It’s been more than a decade since master-blaster Sachin Tendulkar retired from the international circuit. But nobody knows his emotions while playing for the country last time.
Recently during the 50th anniversary of Wankhede stadium, Sachin revealed the fight he goes through internally while playing his last match in his home ground, he said,
“When it was my turn to bat, I had fought all those emotions and walked out to bat. The West Indies team showed a lot of respect. All the spectators gave me a wonderful reception. My eyes were moist, but I had to show focus. And later had to bat, too. But just before the last over, I saw my mother’s close-up on the mega screen. Then they went to Anjali, then my kids. All my family members. I doubted whether the director or the one instructing the cameraman and broadcaster inside had a West Indian passport. It wasn’t helping my emotions. Because he was acting in favour of the West Indies. He was playing with my emotions.”
Tendulkar scored 74 runs in his last match which was against West Indies and India won the match by an innings and 126 runs. He batted only in the 1st innings and was unable to get a chance in the 2nd innings. After his departure the fans shouted ‘Sachin-Sachin’ into the stadium and he was seen teary eyes at the end.
In that match, Rohit Sharma scored a brilliant 111 runs while Virat Kohli scored 57 runs. Cheteshwar Pujara also got a brilliant ton and made 113 runs.
Rohit was also present in that celebration, along with Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and Ajinkya Rahane. The Indian skipper also revealed the Indian strategy for the upcoming Champions Trophy.
Sachin also further added that how he made request to BCCI for playing his last test match in his home ground, he added
“Before the series was announced, I got in touch with the president of the BCCI, Mr. Sreenivasan, and made one request. I said I wanted my last match to take place in Mumbai for one reason. In all these years – I played 24 years for India and some more before that. So, almost 30 years in total – my mother had never seen me play. And back then, my mother's health was such that she wasn't able to travel. She wouldn't have been able to get to a venue other than Wankhede.
So I requested that I have a last wish – my mother should be here and see why I left home for 24 years. And very graciously, BCCI accepted it and kept the match here. And that match, in fact, was a very emotional moment for me. Because after all these years, it was the last time for me. It's never going to happen again.”
He is one of the greatest batters that the world has seen and to his credit he scored 34,357 runs in international circuit and got 100 hundreds and 164 half-centuries. Still the record for most runs and hundreds is carried with him despite him taking retirement in 2013.
Sachin Tendulkar profile credits: ESPNcricinfo.com