Sachin Tendulkar's real homecoming game plan began in his mother's kitchen

Cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar reminisced about calling his mother before returning from long cricket tours to ask for his favourite dishes.Sachin Tendulkar's video on home-cooked food has over 20 million views. (Photos: sachintendulkar/instagram)New Delhi,Oct 26, 2026 09:05 ISTThe taste of home was never just about what was on the plate for cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar. It was about his mother's cooking, the familiar flavours he missed on long cricket tours and the little ritual of calling her days before returning to make sure his favourite dishes were waiting. Tendulkar revisited those memories in an Instagram video that has garnered millions of views.He spoke about how being away from home for extended periods made him long for meals prepared by his mother, whom he fondly calls Aai. “Main jab lambe tour pe hota tha, toh ek cheez missing rehta tha. Aai ke haath ka khaana (When I was away on long tours, there was one thing I missed: food cooked by my mother)," he recalled. He would call her two or three days before arriving home and tell her what he wanted to eat.Among his favourites were varan bhaat, a traditional Maharashtrian preparation of lentils and rice, and batata bhaji, a potato dish. One preparation, however, held a special place in Tendulkar's memories. He spoke about a particular mixture his mother made, explaining that although the recipe had been passed down within the family, recreating its original taste was difficult.The ingredients and recipe might be known, but something about the way his mother cooked made the dish impossible to replicate exactly. It was a reminder that some of the most treasured family recipes carry memories and emotions that go beyond the instructions written down on paper.His favourites also included an exquisite prawn fry, adding another dish to the list of meals he looked forward to after returning from a tour.The cricket legend summed up his affection for these meals with a playful line in the caption: “Zindagi ek safar hai suhana, jab tak banta hai ghar pe aisa khana” (Life is a beautiful journey, as long as food like this is cooked at home).For Tendulkar, even the way the food was eaten mattered. A generous helping of ghee and eating with one's hands made the meal all the more satisfying, bringing back the familiar comfort of home.Watch the video here:The video offers a glimpse into a side of Tendulkar that fans may not often see on the cricket field. Behind the sporting milestones and years of international travel was someone who, like many others, counted down the days until he could return home to his mother's cooking.With more than 20 million views, his recollection has brought a familiar feeling into focus: no matter how far life takes someone, the food made at home can remain one of the things they miss most.- Ends