Vadodara to give Sachin 50-bat salute

At a time when every Indian is dreaming of Sachin Tendulkar holding aloft the winner’s trophy at the upcoming World Cup cricket tournament, some artists of Vadodara have found a creative way to wish him good luck.

Around 25 artists of the city are painting on bats the most creative images they can think of in tribute to the Master Blaster. The painted bats will be on display at Sarjan Art Gallery in Vadodara from February 12 to February 14.

This unique tribute to Sachin was proposed by the Sarjan Art Gallery. The painted bats are intended not only to wish Tendulkar good luck but also to celebrate his 50 test centuries. The art gallery has provided two bats to each of the 25 artists, so that there are 50 bats for 50 test centuries.

“We will have 50 artistically painted bats to celebrate Sachin completing 50 test centuries,” said J Mahapatra of Sarjan Art Gallery in Vadodara. “It is our way of expressing respect for the cricket legend at a time when there is feeling that this might be his last World Cup.” Mahapatra said Munaf Patel had visited the gallery when the painting of 50 bats started there.

The artists are no less excited. Talking about what he had painted on his two bats for Sachin, an artist, Debraj Goswami, said Sachin plays with remarkable aggression.

“He is a cricketer who plays with the aggressiveness of a tiger,” Goswami told DNA. “No one can beat him. So I have painted one bat with a tiger’s face at its lower end and the tail towards the handle. The middle of the bat is painted as the tiger’s skin.”

He further said that he had painted eyes all over the second bat. “The eyes stand for Tendulkar’s remarkable concentration, his ability to judge the ball correctly and play it with the right strokes,” Goswami said.The art gallery owners have invited Vadodara’s own, Yusuf Pathan and Irfan Pathan, to be part of the exhibition.

“We have also invited Sachin Tendulkar to grace the exhibition but we have not yet received a confirmation from him,” said Mahapatra. Cricket players from across the state are expected to visit the three-day exhibition which begins on February 12.