<i>Friends come face-to-face!</i>
Barely five days after his remarks against Sachin Tendulkar created a controversy, former India player Vinod Kambli on Saturday came face-to-face with his celebrated childhood friend at a public function here.
Tendulkar and Kambli made their first joint appearance at a felicitation programme where their coach Ramakant Achrekar was also honoured.
At the event, titled "Gaurav Guru Shishyancha" (in honour of the coach and his pupil), the two childhood friends were seated on either side of Achrekar and were seen talking to each other.
Both seemed to be in a relaxed mood and were also seen sharing some jokes.
Tendulkar paid rich tributes to his mentor Achrekar and said he could attain such heights because of the 'sir'.
Tendulkar recalled an incident when his coach told him to play for 'B' team of his school. Instead of batting, he preferred sitting in the gallery and cheering his schoolmates.
In the evening, when he came across Achrekar, he was asked how many runs he had scored. Taken aback, Tendulkar told him that he was clapping and cheering up. Then came a slap which shattered his myth.
Kambli, who started off his career with a flourish but fizzled out after innumerical comebacks, had recently stirred a controversy by accusing Tendulkar of not helping him enough in a TV reality show.
Among others felicitated at the ceremony were Praveen Amre and Sameer Dighe. A local arts and cultural academy organised the function which was presided over by Board of Control for Cricket in India president Shashank Manohar.
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