Tendulkar dedicates match-winning ton to Dungarpur; recalls how Rajbhai made the difference

Senior Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar, on Tuesday, dedicated his match-winning hundred against Sri Lanka in the tri-series final to former BCCI chief Raj Singh Dungarpur, who died on Saturday.

"(I) would like to dedicate this hundred to Mr Raj Singh," Tendulkar said in a short message on Tuesday.

Tendulkar described Dungarpur's death as a terrible loss. "It's a terrible loss for us to recover from," said the 36-year-old champion batsman who was pitch forked into the international arena at the tender age of 16 by the Dungarpur-led national selection panel in 1989-90.

During his stint as the Cricket Club of India President, Dungarpur bent its rules to allow Tendulkar to use its dressing room as a 14-year-old.

The 73-year-old died following protracted illness on Saturday and was cremated in his home town the next day.

Mumbai: Raj Singh Dungarpur's largesse had touched the heart of a 14-year-old Sachin Tendulkar in 1987 and on Tuesday, at a remembrance meeting at the Cricket Club of India (CCI), the maestro paid unbridled tribute to one of the finest statesman and cricket romantic.

Tendulkar dedicated his century against Sri Lanka, one which he termed as one of his best, to Dungarpur and said the former BCCI president would have been pleased with the way the team bounced back in the tri-series final after a 139-run loss in the previous game.

"The Star Cricket Club was to play in England, but as I came from a middle-class family I couldn't afford to be on that tour. This is when he helped me get a sponsorship. I was in England for a month and came back wiser for the experience," Tendulkar recalled.

When Tendulkar made 70-odd against a CCI side led by Madhav Apte, the knock caught Dungarpur's eye. Dungarpur invited Tendulkar to use the facilities at the club. At a school match final at the CCI, Tendulkar once again impressed Dungarpur and then skipper Dilip Vengsarkar.

"I was invited to bat at the Indian team's practice nets and Rajbhai watched me closely. At the end of the session he told me to play my natural game and encouraged me. He was always approachable and always said something positive. When the doors of opportunity closed on any cricketer, who was talented and skillful, he would ensure that another door opened," Tendulkar added.

Dungarpur's passion for the game was infectious. "We had the opportunity to spend 45 days with him during India's tour of Pakistan in 2006. Seeing his enthusiasm for the game one would have thought he was a teenager and not a 70-year-old man. He watched every ball closely and applauded whenever he felt good cricket was being played."

Tendulkar also suggested that the main gate at the CCI be named after its former president who was in charge of the club's affair for nearly 14 years. BCCI chief administrative officer Prof Ratnakar Shetty read out condolence messages from former Cricket South Africa chief Ali Bacher, Waqar Nissar, the son of Mohammad Nissar, the fast bowler who took six wickets at Lord's in 1932 and ICC umpire of the year Simon Taufel.

Shetty suggested that the CCI revive their cricket academy in the memory of Dungarpur. Shetty highlighted Dungarpur's initiatives, including instituting the CK Nayudu Lifetime Achievement award, starting the welfare scheme for former cricketers, establishing the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore and appointment of a consultant coach Bob Simpson, physiotherapist and trainer for the Indian team in 1997.

Among others present were--Bapu Nadkarni, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sandeep Patil, Karsan Ghavri, Balwinder Singh Sandhu, Milind Rege and Ajit Agarkar.