Tendulkar lost for words after seeing his wax replica

Mumbai, Apr 13 (PTI) Sachin Tendulkar confessed he was
lost for words when he first saw his life-like wax replica
prepared by the world famous Madame Tussauds of London that he
unveiled at a city hotel close to his residence here Monday.

Terming it a great honour and reflection of his
contribution to Indian cricket that his wax figure would be
adorning Madame Tussauds iconic museum, Tendulkar gushed about
the attention to details that has gone into producing it.

"It's something special. I have never reacted to anything
like this in my life. It's difficult to express in words what
is very close to something identical. I'm glad it does not
breath. The detailing is so much," the champion batsman said
after unveiling his own wax replica.

"It is a great honour to be there at the Tussauds. I know
I am the first sportsperson of the country to be there. I
think it is an appreciation and a reflection of my
contribution to Indian cricket," he said.

Tendulkar said he was spellbound after seeing the statue
which will be inaugurated at the Tussauds on April 24, his
birthday.

"(My son) Arjun wanted to take down the bat and start
playing but I told him not to get very close. It's fabulous,
fantastic," he said in awe.

Tendulkar explained that the wax statue was prepared with
the pose that he adopted -- with his bat in the right hand,
his left holding the helmet and both hands raised skywards --
after surpassing West Indian great Brian Lara as the world's
most run-getter in Tests at Mohali against Australia last
year.

"That was my pose after I crossed the record," he pointed
out.

The ace batsman also said he was very proud to be the
first Indian sportsperson so honoured by the iconic wax museum
and it did not matter at which place his life-like figure is
placed at Madame Tussauds later this month, but said he would
be busy when it's done playing in IPL in South Africa.

"I'm proud to be the first Indian sportsman to be
honoured thus. It does not matter where I'm placed. It's a
huge honour to be part of the wax museum. The fact that it
will be there itself is a great honour. There are so many
great personalities there including Indians," he said.

"I would not be able to go there (for the occasion) as I
would be busy playing the IPL in South Africa. But I will go
there after the IPL (gets over)," Tendulkar said.

The champion batsman said due to his busy schedule he was
unable to go to Madame Tussauds after his first visit to
London as a 15-year-old member of the Star Cricket Club
managed by former Rajasthan pacer Kailash Gattani.

"But my family members have seen it," he said.

Tendulkar said his wax replica at Madame Tussauds would
be among the birthday gifts he would be cherishing the most in
his life.

"I have got many birthday gifts that I have cherished.
They include birthday greetings from my children and the
moments I have spent with my family and friends. On April 24,
1998 we defeated Australia in Sharjah and we won the
tournament (Sharjah Cup) which is another birthday gift I
cherish," he said.

Asked if he felt authorities at Tussauds should have done
it earlier, Tendulkar said, "I am not the person to decide
whether my statue should have been one or two year before or
this year. I am happy that I will be there now. It is a happy
moment.

"Such offers are rare and don't come often in one's
life," he added.

After refusing to be drawn into anything unrelated to the
function, Tendulkar revealed at the fag end of the interaction
with the media a bit about his future plans when asked whether
any of his dreams have remained unfulfilled.

"For every cricketer it's a dream to win the World Cup.
As a youngster this was my dream. I want to win the World Cup
for my country," said the champion batsman in, perhaps, his
first clear-cut indication that he wants to continue playing
till the 2011 World Cup to be held in the sub-continent. PTI