Tendulkar announces retirement from ODIs
Sachin Tendulkar. -File photo by AFP
NEW DELHI: Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar on Sunday announced his retirement from international one-day cricket after scoring a record-breaking 49 centuries in the 50-over format.
The 39-year-old is the world’s top run-getter in one-day cricket, with 18,426 runs from 463 matches at an average of 44.83.
“I have decided to retire from the one-day format of the game,” he said in a statement.
“I feel blessed to have fulfilled the dream of being part of a World Cup winning Indian team (in 2011).
“I am eternally grateful to all my well-wishers for their unconditional support and love over the years.”Tendulkar, who is also the highest scorer in Tests, said that he was quitting to allow the Indian selectors to build a team for the 2015 World Cup which is being held in Australia and New Zealand.
“The preparatory process to defend the World Cup in 2015 should begin early… I would like to wish the team all the very best for the future,” he said.
Tendulkar, who has been dubbed the “Little Master”, made his one-day debut aged 16 in Gujranwala on a tour of Pakistan in 1989. He lasted just two deliveries before being dismissed by Waqar Younis without scoring.
But in what turned out to be his last two one-day innings, during the Asia Cup in Dhaka in March, he made 114 against Bangladesh to record his 100th international century and then scored 52 against Pakistan.
He played in six World Cups since 1992 and finally found success in his last appearance in the tournament when India defeated Sri Lanka in the final in Tendulkar’s home city of Mumbai on April 2, 2011.
He was carried off the pitch at the end of the game on the shoulders of his team-mates.
Tendulkar was two months away from his 37th birthday when he smashed the first-ever double century in the history of one-day internationals, making an unbeaten 200 against South Africa in Gwalior in February, 2010.
It was unclear if he will continue to play Test cricket, where he has scored a record 15,645 runs in 194 matches at an average of 54.32 with 51 centuries.
Former India skipper Krishnamachari Srikkanth said Tendulkar’s records can never be matched.
“I am surprised by his move but he is leaving ODI cricket on a high. I am sure he will want to leave on a high in Test cricket also. He will be looking forward to a good Test series against Australia,” he said.
“His records cannot be surpassed.”
Former captain Sourav Ganguly said: “I felt that he might have played on, but it is his decision and I think it is right.
“There was a doubt on whether he would play ODI cricket or not. But I am not surprised by his decision. He has done what he thought was right.”
India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh also paid tribute to the record-breaking batsman.
“Master. 463 matches, 23 yrs, 18426 runs !!!! These numbers no body else will be able to come close to. salute salute salute to sachin,” he tweeted.
Tendulkar was part of a famed Indian middle order which included Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Venkatsai Laxman – all of whom have now retired from all levels of the game.
His announcement on Sunday comes only weeks after Ricky Ponting, second only to Tendulkar in the list of highest run scorers in Test cricket, played his last match for Australia.
Tendulkar is also the star batsman for the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL), a domestic Twenty20 tournament.
OMG..Indians got something to talk about now….hope this farewell stories of Tendulkar will not continue another decade….in Indian media.
Thanks God finally a selfish player from Indian team is gone. Hopefully it can now win more series outside of India now as some new player who plays for Indai rather then himself replaces him.
people only see records,performances etc etc….SRT is not just a cricket player.he is the sign of indian unity.from assam to rajasthan,from J&K to tamil nadu,or rather in the whole world. he is the symbol of india growing as a nation in cricket revenues.
He has mesmerised cricket lovers and even the maestros,like sir don bradman.he saw many good cricketers but he told his wife he’s the one batting like he did in bradman era.any reward/accolade/honour is the honour of cricket,dedication and honesty.if his batting lets people forget their woes,he is someone special.he is the mumbai methuselah…the pied-piper of india.him winning the world cup was his high.i personally feel he has at least one year of cricket left in him.we will need him in the south african tour later in 2013,what our young india can do…we all saw recently.it is gross misdemeanor when the insane media asked him to retire…for what?-their own TRPs? I liked his 98 against pakistan in 2003 world cup the most
we will miss u sach…………….
dear tendulkar sahib,you are a cricket genius, you have played enough cricket, you earned a lot, you helped the cricket and its fans. BUT now please search for the GOD. i hope that you will find the real GOD. because life hereafter (after death) should be enjoyed as well.
His batting has been an inspiration. His humility …. even bigger …. awe inspiring.
alas….master blaster retired from odis…out of his 49 odi tons, i think i have at least watched 30,and innumerous 50s or less scores….my favourite inns of his was 98 vs pak in sa in 2003 world cup,playing under tremendous pressure…he delivered!
I wish all the best to one of the best in the history of the cricket. Hopefully Indian cricket board will give him a chance to serve as a coach or a manger if desires to do so.
The greatest ever batsman and a perfect gentleman and an ambassador of the game. He played with grace and sportsmanship.
His greatness can be gauged from the fact that Sir Don Bradman himself acknowledged him greatness and Australian govt bestowed “order of Australia” on him. Which Asian got this reward before ? and how many batsmen get a standing ovation in Australia ?
He left a legacy that all the Genuine cricket lovers will miss, nevermind narrow-minded unsporting hatemongers who themselves of nothing that can even come close to Sachin’s greatness.
• I have watched a lot of Tendulkar and we have spoken to each other a lot. He has it in him to be among the very best: Sir Garfield Sobers.
• He is 99.5 per cent perfect. I’d pay to see him: Viv Richards.
• I saw him playing on television and was struck by his technique, so I asked my wife to come look at him. Now I never saw myself play, but I feel that this player is playing much the same as I used to play, and she looked at him on Television and said yes, there is a similarity between the two… his compactness, technique, stroke production… it all seemed to gel: Sir Donald Bradman.
• Technically he stands out as the best because of his ability to increase the pace at will: David Boon.
• There is no shame being beaten by such a great player, Sachin is perhaps only next to the Don: Steve Waugh.
• If I’ve to bowl to Sachin, I’ll bowl with my helmet on. He hits the ball so hard: Dennis Lillee.
• I’ll be going to bed having nightmares of Sachin just running down the wicket and belting me back over the head for six. He was unstoppable. I don’t think anyone, apart from Don Bradman, is in the same class as Sachin Tendulkar. He is just an amazing player: Shane Warne.
• Don’t bowl him bad balls, he hits the good ones for fours: Michael Kasprowicz.
• He is a perfectly balanced batsman and knows perfectly well when to attack and when to play defensive cricket. He has developed the ability to treat bowlers all over the world with contempt and can destroy any attack with utmost ease: Greg Chappell.
• He’s a phenomenon. We have to be switched on when he plays allow him no boundries, for then he doesn’t stop: Mark Taylor.
• Tendulkar is the most complete batsman I have stood behind. I saw the hundred in Perth on a bouncy pitch with Hughes, McDermott and Whitney gunning for him — he only had 60-odd when No 11 came in. I’ve seen him against Warne too: Ian Healy.
• I still think Tendulkar is the best batsmen in the world ahead of Steve Waugh and Lara: Glenn McGrath.
• He is currently the best batsman in the world: Sir Gary Sobers.
• There’s no doubt about it. He is the best: Tony Grieg.
• Technically, you can’t fault Sachin. Seam or spin, fast or slow — nothing is a problem: Geoffrey Boycott.
• West Indian great Brian Lara said Sachin Tendulkar was a peerless batsman with a lot more to offer. Lara said: “For me, the best batsman in the world is Sachin Tendulkar.
• “Cricketers like Sachin come once in a lifetime and I am privileged he played in my time,” said Pakistan legend Wasim Akram.
Comment from dennis lillee was the funniest
(The pitches will never produce such matchless timber, a ball and a footwork relation again.
Bye dear Sachin.)
A book is not enough to describe your teen age life, dedication and your services in cricket sports.
May be we can see your style of batting ever. A rhythmic talking of timber with ball that ran
all over the ropes. Ahh… miss you a lot..
An era of a man pure from controversies, non cricketing shorts, slogging, reverse sweeps, switch hitting
and played every classical short at their best level.
You are leaving the grounds and the pitches are going to be barren in lost of your foot works. You have stolen the hearts and today sorrows occupy
the hearts of cricket lovers.
Our ears will never listen such a precise sound from your bat in chilled weather of London.
There is no doubt batsmen from new generation make you role model as you made them mad.
To give you a tribute I have no word to explain. For a glance, we will never ever see a straight batting player like you and future innings will never knock the doors of your batting level.
I wish you a happy and healthy life forever. And I Pray you will get your rhythm back in white dress form of cricket.
He will be missed…
Yeah. Great loss for Indian cricket. Other cricket playing nations wonder how India keeps producing quality batsman and Pakistan produces quality fast bowlers.
It is because youngsters in pakistan grow up watching the likes wasim akram, imran khan and sohaib akhter, where in india, youngsters grow up watching sachin, gavaskar and them…
Take a bow SRT. Marks the end of an era
Time and tide waits for none and that includes you dearest Sachin. Over a career spanning approx 25 years you outshone everyone in the world of cricket and set high and lofty standards of excellence. Despite the countless number of ups and downs it is your astounding achievements that stand out. Time to bid good bye and I do so with a heavy heart. Thanks for all your contributions to Indian cricket. You will always remain my favourite cricketer and will be sorely missed.
sachin tendulkar has left a vacuum in indian cricket.i have never seen such a cricket loving player who played with courage,determination,devotion and honesty.