“This Is Priceless”: Sachin Tendulkar Recalls Returning Kohli’s “Gift”

Sachin Tendulkar’s retirement in 2013 was an emotional moment for Indian cricket fans. The cricket great was not just an idol to millions of fans across the country but also to some of his younger teammates.

Among them was Virat Kohli, who was still in the initial years of his international career. Tendulkar recently recalled an emotional moment from his retirement when he had to return a gift given to him by Kohli. The gift that Kohli gave Tendulkar was a sacred thread that the former had received from his late father.

“So I was sitting in one corner alone, with towel on my head. (I was) wiping tears and I was really emotional. At that time, Virat had come to me and Virat gave me the sacred thread that his father had given him,” Tendulkar told American journalist Graham Bensinger on the latter’s YouTube channel.

Kohli explained the reason behind his choice of gift.

“We usually wear threads around our wrists. In India, a lot of people do. So my father gave one to me, which he used to have. So I used to keep that with me in my bag. And then I thought this is the most valuable thing I have. So, my father gave this to me and I couldn’t give you anything more valuable and I just want you know how much you have inspired me and what you mean to all of us and this is my little gift to you,” Kohli said.

Tendulkar added that he felt he had to return the gift to Kohli.

“Kept that for a while and then returned that to him again. I said this is priceless and this has to stay with you and no one else. This is your property and you should have it till your last breath and I gave it back to him. So it was an emotional moment, something that will always be there in my memory.”