Sachin's message to Indian contingent: Give your best and India will be proud of you

With the London Olympics having begun on Friday, all focus is on the 81-member Indian contingent who are said to be the best ever prepared for the mega event and have some realistic chances of bettering the Beijing record.  Meanwhile after Gautam Gambhir showed his support to the Indian athlete in a press conference on Friday, Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar also has lent his weight to India's campaign, saying that he would want to let the entire Indian squad know that everyone are behind them. “As a sportsman, I would like them to go out and do something they have been practicing for years. Now's the time, it's the best platform to express themselves, and show their talent to the whole world," Tendulkar told Hindustan Times on the sidelines of an event where he unveiled the BMW 3 Series car in India.

"Whether you are successful or not, your effort will matter to us and for that you will always be heroes. It is the commitment that matters, as long as the heart says ‘we have given our best’ we will be proud of you," he said in his message. "It is about the hard work they have put in, the sacrifices they have made.

The expectations of the Indian fans are higher this time with medals expected in shooting, boxing, badminton, tennis and archery. With high expectations come extra pressure, something Tendulkar is only too familiar with. "There is no doubt pressure will be your continuous companion. If you fight that, it gets difficult. You have to just understand your body and mind and embrace it. (Tell yourself) It's fine… certain things are always going to be around you, it doesn't matter. If you can understand this truth, then the entire attitude will change,” said Tendulkar.

Meanwhile according to a report in The Times Of India, Sachin said Team India are confident of a good show at home against England and Australia but will certainly aim at preparing well when they play away series against these two teams next time.

"We need to look at one factor. When we played against Australia, they were the home team. England also played at home. There is no point in saying that India only plays well at home. Why do we always look at one side of the coin, it should be always fair," the senior batsman said.


"I feel that it does not come as an excuse for us to go somewhere and not play well. We need to go abroad and win. It's as simple as that. We have done it before (winning abroad). Both England and Australia tours were tough for us. We should make every possible effort to perfect our preparation and produce better results," Tendulkar told an English news channel.