India great Sachin Tendulkar will bring the curtain down on an illustrious international career after his 200th Test against West Indies next month.
The Little Master has lit up cricket both at home and abroad since his international debut in 1989 as a fresh-faced 16-year-old, going on to become the all-time leading run-scorer in Tests and one-day internationals.
But Tendulkar, who retired from one-day internationals in December last year, announced yesterday that the two-match series with the West Indies on home soil will be his last involvement in Tests.
It promises to be an emotional affair for the 40-year-old, who is widely regarded as the greatest living batsman and whose record-breaking achievements in his 198 Tests and 463 ODIs arguably outweigh those of any other player in the history of the sport.
He will bow out of the game as the only player to register 100 international centuries and his record of 15,837 runs in Tests – which is more than 2,000 more than nearest rival, fellow great Ricky Ponting – at an average of 53.86 will surely never be surpassed.
But reaching the 16,000-run landmark against the Windies will prove an alluring target for Tendulkar, who will be aiming to end his career on a high note.
Tendulkar feels he will struggle to adjust to life beyond the game.
But he was typically humble in a short statement.
“All my life, I have had a dream of playing cricket for India. I have been living this dream every day for the last 24 years. It’s hard for me to imagine a life without playing cricket because it’s all I have ever done since I was 11 years old,” he said.
“It’s been a huge honour to have represented my country and played all over the world. I look forward to playing my 200th Test match on home soil, as I call it a day.
“I thank the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket) for everything over the years and for permitting me to move on when my heart feels it’s time. I thank my family for their patience and understanding.
“Most of all, I thank my fans and well-wishers who through their prayers and wishes have given me the strength to go out and perform at my best.”
His announcement has not come as a surprise to most observers, given his poor international form over the last couple of years. Indeed, Tendulkar has not reached three figures in 21 Test matches since an innings of 146 against South Africa in Cape Town in January 2011.
Nevertheless, that should not detract from an illustrious international career that began when he was just a teenager against Pakistan in Karachi in November 1989.
BCCI president N. Srinivasan led the tributes to Tendulkar, hailing him as “the greatest cricketer India has produced”. He said: “He is without doubt the greatest cricketer India has produced. In fact one should really say he ranks among the top of all-time great sports persons in the world”.