Sara Tendulkar recalls Australia memories, reveals why she never pursued cricket

India Today

a day ago

For most of her childhood, Sara Tendulkar's connection with Australia was shaped by the rhythm of her father Sachin Tendulkar's cricketing tours. Today, years later, those personal memories are coming full circle as she steps into the spotlight in her own right as the new face of Tourism Australia's Come and Say G'day campaign for Indian audiences.The campaign, which has already found global success with its animated mascot Ruby the Souvenir Kangaroo, marks one of Sara's first major brand collaborations. For her, though, the association is more than symbolic. Australia, she says, has been part of her life story for as long as she can remember.advertisement'With my dad playing and travelling to Australia so much... The first time I visited Australia was in 1999. Ever since, I have visited the country once every four years. I have a lot of childhood memories there, and they were always very happy,' Sara told India Today on Wednesday, 20 August.
'My brother and I were very thrilled. We didn't get to see our dad too much because he was always travelling for cricket. When we would go there, we would be very happy to spend as much time with him,' she added.Sara, 27, fondly recalled spending New Year's Eves in Sydney with her father and the rest of the Indian cricket team. 'I distinctly remember spending New Year's Eve in Australia in Sydney, the ones we were there when we visited every four years. We would spend New Year's Eve on a boat with the whole team. That's something I will never forget,' she said.LIMITED MYSELF TO GULLY CRICKETShe also spoke of her frequent visits to the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground during her younger years. Just last December, she was spotted cheering for India during the Boxing Day Test in Melbourne, an experience that gave her a new appreciation of its atmosphere.'When I was young, I don't think I realised the significance of the MCG. But now, when I went back, all those memories came rushing back,' she said, reflecting on how her understanding of the stadium's importance has grown with time. Even with such intimate proximity to cricket, Sara is clear the sport was never on her horizon. 'Never. It's been my brother's forte. I have played gully cricket, but never thought about it.'She might have countless favourite memories of her father's iconic knocks, but the most vivid, Sara says, is of his farewell to the game in 2013.'If I have to pick one vivid memory, then I would pick his retirement match. I was old enough to really understand what that meant at that point. When I was younger, I went for the games, but I never really grasped the enormity of them.'Stepping into the limelight in her own way has also meant learning to navigate public attention. Sara credits her father for grounding her with advice that continues to guide her. 'He always told me that when I have freedom and independence, I should always be responsible. That's something that I have tried to follow when I left for college.'Her association with Tourism Australia reflects just that balance: personal history meeting new opportunities. The tourism board, which has identified India as one of its fastest-growing markets, has launched the second phase of its campaign tailored for Indian travellers, placing Sara at the centre as someone who has lived those experiences herself.- Ends