Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar joined young athletes on the field at the SRT10 Altevol Centre of Excellence Sports Academy in Ahmedabad on 19 May, spending time with children, parents, and aspiring cricketers in a special engagement that drew families from across the city and neighbouring regions. The visit was described by attendees as a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

The Academy and Its Significance

The SRT10 Altevol Centre of Excellence is the second academy in India backed by Tendulkar, following the flagship SRT10 Global Academy at DY Patil Sports Academy in Navi Mumbai. The Ahmedabad facility reflects a broader push to extend world-class grassroots sporting infrastructure to emerging urban centres beyond the traditional metros.

The academy's focus goes beyond technical cricket skills, with equal emphasis on confidence-building, mental resilience, and long-term athlete development — a model Tendulkar has publicly championed as central to India's sporting future.

What Tendulkar Said

Speaking after the visit, Sachin Tendulkar said, 'The most important thing for any young child is not where they begin, but whether they are given the opportunity to grow. Over the last few years, I've increasingly felt that India's sporting future will be shaped by how seriously we invest in grassroots ecosystems and encourage children to enjoy sport without fear or pressure.'

He added, 'When children step onto a field, they are not just playing a sport, they are learning discipline, teamwork, resilience, and self-belief. Seeing the energy and curiosity among these young athletes in Ahmedabad was genuinely heartening, and I hope platforms like these continue to inspire many more children to dream through sport.'

Academy Leadership Responds

Chirag Patel, CEO of SRT10 Altevol Centre of Excellence, said, 'Today was a special day for all of us. Sharing the field with Sachin Tendulkar gave the young dreamers a real sense of belief and purpose. His presence brought alive the values this academy stands for: humility, hard work, discipline, and commitment to constant improvement.'

Patel noted that the energy and excitement witnessed during the visit would stay with the young athletes for a long time.

Grassroots Sport in Focus

The visit underlined the growing importance of structured sporting ecosystems in cities like Ahmedabad, where access to elite-level mentorship has historically lagged behind Mumbai and Delhi. Tendulkar's engagement — which included informal field sessions alongside formal interaction — was designed to reinforce that sporting ambition is not the exclusive preserve of metropolitan centres.

Notably, this is part of a wider pattern of former Indian cricketers investing in grassroots infrastructure, a trend that has accelerated since the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) expanded its domestic pathway programmes. With the SRT10 network now spanning two cities, further expansion to other regions remains a possibility that the academy has not ruled out.

What Comes Next

The academy's long-term commitment is to create meaningful sporting opportunities for young talent across Gujarat and beyond. The success of events like this one is expected to strengthen enrolment and community engagement in the months ahead, as the facility cements its position as a credible centre for grassroots cricket development in western India.