Tendulkar pedalled into Bangladesh from the Indian border at Petrapole in North 24 Parganas district to watch the India-Bangladesh Test series.
BONGAON/WEST BENGAL: A fan of Sachin Tendulkar on Tuesday pedalled into Bangladesh from the Indian border at Petrapole in North 24 Parganas district to watch the India-Bangladesh Test series.
Sudhir Kumar Gautam, who rode a cycle with the Indian tricolour and the Bangladesh national flag on the handle-bars, told reporters he had met Sachin in Mumbai in 2003 and hoped to meet him again in Bangladesh.
"I will watch the Tests from May 18 to 22 and again from May 25 to 29," Gautam, who has a passport and valid travel documents, said.
Gautam, a dairy worker from Muzaffarpur in Bihar, said he had earlier pedalled to Jamshedpur from Muzaffarpur to watch the India-West Indies match at Keenan stadium in 2002.
"I had sought an appointment with Sachin there and the following year I reached Mumbai on my cycle in 18 days from Muzaffarpur to meet him," said Gautam, who has shaved his hair to resemble the map of India.
He said he had also met Sourav Ganguly in Kolkata in 2004 and Virendra Sehwag in Delhi the following year. "I have a personal rapport with them."
He also pedalled from Muzaffarpur to Pakistan in January last year to watch India's matches.
Gautam, who was seen off at the border by cricket enthusiasts, said he had withdrawn his entire provident funds to watch cricket matches since 2002.
"Like Abdul Jalil, known as 'Cricket Chacha' in Pakistan, I would like to be recognised as the Indian Cricket Brother by BCCI," he said.
He said he had also begun collecting funds to go and watch the India-Australia series beginning after four months.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}