Australia vs India: Sachin Tendulkar lends financial help to Sudhir Gautam to attend Sydney Test

Ever since the maestro Sachin Tendulkar retired from cricket, his special fan has a broken heart. Nevertheless, he still makes his presence felt on the stands whenever the Indian team takes the field. Sudhir Gautam, the man who paints himself in the Tricolour with ‘TENDULKAR’ written on his chest and holds an Indian flag high on the stands to cheer India up, was not seen in the three Tests that India played against Australia in their ongoing tour.

However, Gautam was back in the ground in his familiar self for the fourth and final Test which started at the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG) on Thursday.

India were comfortably placed at 303 for 4 at the end of Day 1 of the fourth Test after captain Virat Kohli won the toss and elected to bat. Cheteshwar Pujara hit his third century of the series and was unbeaten on 130 at stumps. Mayank Agarwal, who made an impressive debut in the previous Test in Melbourne, scored 77 and the two played a big role in taking India to a respectable score.

Hanuma Vihari was the other not out batsman at the end of the day on 37. Virat Kohli (23), Ajinkya Rahane (18) and opener KL Rahul (9) did not score big.

Gautam left for Sydney via Mumbai and Delhi on Monday morning and interestingly, expenses for his tickets and visa were borne by Sachin Tendulkar himself. “I will be disappointed if the Sydney Test (beginning January 3) is won by Australia. Don’t want the series be tied at 2-2, but want Kohli’s team to win the final Test,” Gautam was quoted as saying by The Daily Observer, Bangladesh, before he boarded his flight.

Gautam to cheer Indian team in Australia ODIs and also in New Zealand

Sudhir Gautam will also be there for the three ODIs in Australia that will follow the Sydney Test and will follow the Men in Blue to New Zealand thereafter where they will take part in limited-overs series.

“I will also watch the three ODIs in Australia before deciding to go to New Zealand also. I had requested Sachin sir to bear my ticket fares and visa expenses for Australia tour. My friends in Australia have promised me to make my arrangements for internal travel and other expenses,” Gautam said.

He said his return ticket from Melbourne is booked for January 21 but he would request Rohit Sharma or Shikhar Dhawan if they could arrange for his tickets to New Zealand.

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