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'Life changed after I lost my father during 1999 World Cup...': Sachin reveals story behind his century celebrations
Sachin Tendulkar made the revelation after being honoured with the coveted Col. C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award at the BCCI Naman Awards 2025.
India batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, on Saturday, opened up on his ritualistic century celebrations throughout his career, wherein he used to look up to the sky above each time he reached the triple-figure mark across formats to dedicate the knock to his father. Sachin made the revelation after being honoured with the coveted Col. C.K. Nayudu Lifetime Achievement Award at the BCCI Naman Awards 2025.
In his 10-minute acceptance speech, Sachin touched upon several topics that left the audience in pin-drop silence. One of those was losing his father during the 1999 World Cup.
The 51-year-old revealed that he had to return to India from England during the World Cup to attend his father's funeral, before he left for the tournament again and rejoined his team. Sachin added that the news of his father's demise changed his life, which is what sparked his century celebrations.
"It started in 1999. During the World Cup, I lost my father. I came back to India for a couple of days for his funeral and that suddenly changed me overnight. I went back to play the World Cup to join the team. Life changed after that. I wanted my father to be around and to see a number of things that were to happen in my life. From that moment on, I started showing my bat to my father. So anything good that happened in my life, I would show that to my father first and celebrate with everyone," he said.
'For 2 years without a bat contract...'
Sachin also opened up on how important were the values taught to him by his father, which is why he decided not to promote alcohol and tobacco companies, who, around the 90s, used bat stickers to advertise. The decision left him with a bat contract for two years.
"In the mid-90s, I played for 2 years without a bat contract, because they were alcohol and tobacco companies promoting heavily at that time, using bats as a medium to advertise. But all of us at home had taken this decision that I would not promote tobacco or alcohol. So that was one big decision in the mid-90s that we, as a family, took and for two years I played without a contract. When it comes to values, I feel that family was my backbone and my strength in my career," he added.
