Tendulkar endorses Apollo Tyres, Gillette, Livpure and Rario while Dhoni appears for SBI, Mastercard, Indigo Paints and Homelane, among others.

As anyone who watched the Indian Premier League (IPL) and the ongoing T20 World Cup can confirm, it is almost as if Sachin Tendulkar and Mahendra Singh Dhoni are still playing. Their latest ad campaign for the Association of Mutual Funds of India (AMFI), which also features Rohit Sharma, is a hit among viewers with content creators sharing clips of the ad film on their social media handles.

New York: In response to a special request from Merlin Entertainment’s Madame Tussauds New York, Sachin Tendulkar, a name synonymous with cricketing glory, happily agreed to help create an incredible moment for his fans. Marking the arrival of his wax figure in NYC, the cricket icon greeted his globally popular touring wax figure just ahead of the highly anticipated ICC Men’s T20 World Cup India vs. Pakistan match on June 9 at the Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York. Fans were delighted as Tendulkar stood side-by-side and was reunited with his impeccably crafted wax figure, which originally debuted in 2014.

Symbolizing his enduring impact on the sport and its fans worldwide, Tendulkar’s illustrious career has been recognized by the world’s greatest wax museum more than once, dating back to his first figure at Madame Tussauds London in 2009. Since then, five more figures have been created in his honor.

Tendulkar, affectionately dubbed the “Master Blaster,” has won over cricket aficionados globally with his unparalleled prowess and sportsmanship and he is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of cricket. With an international career spanning over two decades, Tendulkar holds numerous records, including the most runs scored in both Test and One Day International (ODI) cricket. He is also the only player to have scored one hundred international centuries, making him a true icon of the sport. Throughout his illustrious career, Tendulkar has garnered immense respect and admiration from fans and fellow cricketers alike, cementing his legacy as a true cricketing legend.

From Monday, June 10, through the World Cup Finals on Saturday, June 29, Tendulkar’s wax figure will be free for fan interaction and photos in the lobby of Madame Tussauds New York before taking its permanent place in the museum alongside the wax figures of other sports icons.

Visakhapatnam: With an objective to empower underprivileged children by providing them grassroots-level basketball programme, Hi5 Youth Foundation has partnered with Sachin Tendulkar Foundation (STF) to construct basketball courts in Andhra Pradesh and Arunachal Pradesh. These will be the fifth and sixth basketball courts to be developed with the support of STF.

It may be noted that Hi 5 Youth Foundation and STF have been collaborating to build sports infrastructure in schools since 2020.

The new basketball court venue would be APSWR school in Chittoor, which is also known as Dr BR Ambedkar Gurukulam. The school is home to aorund 400 girl students from grades five to 10. Andhra Pradesh basketball association conducts state camps and prepares teams for national tournaments here.

Speaking about the collaboration, cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar said sports is a powerful tool that not only keeps children physically fit but also builds character, self-esteem, and confidence.

“It empowers children from marginalised backgrounds with the required skills that can help them succeed in all fields of life. The expansion of our association with Hi 5 Youth Foundation to develop two more basketball courts for children in tribal communities and girls, in particular, is one more step in our vision to transform India from a sports-watching nation to a sports-playing nation,” said Tendulkar.

Hi 5 Youth Foundation founder Usha Sundar said they are excited about partnering with STF in their mission to promote sports and empower youth. “Creating inclusive spaces will help young talents thrive and bring communities together. STF currently supports 300 children at its tribal centres in Maharashtra. The foundation has built two half-courts and one full court in a remote village in Gujarat and another full court at the Parivaar Education Society campus in West Bengal,” she said.

Apart from Chittoor, the second court will be built at RKM School in Aalo, Arunachal Pradesh. Established in 1966, this school focuses on uplifting the underprivileged tribal community in the north-eastern state through education, healthcare, and livelihood initiatives.