ team of his School. Instead of batting, he preferred sitting in the gallery and cheering for his schoolmates. In the evening, when he came across Achrekar, he was asked how many runs he had scored. Taken aback, Tendulkar told him that he was clapping and cheering up. Then came a slap that shattered his myth. He realized what a mistake he had committed. Achrekar told him firmly that he was not born to just clap for others but for others to watch him and clap for him.