Sachin Tendulkar gifts bat to Arjun's roommate ahead of India Under-19 tour

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Yashasvi Jaiswal (right) was Arjun Tendulkar's roommate at NCA camp in Bangalore ahead of their trip to Sri Lanka. (Mangesh Ambre Photo)

Two Mumbai boys with completely contrasting backgrounds will board a flight to Sri Lanka this month. For both the boys, this will be their biggest cricket tour so far in their young careers.

Eighteen-year-old Arjun Tendulkar, selected for the two four-day matches will be fly out first in anticipation of his India under-19 debut. Following him will be another Mumbai lad, 17-year-old batsman Yashasvi Jaiswal, picked for the five one day games to follow.

Part of Arjun's preparations involved bowling to Virat Kohli in the India nets in England this month. For Yashasvi, who often went to sleep on an empty stomach, this tour means the world.

Incidentally, in the preparatory NCA camp in Bangalore for this trip, Arjun and Yashasvi were roommates. Yashasvi calls Arjun 'great company 'and swears by his advise to 'improve fitness'. Yashasvi had one request of his roommate Arjun - a meeting with his father before the tour. Immediately after the camp was over, a meeting with the great man at his Bandra mansion followed.

Also read - Ravi Shastri's 'words of wisdom' for Arjun Tendulkar in England

"It was my dream which came true. I got a bit nervous. I could not believe it was him. I asked him as many questions as I could about my game and he explained with examples. He told me how I could change my thoughts in different situations," Yashasvi told India Today of his hour-long meeting with Sachin Tendulkar.

Yashasvi says he was so focused on not missing out on asking all the questions that he forgot to take a picture with his idol altogether.

Tendulkar gifted Yashasvi a bat with a signed message, "Dear Yashasvi, Enjoy the journey and always give your best." Although he may want to preserve the gift for inspiration, it's a non option as the legend has advised him to use it for his first India age group challenge.