Among the many firsts Sachin Tendulkar, the legendary batter, created in his glorious career was becoming the first overseas signing of the Yorkshire County Cricket Club, one of the most prestigious teams in England`s County circuit.
The man responsible behind getting Tendulkar to Yorkshire is Solly Adam, a cricketer from Yorkshire. But Adam himself revealed that it was Sunil Gavaskar, the original `Little Master`, who helped him persuade Tendulkar to sign with Yorkshire.
“I spoke with Sachin, he was in Australia in 1991 and he told me he had too many commitments to fulfil and could not accept the offer. The next thing I do is I call up Sunil and he tells he will speak with Sachin,” Adam recalled at the book release function of “Solly Adam – Beyond Boundaries” a biography on Adam`s life.
“Soon afterwards, Sachin calls me and told me: “I have had a word with Sunny sir and I will come, Solly”. That`s Sunil Gavaskar for you. I was only the intermediary but the man who actually convinced Sachin to sign for Yorkshire was Sunil,” he added.
In his stint for Yorkshire in 1992, Sachin scored 1,070 runs in 16 matches, which included a century and seven half-centuries.
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The book was released by Gavaskar and former India captain Dilip Vengsarkar with Adam`s family, friends and a galaxy of cricketers from Mumbai who have been helped by Adam for playing professional cricket over the last five decades in attendance at the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai on Sunday.
Gavaskar, in his address, referred to Adam as “not a friend, but Solly and the Adam family is family”. He stressed that selfless individuals like Adam make cricket the game it is.
“I am looking forward to reading the boe for cricketers from India, Pakistan needed to be told. I have always said the game of cricket is very fortok. What he has donunate to have unselfish cricket lovers like Solly,” Gavaskar said.
“He never expected anything back, from anybody. He just wants to give back to the game. The game of cricket is very fortunate to have people as passionate as those who play and want to make contributions to the game that many others would be able. So Solly bhai, thank you!,” he added.
Vengsarkar narrated a funny incident involving Adam`s first meeting with Pakistan batter Javed Miandad while Vijay Mohanjraj, the former Bombay and Hyderabad opening batter, recalled how no one who entered the Adam household will return with an empty stomach. Former Mumbai opener Shishir Hattangadi hosted the function.
(With agency inputs)
