‘Tendulkar is no longer our God’: Why some Indians are apologising to Maria Sharapova about cricket legend

Netizens from Kerala state rushed to say they were sorry to Sharapova for trolling her back in 2014 after she said she did not know who Sachin Tendulkar was

The apologies came after Tendulkar told foreign celebrities to stop commenting on Indian farmers’ protests – something many Keralites support

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Maria Sharapova might still not know who Sachin Tendulkar is, but she now has plenty of fans in Kerala state. Photo: Reuters

Published: 4:43pm, 5 Feb 2021Updated: 5:29pm, 5 Feb 2021

Scores of netizens in the Indian state of Kerala have flooded tennis star Maria Sharapova’s social media pages with apologetic messages for trolling her in 2014 after the Russian said in an interview at the time that she did not know who cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar was.

The change of heart was triggered by Tendulkar’s stand against foreign celebrities commenting on the country’s ongoing farmers’ protests – something many Keralites support.

Last month, over 1,000 farmers from Kerala made a three-day trip on their tractors to the outskirts of New Delhi to join in the protests against new agricultural reform laws the farmers say will devastate their incomes and make them vulnerable to corporate greed. Several Kerala state politicians and lawmakers have also visited protest sites to show their support, rattling Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.

Former Indian cricket player Sachin Tendulkar signs autographs during a celebrity match in Melbourne, Australia, in February 2020. Photo: AFP

“I am sorry Maria. We knew Sachin as a player, but we didn’t know him as a person. You were right and sorry for commenting bad,” one Keralite wrote on Sharapova’s Facebook wall.

Another wrote: “That day I called you bad words. Sorry for everything. Tendulkar is no longer our God.”

“Dear Sharapova, you are right, we apologise for insulting you for our cricketer Sachin Tendulkar. Because, today, Sachin Tendulkar has rejected all farmers,” another post said.

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