Never had a Ranji Trophy season started on a note like it did today, with this sleepy hamlet here being woken up from its slumber by the one and only Sachin Tendulkar, a good few hours before the retiring legend was accorded a guard of honour in the area's sole landmark destination.
Tendulkar, who had announced his retirement from international cricket after the Test series against the West Indies next month, is here to play in what could be his last Ranji Trophy match for his state side, the opponents being hosts Haryana.
To mark the occasion, players from both the teams lined up on two sides at the start of the match as the champion batsman walked out to a thunderous ovation at the Chaudhary Bansi Lal Stadium, which nearly touched its maximum capacity of 8000 spectators.
Tendulkar, who will walk into international sunset after playing in his landmark 200th Test from November 14-18 in Mumbai, has been the only talking point in the run-up to this game, which is being seen by many as his last in the premier domestic tournament.
At lunch, after Mumbai bowled out Haryana for a paltry 134, Tendulkar received a memento from state Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda with former BCCI president Ranbir Singh Mahendra also in attendance.
The excitement among the locals reached a crescendo when Tendulkar walked out with his most favourite and destructive weapon after Mumbai lost their second wicket in reply to Haryana's first innings total.
