In December, India’s stand-in skipper Rohit Sharma came across a teary-eyed Sri Lankan cricket fan Mohammed Nilam in India. Nilam had just found out that his father was suffering from cancer. He had been a long-time admirer of Rohit, and it was Rohit who paid for air tickets and gave some money in order to make sure that the son could be with the ailing father soon. Rohit had also promised a visit to Nilam’s home in Colombo.

On Friday, Rohit completed his promise. In order to make sure that nobody knows about his celebrity benefactor’s visit, Nilam had not even informed his family.

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During an interview with the Indian express, Sharma said, “I know him (Nilam) for many years now. He has cheered for me for so long now. I still remember he was crying a day after the Test in India, telling me how his father was not feeling well. These are the people who make who we are today. They are the ones who pray for you, they stand beside you in your bad times.”

He further added, “I had told him in December that if I come to Sri Lanka this March for series, I will come to his house to see his father. Today, I could feel the happiness they got seeing me.”

It was Sachin Tendulkar’s super fan Sudhir Gautam, who first found about the condition of Nilam’s father, and passed the message to Rohit. Talking about the same, Nilam said, “Rohit is a clean-hearted guy. I still remember the day when I got a call from my family that my father is not feeling well. Frankly, I didn’t have any money then and didn’t know anyone else also in India. The last moment flights are expensive, so Rohit got to know from Sudhir and he called me to the hotel. He handed me the tickets and money. Who will do this in today’s time?” 

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Whenever India’s play in the Island nation, Nilam says his loyalties remain with Rohit. It’s not just Rohit’s batting that has attracted him but the simplicity and good nature which makes him different from others.

Speaking of his loyalty towards Rohit, Nilam said, “It’s not that only Rohit knows me in the Indian team, I know everyone but everybody knows that my loyalty towards Rohit is more than other players. If Sudhir is known as Tendulkar fan, I was known as Rohit’s number one fan.”