Sachin Tendulkar, celebrated as one of the greatest batters in cricket history, was not only known for his skills on the field but also for his light-hearted and humorous nature in the dressing room. Many of his teammates have shared stories about his love for pranks, and former India cricketer Suresh Raina recently recalled one such incident.
This happened when Raina was new to the Indian team, and Tendulkar decided to have some fun during a flight. In this particular case, Tendulkar pretended that Raina was his own son, Arjun Tendulkar, creating a memorable moment that Raina still remembers vividly.
The Flight Prank
Suresh Raina shared this story while speaking on the ‘Cheeky Singles’ show. He said, “We were once going to play a Test match when I was about 18 years old, and I was sitting in business class next to Sachin paaji. The air hostess came over and said, ‘Good morning, Sachin sir. How are you?'” Raina explained that the air hostess, assuming he was Arjun Tendulkar, made a casual comment to Sachin.
Spotting an opportunity for mischief, Sachin Tendulkar decided to play along. “Assuming I was Arjun (Tendulkar’s son), she said something to him about me in passing; Sachin paaji saw a chance to have some fun,” Raina recalled. Tendulkar then told her, “Yes, he’s not studying at all, what to do? I’ve even told Anjali (Tendulkar’s wife),” which left Raina completely surprised.
The Aftermath and Clarification
According to Raina, the prank continued until they joined the other players in another section of the plane. “Later, we went to the section where the other players were sitting, and I blurted out, ‘Why are you making me sit in business class? You’ve made me Arjun Tendulkar!'” Eventually, Sachin decided to explain the truth to the air hostess. Raina said Tendulkar told her, “‘He’s part of the Indian cricket team, he is Suresh Raina, not my son’.”
This incident highlighted Tendulkar’s love for lighthearted moments, even with younger teammates. Raina noted that such pranks were a common part of Tendulkar’s personality, and he would sometimes plan elaborate jokes just for fun. Over the years, Raina and Tendulkar shared the field in both Test and ODI formats, including being part of the victorious 2011 Cricket World Cup squad in India. This story remains one of the many examples of Tendulkar’s camaraderie and cheerful spirit, which went beyond the cricket pitch and created unforgettable bonds with teammates.
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