Sachin Tendulkar ‘pitches’ it right with Sonu Nigam for his app

Being the shy person that Sachin Tendulkar is, India’s batting maestro has taken time to open up to the public. He is active in the social media across all platforms, be it Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Now, his fans can get access to Tendulkar through his app ‘100MB’ that was launched here on Thursday evening.

“I’m a shy person by nature. It takes some time to change. That doesn’t mean I will not come out and talk. I’m still figuring out,” Tendulkar said after the launch.

“Being a private person, I was not comfortable initially. Now, through tweets, I am able to read what others have posted. Sometimes, it brings smiles on your lips and I have felt ‘Wow, I wish I could meet this person’,” said Tendulkar.

The app will engage Tendulkar with all the fans at one destination and digital platform. He can reach out to his fans through his posts, videos, messages and also give this fans the opportunity to interact with him on a regular basis.

“This is something I am looking forward to in the digital world, to be closer to my fans. This app will guarantee that whatever I say reaches my fans,” Tendulkar said.

“Through this app, my fans can directly connect with me. My views, whatever I post, are guaranteed of reaching all my fans. Whatever I am today is because of the fans. Whatever my videos, opinions, posts will reach my fans,” the 43-year-old said.

The app will also feature Tendulkar recording a song along with star singer Sonu Nigam.

‘Naacho, Naacho, Naacho sari cricket wali beat pe’ is a cricket-theme song sung by Tendulkar himself and Nigam, and composed by Shamir Tandon.

“I have always been fond of music. I never thought I would sing a song. My wife (Anjali) is the brain behind me singing this song. It was her idea. She was the only one who believed I could sing,” said Tendulkar about his venture into singing.

He said that this was a one-off and that he would not venture into it, while he would continue to enjoy music, which he has always been passionate about.

Known to practice a lot before cricket matches, Tendulkar admitted that he did not have to do that much preparation while recording the song.

“I did not practice much. It was just then and there that I sang,” Tendulkar told DNA. “I heard the tune. I quite liked it. After that, I was asked to practice a little bit, which I did in the studio. Before that, I had not practiced much. It helped, I was used to listening to music and humming songs. It helped.”

Singing with Nigam has been a special experience, Tendulkar said. “His commitment, his preparation, he worships music, that means a lot. Any passionate person does that. For us, it is cricket. For him, it is music. You ask anybody who has been top in his profession, he will be is passionate. It does not come on its own. It requires preparation.”

Tendulkar said he has no specific interest in music. “I have heard different songs at different phases. I have listened to even Spanish songs, not knowing a single word. Hindi, Rockband, you name it. Music helps control emotions. It helps while going out to bat. It helps me unwind after a day’s play. It depends at that moment what I want to listen,” said the scorer of 100 international centuries.

On his part, Nigam was full of admiration for Tendulkar the singer. “Singers sing, but don’t pitch,” he said, clarifying that the pitch is not the surface that cricketers play on but the pitch connected to songs. “But the master batsman was pitching it right. It was a heartening feeling. We did not have to use the pitch corrector for Sachin. He did a very good job without the pitch corrector.”

Nigam said: “People fall in three categories – talented, genius and blessed. Sachin falls in the blessed category. I first heard him sing and told the composer Shamir Tandon that Sachin is one to whom god has given something extraordinary. He is blessed with something divine.”

Through the song, Tendulkar has also thanked all the players who has been part of his 24-year international journey including six World Cups.