Sachin's bat fetches Rs 42 lakh

Indian batting icon Sachin Tendulkar's willow fetched the highest bid of Rs 42 lakh at a glittering sports auction in Mumbai that saw personal items donated by 25 top sportspersons from the country and overseas go under the hammer.

The champion batsman had scored an unbeaten 163 against New Zealand at Christchurch last year, his fourth highest One-day score, with this bat.

Tied at second spot was the rifle used by India's only individual Olympic gold medallist, shooter Abhinav Bindra, when creating history at the Beijing Games two years ago and the bat of Rahul Dravid, with which he had scored a century in each innings in the Kolkata Test of 2005 against Pakistan. Both were successfully bid for Rs 20 lakh.

Photographs: Pradeep Bandekar

The bat signed by all team members of the 1983 World Cup winning team and donated by former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar's willow went under the hammer for Rs 17.5 lakh.

Anil Kumble's jersey, which he wore when he equalled Jim Laker's ten-wicket in a Test innings record against Pakistan in New Delhi in 1999, and his Test cap that he wore between 2004 and 2006 went for Rs 11.5 lakh.

Among the other items auctioned off were Swiss tennis legend Roger Federer's shoes, a bat donated by 1983 World Cup winning skipper Kapil Dev with the autographs of all the team members and sports gear donated by Indian top racquet sports exponents - shuttler Saina Nehwal and tennis player Sania Mirza.

Doners Dravid, Kumble, tennis ace Leander Paes, national football captain Bhaichung Bhutia, 1974 hockey World Cup winning skipper Ajit Pal Singh, former hockey captain Viren Rasquinha and Bindra were present at the auction on Friday night.

Leander's 12th Grand Slam winning racquet at Wimbledon this year in mixed doubles was the second piece to be auctioned and received a bid of Rs 7 lakhs.

Also gracing the function were world champion wrestler and Delhi Commonwealth Games gold medallist Sushil Kumar and hockey great Dhanraj Pillay.

The auction was held by Non Government Organisation 'The Foundation' founded by actor and ex-rugby international player Rahul Bose in association with Raheja Universal and the proceeds were donated to Bose's NGO.