Published: Feb 08, 2015, 11:51 AM (IST)
Edited: Feb 08, 2015, 11:51 AM (IST)
Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar on Saturday revealed during a promotional event in Mumbai on why he didn’t play with a bat that had a logo. Tendulkar, who over the years have promoted several brands and have batted towards the end of his career with bat designed by Adidas, did not use a sponsor logo for a significant part of his career early on.
The Master Blaster, who was a chief guest at a function organised by MRF, which launched a special edition of car tyres for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, said, “For a very long time I played with a bat that had no logo, because a lot of tobacco manufacturing companies wanted to sponsor it, and I didn’t want to associate with any of them.”
“Then one day, my friend Mark Mascarenhas gave me the news that MRF wanted to sponsor and they have signed a deal as well. My association with them thus started back in 1996.”
Tendulkar also spoke about his early ambitions of trying his hand in fast-bowling and aspiration to join the MRF Pace foundation.
“I was 12 when I dreamt of becoming a fast bowler. When I was leaving for Chennai to join the MRF Pace Foundation, by brother Ajit asked me to carry the entire kit in case it was needed. At the academy Dennis Lillee asked me to bat and not bowl because of my physique,” said the 41-year-old.
