Sachin Tendulkar autobiography, Playing It My Way - The launch: As it happened

Sachin Tendulkar's autobiography - Playing It My Way - will be launched tonight. Boria Majumdar, renowned sports journalist and historian, shares writing credits for the book. The book is definitely one of the most awaited sports books in India and the world over. Stay here to find out what's happening at the big event that will see the likes of Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman and Ravi Shastri amongst others in attendance.

If you've been following the news lately, you would have definitely read the excerpts from the book. Sachin's comments on Greg Chappell, in the book, are already out in the open and has definitely piqued interest. A normally reticent Sachin has not minced words when talking about the former India coach. But, what else can we expect from the book?

Will Sachin open up about the match-fixing controversy? How about Monkeygate? The ball-tampering incident? The Ferrari-customs imbroglio?

Are you as interested as us in finding out all this and more? Then stay on because we will be trying to get those questions answered directly from the book launch in Mumbai. Meanwhile, don't shy away from telling us what you are looking forward to from the book. Any questions that have been pricking you? Shoot them in. Any particular incident from Sachin's career that needs more explaining? Tell us about it in the comments section below! Join in and wait on as we bring you all the updates right here...

The grand function is just set to begin. The man of the hour - Boria Majumdar - is in already and welcoming the guests. Rajiv Shukla, senior BCCI official, was one amongst the first to arrive, much before the event started.

Sachin Tendulkar's first coach, Ramakant Achrekar, was escorted by well-wishers and made his presence felt.

As the superstars start to trickle in, the biggest buzz so far was created when one of India's greatest captains Sourav Ganguly popped in at the venue. The section where he, alongside Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman would talk about Sachin Tendulkar is expected to be one of the highlights of the evening. People are eagerly awaiting the arrival of Sachin. Harsha Bhogle kick-starts the event.

There was a special group of children, who met Sachin in Chennai. One of the kids had never walked in his life and Sachin asked him to take his bat and play with him. Miracle then happened as the boy, who had never stood up, played cricket for the first time in his life.

Dilip Vengsarkar: "We picked a 15-year-old Tendulkar after being mightily impressed with him, but he didn't come for practice for the first three days. On the fourth day, we asked him what happened? He replies, 'Sir, I had a drawing exam'."

Boria Majumdar: "It's taken three years. For me when it started, there were two fundamental challenges. Sachin's life is a public book. Can we tell the audience something new and can we give his voice."

Anjali Tendulkar first met Sachin posing as a journalist. Sachin saved two pieces of chocolates that he had from the England tour. The book proves why Anjali was Sachin's best partnership of his life.

Now, here is an interesting anecdote that Tendulkar was not the only one to go to the MRF pace academy to become a fast bowler. Even Sourav Ganguly, known for playing those sublime shots through the off-side also tried his hand at quick bowling by going to MRF Pace Academy. It is mentioned in the book.

Legends of Indian cricket, Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman got a thunderous applause from the crowd. Tendulkar, who played for many years with the three legends of the game and helped India to script some memorable wins, also joined in to applaud them.

Sourav Ganguly: "Sachin was a sleepwalker. He was my room-mate at the MRF pace academy. We stayed in a hotel in Mount Road, Chennai. I saw him get up and walk around the room in the dead of night and lost sleep after that."

Rahul Dravid opens up about an incident with Sachin Tendulkar during the Multan Test in 2004.

"There are going to be times when you agree to disagree. Sachin and I have played for 16 years, but we've stayed friends still. The abiding memory for me from that game was when I gave Sachin the ball and when he got Moin Khan out," Dravid says.

He continued by saying, "We walked out as a team that day and that's what Sachin was about."

Sachin responds: "We continue to be good friends. Every cricketer has disagreements but that's the way it goes."

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly joins the conversation.

Ganguly: "I was out of form once. There was this occasion when I asked him to take strike but he says no, no, I never do that. I was the captain and I was asking him. So I just went out and walked quickly and stood at the non-striker's end. I left him with no choice."

Sachin says: "I was once hit by a Shoaib Akhtar bouncer. It hit my ribs and I came to know much later that it was broken. There was Dada out there who just came and said 'tu champion hai re.. tu champion hai', I had to tell 'Shhh.. Just let me recover.'

VVS Laxman: "Coach changes team atmosphere. When playing in high pressure situations, you need to play with a free mind. You have to enjoy your time in the dressing room. 2006 was the worst time."

Sachin responds: "I didn't want Chappell as coach for the 2007 World Cup. The environment was very negative. I felt we should have travelled without him and that would have helped. I said the senior players will take all the responsibility."

Dravid on Mumbai Test v Australia in 2004: Chips in cheekily during a conversation about Sachin-Laxman partnership in that match - 'Do I get some credit for promoting Laxman to No. 3 in that innings?'

Sachin Tendulkar's wife Anjali Tendulkar and his elder brother Ajit Tendulkar, who spotted the spark in him, open up.

Anjali: "I didn't even know who he was. I just saw him in the airport. I thought he was so cute and I just ran after him. Sachin was so embarrassed that I was screaming his name. He just looked down and got into the car."

Sachin responds: "I still do remember the color of the T-shirt she was wearing! Orange(smiles)."

Anjali: "There were two previous occasions when my dad called to see Sachin Tendulkar batting in England, but at that stage I was not at all interested in cricket. Who knows? If I had seen him earlier, then I would have been chasing a fifteen-year-old!"

Ajit: "Before taking to Achrekar sir, I was awed by Sachin's talent. Everytime I saw him play I was amazed. That's why I took him to sir."

It was Ajit, who advised Sachin not to play shots on the off-side during his 241 against Australia in Sydney.

Sachin: "I was not in the right frame of mind because I used to drive away from the body and Australia were trying to get me there. I spoke to Ajit for a while on the phone. He threw me a challenge asking me to stay not-out and I stood up to it."

Ajit: "In 1999, I read somewhere that a few England players had gone to a restaurant and ate a duck and that the next day, they all scored 0. So, when Sachin planned a dinner around eating an 'aromatic duck,' I banned him from doing so!"

Ajit on why he didn't celebrate Sachin's hundred: "It was not a clever decision to take people out and paying the bill every time he got a ton, because that was going to cost me a lot."

Anjali: "The first time I wanted to go to Sachin's house he was very tense. He was like 'How can you come to my house?' So he asked me to pose as a journalist and I did that dressed up nicely. He cut a piece of chocolate into little bits and we had a great time."

Sachin was ready to get engaged to Anjali, but was terrified to tell his parents. So he insisted that Anjali went and broke the news to his parents when he was faraway, in New Zealand.

Anjali: "Informing Sachin about his father's demise was one the hardest things to do. I had to call Ajay Jadeja and Robin Singh, to ensure nobody called Sachin and informed him about the news. I had to drive in the middle of the night to Leicster and the moment Sachin opened the door, he knew something was terribly wrong."

The first copy of the book Playing It My Way has been presented to Sachin's mother Rajni Tendulkar. Second copy was given to Sachin's coach Ramakant Achrekar, by Sara Tendulkar - Sachin's daughter.

Sachin speaks out against the other Chappell(Ian).

"He came up with the headline 'Endulkar,' but after a few years when I was back in form, he came to me and spoke to me about my success. I told, 'Ian you change sides very easy and very conveniently'. We have the tendency to get affected by someone, who has no say in Indian cricket. The headline hurt me quite a bit," revealed Tendulkar.

Sachin on mindset of a batsman.

"When you talk about being in the zone, it was always when your head is in the non-striker's end. When you think about your technique and your game, it was when you are down on confidence. When you think about what the bowler is thinking and what his plans are, then you're playing with full confidence," he says.

Sachin on 2011 World Cup win.

"During the match against Australia, I happened to be on the physio's table when Yuvi and Raina were batting well. Viru was next to me. I kept praying when I was there and it worked. So during the final too, I made sure that me and Viru were exactly there. So even during the final moments, I made sure Viru did not go out. So unfortunately, we missed watching the moment live, but I was just praying," opens up Tendulkar.

Sachin Tendulkar concludes the event by saying, "I would like to thank my team in helping me put the book together. Anjali, Ajit, Boria and Aparna, thanks to the entire team for helping us put out the show that I needed."