‘Have seen people older than Sachin have his posters on the wall’: Former India wicket-keeper on Tendulkar’s impact

Vijay Dahiya narrated how Tendulkar was hands down his favourite player while growing up and explained the India great’s impact on him.

Former India wicketkeeper batsman Vijay Dahiya could play only 21 internationals for India but in his short career had the privilege of batting alongside and sharing the dressing room with Sachin Tendulkar. Dahiya, who played 19 ODIs and two Tests during his India career which lasted approximately five months, narrated how Tendulkar was hands down his favourite player while growing up and explained the India great’s impact on him.

Sachin Tendulkar of India walks out in front of local admirers during a Test match. (Getty Images)

“No brainer, to be very honest. When I was growing up, anyone my age or even older people - the one and only Sachin Tendulkar. What’s interesting is that same age, people who were older also had somebody’s poster who was 16-17 on the wall and wanted to be like him,” Dahiya told SportsKeeda in an interview.

“It is phenomenal what he’s done for Indian cricket, how many people he has inspired and is still inspiring. If you played this game, you know the era in which he played. The sort of team we had and the sort of team others were. And his numbers were phenomenal, and his style also.”

Unfortunately, Dahiya never received a longer rope and was dropped after the series, but the fact that he played alongside Tendulkar meant even bigger than representing his country for the wicketkeeper batsman. “Playing for the country was a big prize, playing with Sachin Tendulkar was even bigger,” Dahiya said.