Besides Sachin Tendulkar, top coach Ramakant Achrekar also trained other prominent Indian players including Vinod Kambli. (Photo: AFP/Prakash PARSEKAR)

NEW DELHI: Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar paid a glowing tribute on Thursday (Jan 3) to Ramakant Achrekar, his childhood coach and lifelong mentor who has died aged 87.

Achrekar, a club-level coach, discovered a 12-year-old Tendulkar's extraordinary talents in Mumbai and nurtured him on his way to becoming cricket's most prolific run-scorer of all time.
Achrekar died at his home in Mumbai on Wednesday.