Away from bright lights, Sachin gets recharged

When the injured Indian batting sensation Sachin Tendulkar came to the sleepy and serene surroundings of Chharabra, located in the shadow of snow-clad hills, what he sought was ‘total rest and total privacy’. And when he left for Mumbai today after his five-day stay here, Tendulkar wasn’t complaining.

‘Back to nets within a week’

Tendulkar has fully recovered from the hamstring pull which he suffered during his marathon century knock in the final Test against the West Indies at Kolkata. The master while talking to newsmen at Shimla said, ‘‘The muscle stretch has healed and I do not feel any pain. I will resume practice within a week’s time.’’

Admitting that he loved privacy, India’s cricketing legend told newsmen before leaving Shimla that he had been recharged by the tranquillity here. The refreshing air and overwhelming experience he had energised him to go back to the task of fighting battles on the cricket field.

But even hours after Tendulkar left, the staff at Wildflower Hall – where the master along with his entourage was put up – couldn’t get over the brief interaction with the star. Everyone at the hotel has some Tendulkar-story to narrate.

“He played cricket with us, went to the tennis court with his family members and took long solitary walks in the woods. But all within the hotel premises. He briefly visited the gymnasium to test his hamstring injury”, members of the hotel staff told The Indian Express.

Telephones at the hotel never stopped ringing. His fans – which included VIPs and their families from Shimla, Chandigarh and Punjab – kept calling the staff to allow a glimpse of the star if not a chat with him.

‘‘But all calls, including those from the media, were politely declined in deference to Sachin’s wishes who wanted not to be disturbed during his stay with family”, said a staffer, buoyant over the repeated hand-shakes he had with the ‘batting machine’. Sachin remained virtually confined to his suite spending most of time with his wife Anjali, son Arjun, daughter Sara, brother Ajit’s family and friends accompanying him.

The four swanky cars that stood on the hotel’s portico were hardly used as the batting sensation hardly moved out. “He just went to the President’s Retreat and the catchment areas”, remarked another staffer.

It is perhaps for the first time that the hotel witnessed 24-hour security deployed by the state police for the cricket star. At least ten cops, half of them armed with sten guns and revolvers, could be seen on and around the hotel premesis. A DSP-level officer had been deputed to supervise the security arrangements which included policemen parked in the corridors leading to Sachin’s suite.