Sachin bats for friend’s new innings

The Little Master called up Gandhinagar resident Dalbir Singh Gill, a victim of domestic abuse, and asked him to get back in shape to play cricket again

A former domestic cricketer whose wife tormented him for a year is trying to overcome psychological scars and return to the field. Dalbir Singh Gill’s new-found determination is the result of a phone call from an old friend known to the world as Sachin Tendulkar. The Little Master and Gill once played under-17 cricket together.

A road mishap and wife’s alleged cruelty — Gill was held captive in his own house in Gandhinagar; he was provided little food and was frequently beaten up — took Gill away from cricket. His plight came to the fore when the police rescued him on April 2 this year.

Gill’s life turned around when Tendulkar came to his aid in May. The master paid Rs 6 lakh for his medical treatment and a hip replacement surgery, which has enabled Gill to walk again. Recently, Tendulkar called up his old friend to check how he was doing.

“He asked me about my health and said: ‘Sardarji, bahot aram ho gaya. Aab, maidan main aa ja (You have taken ample rest. Now, start playing cricket again).’,” Gill said. “He also said that he would meet me the next time a Test is held at Motera.”

The Gandhinagar resident, who shared a room with Tendulkar during a tourney in Pune, last met the batting maestro in May when the latter paid him a visit at a private hospital in Ahmedabad (see picture). “Sachin’s words have inspired me. I want to play cricket again, and I will try to get back in shape as soon as possible,” Gill said.

When he was rescued from his residence, he weighed 45 kg. Today, he weighs 90 kg. “I have put on a lot of weight in the past few months. I will try to regain my fitness,” Gill, who was once an attacking batsman, said. “I may never achieve Sachin’s level of agility, but I will give my best. I won’t disappoint my friend, who not only paid for my treatment, but also visited me in the hospital.”

Recounting his days with Tendulkar, Gill said that the two used to play pranks on each other. “When he would sleep, I would apply toothpaste all over his face,” he said. The 37-year-old Gandhinagar resident said that his family and friends were also prodding him to play cricket again.

“They keep reminding me about my heydays on the field when I used to tear apart the bowling attack. All this encouragement is overwhelming. I want to forget the ordeal I went through and play the sport again even if it is at the gully-level,” he said.