"It is under-19, so if a 10-year-old wants to play, let him," said Vijay Merchant in the 1980s when a young Sachin Tendulkar tried to get into one of the four teams for the inaugural Shatkar Trophy. The four selectors — Abdul Ismail, Eknath Solkar, VS Patil and Ramakant Desai — were apprehensive to include the young Tendulkar in their respective sides. But, Merchant’s word made the difference and Tendulkar played.


Sachin Tendulkar

These were one of the many anecdotes shared during Merchant's 104th birth anniversary, commemorated by the Legends’ Club at the Cricket Club of India (CCI) on Monday. Dr Makarand Waingankar and former India batsman Madhav Apte took the audience back in time to remember the legendary batsman.