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Rediff.com  » Cricket » When Virat Kohli's hoardings were removed from Wankhede...
This article was first published 10 years ago

When Virat Kohli's hoardings were removed from Wankhede...

November 14, 2013 11:41 IST

Image: Virat Kohli with Sachin Tendulkar
Rediff Sports Desk

Virat Kohli is the new poster boy of Indian cricket, literally!

-Farewell Sachin... write a postcard to the batting icon

The youngster is supposed to be the man to lead India into the post-Sachin Tendulkar era but the Mumbai Cricket Association was left embarrassed.

Virat Kohli's prominent advertising billboards overshadowed the retiring Sachin Tendulkar's pictures, the MCA removed the rising star's hoardings from the Wankhede stadium where the senior batsman led the out Indian team for his 200th and final Test in Mumbai on Thursday.

When Virat Kohli's hoardings were removed from Wankhede...


Photographs: BCCI Rediff Sports Desk

MCA has 51 different pictures of Tendulkar with his Test centuries and names of oppositions inscribed on rectangular billboards, albeit indecipherable, which are put on the perimeter of the Wankhede Stadium roof.

Even though the product of the FMCG company is displayed next to Tendulkar's hoarding, Kohli's advertisements, which till Wednesday dominated the attention, were missing from the stadium.

When Virat Kohli's hoardings were removed from Wankhede...


Photographs: BCCI Rediff Sports Desk

Meanwhile, after the toss, the Union Law Minister Kapil Sibal released commemorative postage stamps to pay tribute to the veteran batsman.

The 40-year old batting great is only the second person after Mother Teresa to have a stamp released after him, when he is alive.

During Tendulkar's 199th Test match at Kolkata, hosts Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) made a few goof ups that included spelling Sachin's name as 'Sachine' and referring to his wife Anjali as 'Mr' Anjali Tendulkar.

When Virat Kohli's hoardings were removed from Wankhede...


Photographs: BCCI Rediff Sports Desk

Tendulkar, on his part, is going about his routine with minimum fuss. He was presented a cap by Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni at the start of the day.

He led the team out to the field amid loud cheering from the fans, who would have to wait to see him bat as India opted to bowl against the West Indies.