Tendulkar backs Indian Super League
30 Aug 2014 4:56 AM IST
Batting superstar Sachin Tendulkar on Thursday threw his weight behind the upcoming Indian Super League (ISL), saying it was the way forward to unearth football talent in the cricket-mad country. ‘There is a lot of sporting talent in the country, but no platform to showcase the talent. Perhaps ISL is the answer,’ Tendulkar said in Mumbai at the launch of the eight-city franchise-based tournament to be played in October-December.
Tendulkar, who retired last year as the leading run-getter in both Test and one-day cricket, is co-owner of the Kochi franchise in the new league that has been modelled on the lines of cricket’s cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL).
While the 40-year-old’s fame and fortune is due to his exploits on the cricket field, he said that the most important thing was for Indians to develop and nurture a love of sport. ‘My vision for India is sport for all. It is not about being professional but staying healthy and fit,’ he said.
Meanwhile, Italian World Cup winner Alessandro Del Piero, 39, was set to play for Delhi Dynamos and also serve as a brand ambassador for the ISL, a source associated with the league said. ‘He is on board, a formal announcement will be made shortly,’ the source added.
Tendulkar, who retired last year as the leading run-getter in both Test and one-day cricket, is co-owner of the Kochi franchise in the new league that has been modelled on the lines of cricket’s cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL).
While the 40-year-old’s fame and fortune is due to his exploits on the cricket field, he said that the most important thing was for Indians to develop and nurture a love of sport. ‘My vision for India is sport for all. It is not about being professional but staying healthy and fit,’ he said.
Meanwhile, Italian World Cup winner Alessandro Del Piero, 39, was set to play for Delhi Dynamos and also serve as a brand ambassador for the ISL, a source associated with the league said. ‘He is on board, a formal announcement will be made shortly,’ the source added.
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