New Delhi: Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar was reportedly approached by the Big Bash League (BBL) franchise Sydney Thunder to feature in this year’s edition of the Twenty20 tournament, but a deal could not be reached.
According to a report in the Sydney Morning Herald, Tendulkar was offered an “attractive” package by the Thunder, who are desperately looking for a turnaround in their fortunes, having won just one game out of their last 19 matches, stretching 25 months.
But the talks the with Indian veteran cricketer, who retired from all forms of the game in November last year, fell apart when Harry Harinath resigned as head of Cricket NSW early last year.
The report also claimed that Cricket NSW called upon the state government to use its connections in India in order to lure the iconic batsman to don their jersey but nothing materialised.
“Tendulkar was offered a deal to play for the Thunder over four weeks this season,” it said.
“When the Cricket NSW board, headed by Harinath, met to address the problems, Tendulkar joined Michael Hussey and Brett Lee on the list after it was acknowledged the franchise needed to attract big stars to engage the 90,000 people with Indian and subcontinent heritage in the area surrounding the Olympic Park precinct,” it added.
The Indian was at the top of a list of desired players, drawn up for 2013-14 by the club, which had disastrous campaign last season when they lost all their ties.
“Harinath, who stepped down from his posts as chairman of Cricket NSW and as a board member of Cricket Australia (CA) after an overhaul in the organisation’s administration structure last January, was understood to have travelled to India to meet with people described as extremely close to Tendulkar,” it added.
The side, led by Mike Hussey, are languishing at the bottom of the table this season with just a solitary win in seven games so far.
Tendulkar was a part of the Mumbai Indians, which won the IPL and Champions League T20 2013. (PTI)