‘I can’t believe this is happening’: India pacer reveals what Sachin Tendulkar told him on debut

Despite his retirement, Tendulkar’s legacy continues to inspire both seasoned veterans and emerging talents.

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Varun Aaron shares an interesting anecdote involving Sachin Tendulkar

One such example is Varun Aaron, a fiery fast bowler who burst onto the scene in 2008 with his raw pace. Though Aaron didn’t enjoy as much success on the international stage as he had hoped, he cherished his time representing India. His Test debut against the West Indies in November 2011 was marked by initial struggles until a timely intervention from Tendulkar.

During a tough spell on a flat Wankhede Stadium pitch, Sachin Tendulkar noticed Varun Aaron’s despondence and offered sage advice. Reminiscing about the incident, Aaron recalled Tendulkar’s words of encouragement, drawing parallels between his own predicament and Tendulkar’s early struggles. Inspired by Tendulkar’s resilience, Aaron rallied to claim three crucial wickets, including that of Darren Bravo, turning the tide in India’s favor.

“We were playing at the Wankhede Stadium. It was a really flat wicket, and the West Indies were 500-something for four. And I was really down. I was 21 years old and had never bowled 21 overs without a wicket. Sachin Tendulkar was standing at mid-off, he looked at me and asked, ‘why are you looking so down?’ I was like, you know what, Paaji, I’ve never bowled 21 overs for no wickets. I can’t believe this is happening on my debut. He’s like, come here. We stopped mid-over and he said, ‘Do you know I waited 22 years for my first World Cup Trophy? So you can wait 21 overs for your first wicket, there’s no problem with that. Please come down to earth and get bowling,” Varun Aaron said in an interview.

Despite promising performances, Aaron’s career was marred by injuries, preventing him from realizing his full potential. After featuring in 9 Tests and 9 ODIs between 2011 and 2015, recurring back stress fractures halted his progress, relegating him from the national team.