Viv Richards is my hero: Sachin

KOLKATA: Sachin Tendulkar regards West Indies batting legend Vivian Richards as his hero, though he has never played against the Caribbean at the international level.

"I had played against him only at the county level. He was then playing for Glamorgan and me for Yorkshire. He is my hero and playing against him is a special moment in my life. I cherish that", Tendulkar said at a photo exhibition, pointing to a snap showing him playing chess with Richards.

The exhibition of photos clicked by noted lensman Sumon Chattopadhyay on Indian cricket, had one that captured a young Tendulkar playing on the lane before his house in Mumbai.
   
The photo seemed to have turned the Mumbai batsman nostalgic and he exclaimed that even today he enjoyed playing cricket before his Bandra residence.
   
"It's great to play on the road. It's a time to relax and meet a lot of old friends. Even yesterday, I played on the road before my house," said Tendulkar as fellow international cricketers Sourav Ganguly, Yuvraj Singh and Dinesh Kaarthick heard him in rapt attention.

About another photo taken just after his marriage and showing him walk with his bride Anjali, Tendulkar said "it's an extremely special moment of my life with my life partner walking with me".
   
Then he turned to Yuvraj Singh, and said with a smile "I want to wish Yuvraj all the best when he gets married".
   
The entire gathering broke into spontaneous applause and there were peals of laughter all around.