India legend Sachin Tendulkar visits Hampstead Cricket Club

Tendulkar provides some batting coaching. Pics: Chris Scott and Manos Sotiou (Image: Archant)

The 41-year-old is widely credited as being one of the greatest batsmen of all time.

He is the only player to score 100 international centuries, the only player to score a double hundred in a one-day international and the only player to reach 30,000 runs in international cricket.

Tendulkar retired in November 2013 after his 200th Test, and a gold coin has now been commissioned by the East India Company to commemorate his final match. Only 210 of the coins have been made, each of them worth £12,000.

Tendulkar has been promoting the coin, and his association with the East India Company is also in partnership with the charity Spreading Happiness – hence his visit to Hampstead.

Tendulkar faces a delivery from a Hampstead colt. Pics: Chris Scott and Manos Sotiou (Image: Archant)

Tendulkar certainly spread a lot of happiness at the club’s Lymington Road ground in West Hampstead as he coached young players and went round all of the colts age groups, passing on words of wisdom, signing autographs, taking selfies, batting, bowling and hitting catches.

Hampstead CC president Bryan Henderson said: “It was fantastic to have the great Sachin Tendulkar at Hampstead.

“He was terrific with the young cricketers and they all had a day to remember forever.

“Sachin could see Hampstead is a family club where people come together to enjoy this wonderful sport.

“It’s not often our terrific hard-working chairman Jim Carter isn’t centre stage!”

Carter is probably better known for his role as Mr Carson in Downton Abbey, while Henderson also works in television as Sky Sports’ head of cricket.

Sky Sports viewers may well catch a glimpse of Hampstead Cricket Club next month.

Tendulkar was interviewed on Sunday for a feature that will be shown live during the build-up to day one of the first Test between England and India, which starts on July 9.