 | News |
|
HOME | NEWS | BOLLYWOOD | MOVIES | CRICKET | DIWALI | HOROSCOPE | E-CARDS | COOKING | BABY NAMES | JOKES | E-MAIL ALERTS | ||
InDepth headlines national business sports cricket regional entertainment technology world travel autos health | in-depth coverage > Sachin Tendulkar > I am nowhere near the final stop yet: Sachin Tendulkar 21.38 IST 15th July 2007 By Agencies 
Sachin Tendulkar says his opting out of the inaugural Twenty20 World Championships does not signal a possible imminent retirement from other forms of the game as well, at least for the time being.Ever since India's disastrous World Cup campaign in the Caribbean earlier this year, there has been calls for Tendulkar to hang up his boots. With captain Rahul Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Anil Kumble and VVS Laxman also in the mid-30s, critics and former captains have stressed on the urgent need for blooding youngsters. And when Tendulkar, 34, along with Dravid and Ganguly, told the selectors that they should not be considered for the Twenty-20 Championships in South Africa in September, it prompted the media to debate about the end of an era. But the record breaking batsman himself says retirement is the last thing in his mind at the moment. "I have kept things very open. I don't want to divide my energies in various directions. I just want to focus on playing cricket," Tendulkar said in London. "I have not thought about where I might stop. I don't think it is the right time to think about that." Tendulkar dismissed the oft-repeated question about his slowing reflexes and difficulties against fast, short-pitched bowling, saying he was "more or less the same" batsman he was five years ago. "Obviously ... playing close to 400 one-dayers and 140 Test matches has taken its toll," he was quoted as saying. "After playing for 18 years, there are a few niggles, but you learn to deal with them. I am sure most players are not 100 percent (fit)." He also defended his record in recent years, which his detractors feel has been meagre without the big scores against Bangladesh. "It is probably the way people have looked at things. I think I have done reasonably well. Maybe the expectations are too high and unrealistic," he said. Tendulkar, leading the side in the absence of injured Rahul Dravid in the three-day match against England 'A', came to the rescue of his side with a majestic 171 at Chelmsford yesterday. His 63rd first-class ton helped the team recover from 65/4 and reach 383 in reply to the hosts' first innings total of 413/8 declared. Tendulkar, probably on his last tour of the Old Blighty, predicted a tough contest in the three-Test series and the seven ODIs that were to follow. He had high regards for Monty Panesar, the first Sikh to play Test cricket for England. "I have been watching Monty Panesar on TV, he is terrific," Tendulkar said. "He has done a fabulous job for England but it is going to take time for him to graduate to the next level and be regarded as one of the best of all time. But he surely has it in him." The Indian maestro recalled the left-arm spinner's dismissal of him in Nagpur last year. It was Panesar's debut Test and Tendulkar became his maiden scalp. "I signed a ball for him and wrote, 'Once in a blue moon'. I had to write something funny on the ball," he said. "We caught up in the West Indies when he joined us at lunch. He is a nice bloke." It’s not the riches or the records but the love for the game that keeps the world's richest cricketer going day after day. Tendulkar, now in his eighteenth year in international cricket says, ''I still play... because I still love the game.'' ''I would like to clarify this. It’s not about records. It’s about loving the game and enjoying being out there in the middle. That is extremely special to me and far bigger than breaking records or creating new ones. ''Creating records happens after you’ve gone on the cricket field, but you’ve got to find a reason to go on the cricket field, and for me the reason is very clear.'' The 'Master Blaster' already has multiple records like leading Test and ODI century scorer as well as the highest runs in ODI cricket in his name. He only requires six more runs to overtake Steve Waugh to come to the third position in the list of all time highest run scorers in Test cricket. ''From the age of three I’ve loved this sport and I’ve never thought about scoring the most number of centuries or runs in international cricket. Everyone enjoys breaking records, I’m enjoying it too, but that is not the reason for playing cricket.'' On what keeps him going even after almost two decades of playing, Tendulkar said ''When I started playing, I always wanted to be regarded as one of the best and the idea was that when I stopped playing, people would remember my name. Being regarded as one of the best players is always a good feeling, and that drives you, it refuels you completely. You want to be on top of your game all the time and push yourself harder and harder. There’s a huge responsibility and it is a great challenge. I love that,'' he added. Though Tendulkar knows the mood of one billion people depends on how the Indian team performs on the field, he remains unintimidated. ''So many people are watching you, so many people backing you all the time.'' ''The mood in the evening after a game [among the Indian public] depends on what you do. If you don’t perform well, people are upset and feel low. If you do well, along with other players, the whole nation is on a high and that is a great feeling. When you’ve done well, the team has won, it’s a special feeling.'' ''To be honest, I don’t think about all these things when I’m going in to bat, because when you go in to bat you’ve just got to be watching the ball. You must think about the game and not anything else. I try to work on that,'' Tendulkar replies. The perennial crowd-favourite cannot move around anywhere in the country without being mobbed by his fans, but he has learnt to live this way. ''It has become a kind of lifestyle for me. From the age of 16 I couldn’t move around freely. Now I am 34, so it is kind of a routine for me. We’ve got a few spots nobody knows about and that is quite nice. Spending time with my family helps me to recharge the batteries,'' Tendulkar added. About his preparations for the upcoming series against England, he said, ''I study all bowlers quite closely and have my own ways of working things out, but you always have to be on your toes. Whether it is Steve Harmison or Alastair Cook bowling, it just needs one good ball to get you out, and by the time you’ve realised it, it can be too late. It is all about planning. If you can out-think them, you’ve done a good job.'' About his future and goals, Tendulkar says, ''I have no regrets, absolutely none. I am a positive person, I like to have good memories, learn from my mistakes and move forward.'' in-depth coverage > Sachin Tendulkar > |
Marigold (Review) The Last Legion (Slideshow) Chak De India (Review) Ram Gopal Varma Ki Aag (Slideshow) Sachin Tendulkar makes Atherton eat his words Sachin Tendulkar joins 11,000 Test run club Sachin Tendulkar becomes third highest run-getter Sachin Tendulkar stills dreams about century at Lord's Tendulkar to go in Tests with confident frame of mind I am nowhere near the final stop yet: Sachin Tendulkar Sachin Tendulkar closes in on Waugh’s Test aggregate Aviva Life signs Sachin Tendulkar as brand ambassador I am unfazed by criticism: Tendulkar Sachin Tendulkar becomes first player to score 15,000 ODI runs Sachin's views on keeping Indian cricket at pace with times Tendulkar back into top twenty Entertainment Marigold : Movie Review When Salman and Ali Larter went Jet Skiing Ayesha Takia and Akshay Kumar in a supernatural thriller Sushmita Sen dating Dia Mirza's ex 'The Last Lear' selected for Toronto Film Festival |
