REUTERS
My life's been 22 yards for 24 years. It's hard to believe that wonderful journey is coming to an end. - Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar
MUMBAI: Sachin Tendulkar struggled to hold back the tears as he soaked up the unconditional veneration of an Indian crowd for the last time when the sun set on the master batsman’s glittering 24-year career today.
After his side completed the formalities of an easy victory over West Indies, Tendulkar collected a stump as a memento and slowly made his way through a mobile guard of honour formed by his teammates, head bowed and struggling to hide his emotions.
As television coverage broadcast images of a huge banner in the stands proclaiming “Legends Never Retire”, the 40-year-old Tendulkar shook hands with opposing players and staff before climbing the stairs leading to the dressing room. Tendulkar later returned with his wife Anjali, daughter Sara and son Arjun to make a moving and humble farewell speech at the presentation ceremony before completing a lap of honour on the shoulders of his teammates.
“All my friends settle down, let me talk. I will get more and more emotional,” he said, his voice almost drowned by chants of “Sachin, Sachin” reverberating around his hometown Wankhede Stadium. “It’s getting little difficult to talk but I’ll manage.”
A solemn Tendulkar spoke for more than 20 minutes as the 32,000-strong crowd listened intently with hands folded as if in prayer and eyes moist with tears. A day after the anniversary of his international debut against Pakistan in Karachi in 1989 as a mop-haired 16-year-old, Tendulkar finished his career as the sport’s most prolific international run-scorer.
He leaves the game after playing more Test matches (200), scoring the most Test (15,921) and one-day international (18,426) runs, and compiling more Test (51) and one-day (49) hundreds than any other player in cricket history. “My life’s been 22 yards for 24 years. It’s hard to believe that wonderful journey is coming to an end,” he said, going on to thank his family, friends and all the people associated with his career. A perfect role model for the country’s youth and the sport worldwide with his impeccable image on and off the field, Tendulkar offered a rare glimpse into his fiercely private family life through the speech.
“The most beautiful thing happened to me in 1990 when I met my wife Anjali,” Tendulkar said, addressing his wife as she wept uncontrollably. “I know Anjali being a doctor, there was a wonderful career in front of her. When we decided to have a family, Anjali took the initiative to step back and say that ‘you continue with your cricket and I will take responsibility of the family’. Without that, I don’t think I would have been able to play cricket freely and without any stress. You are the best partnership I’ve had in my life.”
Such was India’s dominance that Tendulkar was only required to bat once in his final Test, scoring a stylish 74, but he did get to bowl a couple of overs today to at least play an active role in his last day of duty. Responding to chants of “We want Sachin, We want Sachin” from the packed stadium, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni tossed the ball to Tendulkar, who delighted his home fans with a brief bowling cameo in his 200th Test match.
A crowd-pleasing wicket was not forthcoming but he did show off a full repertoire of deliveries, offering leg-spin, off-spin and an immaculate googly which tail-ender Shane Shillingford somehow fended away.
The regular bowlers returned to finish off a match that will be largely forgotten as a contest but remembered as a fitting farewell for a man who may be small in stature but cast a giant shadow of greatness over cricket in India and beyond.
Tendulkar said he had a simple message for his teammates and all those aspiring to represent the country when Dhoni presented him with the special cap to mark his farewell. “I feel all of us are so fortunate and proud to be part of the Indian cricket team, serving the nation,” Tendulkar added, seeking to pass the baton on to the next generation. “I know you will continue to serve the nation in the right spirit, the right values. Each generation gets this opportunity to merely take care of this sport and serve it to the best of our ability.”
In a fitting and final tribute, Tendulkar returned to the 22-yard strip of land that has defined his life and career to perform a ‘Dandavata’, an Indian form of respect requiring one to bow the forehead and stoop to touch the ground.
India maul West Indies
MUMBAI: India inflicted an innings and 126-run defeat on the West Indies on the third day of the second Test to give a fitting farewell to cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in his farewell and 200th Test at the Wankhede Stadium here on Friday.
As the West Indies resumed the day at 43-3 in the second innings, trailing India by 270 runs, it was just a matter of when India got the job done. The West Indies were all out for 187, five more than their first innings score. Pragyan Ojha was the man-of-the-match with five wickets in each innings. The moment of truth came when Mohammed Shami knocked off the stumps of No 11 Shane Shillingford and the sizeable crowd at the Wankhede erupted in joy.
Tendulkar, 40, rushed from the deep and grabbed the stumps. The full Indian team lined up on both sides of the pitch as Tendulkar walked down the track. He took off his hat and waved at the crowd.
FACTFILE
• Full name: Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar
• Born: April 24, 1973, Bombay (now Mumbai),
• Major teams: India, Asia XI, Mumbai, Mumbai Indians, Yorkshire
• Nickname: Tendlya, Little Master
• Playing role: Top-order
• Batting style: Right-hand bat
• Bowling style: Right-arm offbreak, Legbreak googly
• Height: 5 ft 5 in
• Education: Sharadashram Vidyamandir School
• Test debut: Pakistan v India at Karachi, November 15-20, 1989
• Last Test: India v West Indies at Mumbai, November 14-16, 2013
• ODI debut: Pakistan v India at Gujranwala, Dec 18, 1989
• Last ODI: India v Pakistan at Dhaka, Mar 18, 2012
• Only T20I: South Africa v India at Johannesburg, Dec 1, 2006
• Last Twenty20: Mumbai Indians v Rajasthan Royals at Delhi, Oct 6, 2013
• First-class debut: 1988/89
• Last First-class: India v West Indies at Kolkata, Nov 6-8, 2013
After his side completed the formalities of an easy victory over West Indies, Tendulkar collected a stump as a memento and slowly made his way through a mobile guard of honour formed by his teammates, head bowed and struggling to hide his emotions.
As television coverage broadcast images of a huge banner in the stands proclaiming “Legends Never Retire”, the 40-year-old Tendulkar shook hands with opposing players and staff before climbing the stairs leading to the dressing room. Tendulkar later returned with his wife Anjali, daughter Sara and son Arjun to make a moving and humble farewell speech at the presentation ceremony before completing a lap of honour on the shoulders of his teammates.
“All my friends settle down, let me talk. I will get more and more emotional,” he said, his voice almost drowned by chants of “Sachin, Sachin” reverberating around his hometown Wankhede Stadium. “It’s getting little difficult to talk but I’ll manage.”
A solemn Tendulkar spoke for more than 20 minutes as the 32,000-strong crowd listened intently with hands folded as if in prayer and eyes moist with tears. A day after the anniversary of his international debut against Pakistan in Karachi in 1989 as a mop-haired 16-year-old, Tendulkar finished his career as the sport’s most prolific international run-scorer.
He leaves the game after playing more Test matches (200), scoring the most Test (15,921) and one-day international (18,426) runs, and compiling more Test (51) and one-day (49) hundreds than any other player in cricket history. “My life’s been 22 yards for 24 years. It’s hard to believe that wonderful journey is coming to an end,” he said, going on to thank his family, friends and all the people associated with his career. A perfect role model for the country’s youth and the sport worldwide with his impeccable image on and off the field, Tendulkar offered a rare glimpse into his fiercely private family life through the speech.
“The most beautiful thing happened to me in 1990 when I met my wife Anjali,” Tendulkar said, addressing his wife as she wept uncontrollably. “I know Anjali being a doctor, there was a wonderful career in front of her. When we decided to have a family, Anjali took the initiative to step back and say that ‘you continue with your cricket and I will take responsibility of the family’. Without that, I don’t think I would have been able to play cricket freely and without any stress. You are the best partnership I’ve had in my life.”
Such was India’s dominance that Tendulkar was only required to bat once in his final Test, scoring a stylish 74, but he did get to bowl a couple of overs today to at least play an active role in his last day of duty. Responding to chants of “We want Sachin, We want Sachin” from the packed stadium, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni tossed the ball to Tendulkar, who delighted his home fans with a brief bowling cameo in his 200th Test match.
A crowd-pleasing wicket was not forthcoming but he did show off a full repertoire of deliveries, offering leg-spin, off-spin and an immaculate googly which tail-ender Shane Shillingford somehow fended away.
The regular bowlers returned to finish off a match that will be largely forgotten as a contest but remembered as a fitting farewell for a man who may be small in stature but cast a giant shadow of greatness over cricket in India and beyond.
Tendulkar said he had a simple message for his teammates and all those aspiring to represent the country when Dhoni presented him with the special cap to mark his farewell. “I feel all of us are so fortunate and proud to be part of the Indian cricket team, serving the nation,” Tendulkar added, seeking to pass the baton on to the next generation. “I know you will continue to serve the nation in the right spirit, the right values. Each generation gets this opportunity to merely take care of this sport and serve it to the best of our ability.”
In a fitting and final tribute, Tendulkar returned to the 22-yard strip of land that has defined his life and career to perform a ‘Dandavata’, an Indian form of respect requiring one to bow the forehead and stoop to touch the ground.
India maul West Indies
MUMBAI: India inflicted an innings and 126-run defeat on the West Indies on the third day of the second Test to give a fitting farewell to cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar in his farewell and 200th Test at the Wankhede Stadium here on Friday.
As the West Indies resumed the day at 43-3 in the second innings, trailing India by 270 runs, it was just a matter of when India got the job done. The West Indies were all out for 187, five more than their first innings score. Pragyan Ojha was the man-of-the-match with five wickets in each innings. The moment of truth came when Mohammed Shami knocked off the stumps of No 11 Shane Shillingford and the sizeable crowd at the Wankhede erupted in joy.
Tendulkar, 40, rushed from the deep and grabbed the stumps. The full Indian team lined up on both sides of the pitch as Tendulkar walked down the track. He took off his hat and waved at the crowd.
FACTFILE
• Full name: Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar
• Born: April 24, 1973, Bombay (now Mumbai),
• Major teams: India, Asia XI, Mumbai, Mumbai Indians, Yorkshire
• Nickname: Tendlya, Little Master
• Playing role: Top-order
• Batting style: Right-hand bat
• Bowling style: Right-arm offbreak, Legbreak googly
• Height: 5 ft 5 in
• Education: Sharadashram Vidyamandir School
• Test debut: Pakistan v India at Karachi, November 15-20, 1989
• Last Test: India v West Indies at Mumbai, November 14-16, 2013
• ODI debut: Pakistan v India at Gujranwala, Dec 18, 1989
• Last ODI: India v Pakistan at Dhaka, Mar 18, 2012
• Only T20I: South Africa v India at Johannesburg, Dec 1, 2006
• Last Twenty20: Mumbai Indians v Rajasthan Royals at Delhi, Oct 6, 2013
• First-class debut: 1988/89
• Last First-class: India v West Indies at Kolkata, Nov 6-8, 2013
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