Mumbai: Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar will vote in the general elections on Thursday, it was confirmed here on Wednesday.

The legendary batsman, who is in the UAE as an icon and mentor to his former team Mumbai Indians in the ongoing Pepsi Indian Premier League (IPL), has returned to Mumbai to vote and mark his 41st birthday in his home city.

“Sachin is a patriot. During his playing days, we have seen him having the India flag in his kit. Also on his helmet, the India flag used to be clearly visible. How can he remain out of the country on a voting day?” Tendulkar’s two good friends, brothers Marcus and Ricky Coutto, said.

“I remember once he regretted not being able to vote in Delhi,” Marcus said.

“Sachin Tendulkar will leave India immediately after voting on Thursday,” another source close to Sachin said. Sources in the Mumbai Indians camp in Dubai confirmed that Tendulkar will be returning to Dubai soon after he has voted to celebrate his birthday with his Mumbai Indians teammates.

Tendulkar is set to lead the MCC team versus Rest of the World team on July 5, and there is talk that he may holiday briefly in England after he votes on Thursday.

“Sachin will not be available for the Legends’ Club meeting, which is also scheduled to be held on Thursday evening at the Cricket Club of India (CCI). On his behalf, we have invited his brother, Ajit Tendulkar, to attend the meeting,” Legends’ Club president Madhav Apte said.

The club had last year inducted Little Master Sunil Gavaskar as its legend. This year, the club will celebrate new legend Tendulkar’s birthday along with that of the late former India all-rounder Vinoo Mankad, which took place on April 12.

— The writer is a cricket journalist based in Mumbai.