I am a great admirer of yours from day 1. Just to share with you, I am a keen Sportsman and I have always admired you, be it on the field or off the field. Just because apart from being an excellent sportsman, you have always kept yourself above everything including dirty politics that we are seeing today and other aspects responsible for down trend in level of maturity etc in all form of sports.
That is why no wonder that true sportsmen always respect you for what you are. Whether you are with them or on the opposite side, it doesn't matter. You have earned their respect by leading from the front and being a great friend and mentor to those who have been submitting to you with an open mind and being a great student irrespective of their age and socio-economic status.