Sachin Tendulkar's words of encouragement for Rio-bound boxer

Shiva Thapa, the only Indian boxer to have qualified for the Rio Olympics so far, got words of encouragement from none other than cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar.

Tendulkar, replying to a question asked by Thapa in a Twitter chat, wished the 22-year-old the very best for his second Olympics.

"Firstly, all the very best for the Rio Olympics. We are with you. We are supporting you. Don't think about the pressure. Just think about the process, results will follow," said Tendulkar.

"You have to stay positive and enjoy the game. Pressure is going to be there but if you try and live in the present, then pressures will take care of themselves. Good luck," he added.

Tendulkar was responding to a flurry of questions from fans on Twitter. "I am going to my second Olympics at Rio. How did you handle pressure when you played for India at World Cup?" Thapa had asked.

The world No 6 Thapa won the bantamweight silver at the Asian Qualifiers in Qian'an, China to qualify for the Olympics in August.

Former India captain Anil Kumble and former England captain Michael Vaughan also had questions for Tendulkar.

While Kumble asked him when they could plan a trip together to a wildlife sanctuary, Vaughan asked Tendulkar whether the ball he bowled to him was the ‘greatest delivery’ he had ever faced.