Sachin Tendulkar's Homecoming Ritual: Calling Aai Before Tours Ended for Varan Bhaat, Batata Bhaji and Prawn Fry

For cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar, the taste of home was never just about what was on the plate. 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.

The one thing he missed on long tours

Tendulkar revisited those memories in an Instagram video that has garnered more than 20 million 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.

A call two or three days before coming home

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. 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.

A family recipe no one can recreate exactly

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.

Ghee, hands, and the comfort of home

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. 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.