By Anand Philar
Hyderabad, Nov 14 (IANS) Petrol-heads in India believe that Sachin Tendulkar's keen interest in motor sport, especially Formula One, makes him an ideal ambassador for Indian motor sport, though it would mean an uncertain wait since the national icon, who completes 20 years of international cricket Sunday, has no thoughts of retirement at the moment.
Speaking to IANS, Vicky Chandhok, the chairman of Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India's racing commission, said: "I have met Sachin a few times in recent years and was struck by his deep knowledge of the sport. I would say he is anything but a casual Formula One fan, and come to think of it, he will make an ideal brand ambassador for Indian motor sport."
Pointing out that Tendulkar's love of motor sport was very apparent, Chandhok said: "He has more than a passing knowledge of the race strategies and such intricate matters that are part of Formula One. Sachin follows my son's (Karun) racing career and of course, for all his achievements, he is so humble and down to earth."
Chandhok believes that Tendulkar has plenty left in the tank. "I suspect he is waiting for someone who can replace him and would like to continue until such time. Of course, nobody can ever fill his slot and his records will stand the test of time. He is anything but history and I am convinced, after his 175 in Hyderabad the other night, he has another four years of top level cricket left in him," Chandhok added.
"I would say Sachin Tendulkar is the Michael Schumacher of cricket. There are a lot of parallels between the two in terms of the amazing records they have set in their respective sport," he said.
Meanwhile, India's top rally driver, Gaurav Gill of Team MRF, recently recounted his meeting with Tendulkar at a get-together. "I spent a few minutes with him and I was amazed by the kind of questions he threw at me. Even you media guys haven't asked me such questions! He wanted to know about various driving techniques like left-foot braking, car set-up, etc.
"Our conversation was frequently interrupted, but each time he came back to me with more questions. For his iconic status, he is such a humble person and I would always remember those precious moments I spent with him."
Multiple World billiards champion Geet Sethi, who enjoys an iconic status in cue sport and has been playing at the international level for over two decades, said he has not met another sportsperson as focused as Tendulkar.
"I met him about five years ago when I was called to give a talk to the Indian cricket team. We exchanged a lot of ideas and views and I was struck by his calmness which I think is his greatest asset. We are all humans and prone to distractions.
"But the difference with Sachin is that he is able to blank those distractions and that I think is the secret of his longevity. I mean, playing at that level and with such consistency is phenomenal," opined Sethi.
Reigning World billiards champion Pankaj Advani said: "I have met him only once, when I was a kid and got his autograph at the Bangalore airport. However, Sachin is an inspiration to all Indian sportspersons and an excellent role model. I would say that he has fully tapped his potential and made the best use of the talent given by God."
Former Davis Cup captain Ramesh Krishnan felt that it was the passion for the game that drives Tendulkar and his ability to isolate himself from the surroundings made him so much more special.
"I met Sachin briefly in Chandigarh, but have been following his performances on and off. He has been able to maximize the God-given talent to insulate himself from all that is going on around him. And to be playing at the top for 20 years is outstanding," said Ramesh.
Karun Chandhok, presently in England to finalise his racing programme for the 2010 season said that Tendulkar was one of his kind and belongs to a special category of personalities who have consistently performed at the highest level over a period of time.
"For me, the sign of a legend in sport is someone who is able to consistently perform at the highest level of their sport for a long period in time. Michael Schumacher, Pete Sampras, Lance Armstrong and Roger Federer are perfect examples of that, and there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Sachin is in that category.
"I can't say that I know Sachin very well. We met at a few Grand Prix races and have kept in touch a little bit after that. However, there are a couple things that come across within the first five minutes of meeting the man. Firstly, his incredible humility. I mean, he is the greatest Indian sportsman of my generation and the way he still has his feet on the ground with absolutely none of the prima donna attitude that you read about with the younger players is something special and a rare quality that any person, in any field can learn from him.
"The other thing that struck me was just how knowledgeable he was about motor sports. By the questions he asked and the details he spotted, you could see that he is more than just a casual fan who turns on F1 on the TV once every two weeks and then forgets about it. It is a great endorsement for us to have a true legend of sport as a supporter," Karun said.