Sachin Tendulkar played his 200th and final Test match against West Indies on November 15, 2013. PHOTO: BCCI
He gave this speech at the cricket stadium in Mumbai after India beat West Indies by one innings in his last match.
After the match, Tendulkar collected a stump as a memento and, wiping tears from his eyes, he slowly made his way off the field for the last time while his teammates gave him a guard of honour.
“I would be witnessing cricket and cricket will always stay in my heart,” he said, expressing his passion for the sport in his presentation ceremony speech.
"It is hard to believe this wonderful journey is coming to an end," the 'Little Master' stated while talking about his cricket career.
"My dream was always to play for India," he said, adding that it was an honour for him to serve the nation.
The cricket legend also expressed his gratitude to his parents and his siblings. He mentioned the advice his father once gave him: “Chase your dreams but make sure you don't find shortcuts.”
He also revealed that his first cricket bat was presented to him by his sister.
The legend thanked the Mumbai Cricket Association, Board of Control for Cricket in India, senior cricketers, his coaches, doctors, physiotherapists and his management team.
Facts about the cricket legend
• The ‘Little Master’ is the most prolific international run scorer in cricket history, who retired from all forms of cricket on Saturday.
• Born on April 24, 1973, in Mumbai.
• Made his test debut against Pakistan as a 16-year-old, becoming the youngest Indian test player.
• A year later, he hit his maiden test hundred in England.
• Has played the most tests (200), scored the most test runs (15,921), one-day international runs (18,426), and compiled the most test centuries (51) and one-day hundreds (49).
• Has also taken 46 wickets in tests and 154 wickets in ODIs.
• Had two unsuccessful terms as India captain, the first aged 23 in 1996 before being axed 17 months later after his batting suffered. He was reappointed in 1999 but stood down after a 3-0 test series rout in Australia the following year.
• Tendulkar was named player of the 2003 World Cup, scoring a record 673 runs to help India reach the final, where they lost to Australia.
• In the next year, he equalled compatriot Sunil Gavaskar's world record of 34 test hundreds while compiling 248 not out, his highest score, in Australia.
• Named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1997.
• Surpassed West Indies' Brian Lara as the highest test run-scorer in 2008. Lara had scored 11,953 runs before he retired from international cricket in 2007.
• Became the first batsman to score 200 runs in one-day internationals, against South Africa in Gwalior, India in February 2010. He finished on 200 not out off 147 balls with 25 fours and three sixes.
• Became the first batsman to score 100 international centuries after stroking a single off left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan in an Asia Cup one-dayer against Bangladesh on March 16, 2012.
• Announced his retirement on Oct 10, 2013.
• Played his 200th and final test match against West Indies at the Wankhede Stadium, his home ground, in Mumbai from Nov 14, 2013.
• Played his final innings of 74 on Nov 15, the 24th anniversary of his international debut against Pakistan in Karachi.
• The 40-year-old walked off the field for the final time on Nov 16, 2013 after India beat West Indies.
• Was awarded the first Star Sports Believe Trophy by the Chief Executive Officer of Star Network.
View our slideshow of the cricket legend here:
Goodbye, Little Master!
COMMENTS (35)
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@Rakib
Nothing needs to be said after your comments.
@Rakib
Couldn't say it any better. His greatness lies in his never wearing it on his sleeve, it is all about how people felt about him. And you painted it so vividly.
Not to take anything away from Mr Tendulkar or minimize his achievements, but title "Little Master" belongs to Hanif Mohammad. Hanif scored 337 runs in second inning against West Indies when Pakistan was facing an inning's defeat and saved the day for Pakistan. By the way batsmen did not wear any helmets or other additional protection; they were only allowed shin pads and gloves.
Well said Rakib. Not being arrogant after achieving all this is the biggest quality of Sachin.
Dear Pakistanis, Guys love him not for his game , but for his character and his humility. Its very hard to keep your heads down and be so humble after the calibre of success he has attained. Really a great sportsman and what achievements. And let me also mention Indians are very wise in identifying their heros, dont think its the same here in Pakistan, else likes of Shoaib Akthar would have not been neglected. What a star performer for Pakistan but a bigger following for in in India when he played for KKR as he says.
People need to learn to give respect where its due.
If he was only a cricketer he would have been respected, not loved like this. The Tendulkar mystique lies not only in records he broke or created. His magic lies in the way he is adored for being what he is: he is the well behaved son any mother would fuss over, a disciplined humble kind that any fond father would want his own son to grow up in to,a curly-haired little brother that a sister would love, a friend that all would want to have, above all, kind of man that many would have wanted to be.. He was not the distant one perched on Olympian heights. As he did the impossible he gave the feeling that all that he did was doable by all for after all wasn't he just one of us, like us, the lad next door who could as well be part of our family? From the humblest to mightiest all identified with him in some way. Whether he was the greatest or rarest is not even the issue. He is Our Boy, and that made him the beloved of the nation.
Sachin followers should look at his number of matches which are extremely high and his total runs are not proportionate, plus Sachin was never a match winner or man of crisis who could bat under pressure.I will definitely give him credit for his batting class ans style.
Why so jealousy Pakistanis??? Give respect where it is due.....Have you ever seen Indians making fun of Wasim Akram,Waqar Younis,Saqlain Mustaq calling them low grade bowlers just because they are Pakistanis????
Pakistanis should also remember that the only player who gave neck to neck competition to Sachin Tendulkar was Saeed Anwar because he became too much involved in religion.....Maybe that will give them a better understanding of how they need to groom their future batsman......
BTW,noone can surpass the record of Shahid Afridi,not his quickest hundred but the number of times he has announced retirement from international cricket
@Zinda Quom:
Little master’ is just a flat wicket bully with no understanding of cricket at all
I agree with you sir, all the understanding is with our players like ajmal. It is not without reason ICC allowed him bend his elbow by more than 20 degrees or so. Not to forget afridi -does any one realise the technicalities behind chewing a ball. It comes only after years of understanding the game.
@Zinda Quom: as a pakistani what understanding do u have other than bombings and killings......lol :)
After crying yesterday watching the Google partition ad, I cried today as well hearing his speech :(
@PakPatriot:
Wish u knew English.. ET has mentioned '24th anniversary of Sachin's 1989 debut' @ Karachi vs Pakistan. And you were taking shots at ET for their data accuracy. Tch.
@Zinda Quom: You spelt your name wrong. It is not Zinda Quom. it is Jahil Quom.
@zaid hamid: Dream boy dream big
@Baloch Insafian: Please calm down and don't be jealous. This is his moment and he has earned it. Beside he is best in his generation, he is most humbled person on earth. He is a true role model for our kids. Tell your kids to follow him not those who have better average than him.
To all the Pakistanis who think Sachin is just another batsman, the number of runs he has scores is more than the number of square feet in Pakistan or more than the number of runs the entire Pakistan team has scored
'Little master' is just a flat wicket bully with no understanding of cricket at all. This entire stunt was just to force him to retire otherwise he would have clung on for another 25 years.
if someone can match his ODI record then that is Virat Kohli but his test record is here to stay. Farewell Sachin but got bored by his very long speech.
A record hard to beat, a passion hard to emulate, and personality hard to hate..... A legend hard to forget.
and the Legend will live on forever in the hearts of cricket lovers from all across the globe. The world looked on with amazement for 24 years the creation of Allah performing at his best. Billions of eyes followed every move, stroke and stride he made between the 22 yards. No batsman can ever weave the magic in those 22 yards like Sachin did. A world of thanks to Sachin for treating us to the grandest feast ever in the world of cricket.
OK but Pakistan has produced better batsmen. Sachin stands nowhere in front of paki batsmen.
You will be missed Sachin
dear Sachin u will b missed :(