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Tendulkar finds hotel worker who gave him batting advice

A hotel worker whose unsolicited advice helped the batting of cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has been located after the Indian superstar launched an appeal.

The worker approached Tendulkar about 19 years ago at the hotel where he worked in Chennai, saying he had noticed he swung his bat differently when he was wearing an arm guard.


Tendulkar, who was midway through his record-breaking career at the time, said the advice was valuable as he redesigned his arm guard and went from strength to strength.

"I don't think I had spoken about this to anyone in the world. I was the only person who was aware of that," he said in a video posted on Twitter.

"After that I actually came back to the room from the ground, carried my elbow guard and I re-designed my elbow guard according to the correct size and the amount of padding and I played."

The hotel said it had found the worker and offered to set up a meeting, while an Indian news website also said it had located the man.

"I asked him (Tendulkar) if I can give him a suggestion concerning cricket," the worker, identified as a member of the security staff named Guruprasad, was quoted as saying by the The News Minute.

"I really wasn't sure if he would listen to someone like me but he readily agreed."

The meeting apparently took place in early 2001 during the Test series against Australia, when Tendulkar scored 126 in the first innings in Chennai.

The 46-year-old Tendulkar retired in 2013 after scoring more than 34,000 runs in Tests and one-day internationals, including a record 100 centuries.

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  • Coaching Inn Group scores 81 per cent customer satisfaction, beating Marriott and Hilton.
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A traditional pub hotel group has outperformed luxury international chains in the UK's largest guest satisfaction survey, while one major operator continues its decade-long streak at the bottom of the rankings.
The Coaching Inn Group, comprising 36 relaxed inn-style hotels in historic buildings across beauty spots and market towns, achieved the highest customer score of 81per cent among large chains in Which?'s annual hotel survey. The group earned five stars for customer service and accuracy of descriptions, with guests praising its "lovely locations and excellent food and service.
"The survey, conducted amongst 4,631 guests, asked respondents to rate their stays across eight categories including cleanliness, customer service, breakfast quality, bed comfort and value for money. At an average £128 per night, Coaching Inn demonstrated that mid-range pricing with consistent quality appeals to British travellers.
J D Wetherspoon Hotels claimed both the Which? Recommended Provider status (WRPs) and Great Value badge for the first time, offering rooms at just £70 per night while maintaining four-star ratings across most categories. Guests described their stays as "clean, comfortable and good value.
"Among boutique chains, Hotel Indigo scored 79 per cent with its neighbourhood-inspired design, while InterContinental achieved 80per cent despite charging over £300 per night, and the chain missed WRP status for this reason.

Budget brands decline

However, Premier Inn, long considered Britain's reliable budget choice, lost its recommended status this year. Despite maintaining comfortable beds, guests reported "standards were slipping" and prices "no longer budget levels" at an average £94 per night.

The survey's biggest disappointment remains Britannia Hotels, scoring just 44 per cent and one star for bedroom and bathroom quality. This marks twelve consecutive years at the bottom, with guests at properties like Folkestone's Grand Burstin calling it a total dive.

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