Maharashtra Elections: Sachin Tendulkar votes along with wife Anjali, daughter Sara

Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar cast his vote at a polling station in Mumbai during the Maharashtra Assembly Election on Wednesday, November 20.

Tendulkar arrived early at the polling station with his wife, Anjali, and daughter, Sara, and urged fellow citizens to turn up and fulfil their democratic duty. Wearing a floral-printed shirt, Sachin Tendulkar cast his vote alongside his family. The former India captain, who was appointed as a National Icon by the Election Commission of India (ECI), has been actively raising awareness about voter participation.

“I have been an icon for the ECI for quite some time now. My message is simple: vote. It is our responsibility. I urge everyone to come out and vote,” Tendulkar said, commending the arrangements made by the authorities at his polling station.

After voting, Tendulkar, Anjali, and Sara posed for the media with their inked fingers.

Several other celebrities, including notable Bollywood actors and filmmakers, also voted early in Mumbai on Wednesday. Farhan Akhtar and Zoya Akhtar were spotted voting at a polling station in Bandra, proudly displaying their inked fingers afterwards.

Tendulkar has been thoroughly enjoying his time away from professional cricket. The batting legend frequently shares glimpses of his personal life with fans and followers, often posting updates from his road trips.

As the mentor and icon of the Mumbai Indians, Tendulkar will be closely observing the Indian Premier League (IPL) auction this weekend. Although he has not actively joined the team management at the auction table, he will be monitoring developments as the Mumbai Indians aim to bolster their already formidable squad.

Tendulkar has offered glimpses of his silky strokeplay while playing in T20 leagues for former cricketers in the recent past. He played in the Road Safety World Series until 2022.

Tendulkar officially concluded his illustrious professional cricket career in 2013 following an extraordinary run at the highest level. He played 200 Test matches, amassing 15,921 runs, including a record-breaking 51 centuries. In One Day Internationals (ODIs), he scored 18,426 runs in 463 matches, with 49 centuries to his name. Remarkably, he remains the only cricketer to have scored 100 international centuries. Tendulkar also represented India in a single T20 International in 2007.