Mirpur: India’s batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, who got his landmark 100th international century against Bangladesh here Friday, ended all speculation about his immediate retirement saying he would carry on playing international cricket as long as he enjoys the game.
“When I think of retirement I will not hide it. Don’t worry about it. I will carry on as long as I enjoy it,” said Tendulkar.
Having waited for just over a year to get the 100th international ton, Tendulkar said it has been a tough phase for him. The joy, however, was short-lived as India lost the match despite Tendulkar’s 114.
“I can’t think of anything at this stage. It has been a tough phase for me. I started off the season batting reasonably well, batted well in Australia without much luck. It doesn’t really matter how many hundreds you score, in the end you have to put your head down and grind it out for the team,” said Tendulkar.
Tendulkar said may a times during the last year he felt frustrated at not getting the milestone.
“I am a human being and I will be honest. Many a time I was frustrated and it does play on your mind,” he said.
When someone pointed out that he has turned every stone thrown at him into a milestone, Tendulkar said: “The 100th ton was tough but I don’t play for milestones. I just play for the love of the game. The process that started way back in 1989 is still continuing. I still make mistakes after more than 20 years of playing international cricket.
“It was testing time for me and I thank god for whatever has come my way. I don’t take things for granted. Whatever score I am batting on, I don’t take things for granted. You have to be on your toes. I have to execute the plans of my team. The century was not the only thing that was playing in my mind. I avoided looking at the scoreboard and personal score but kept a track of the run rate.”
It took him 138 deliveries, one of the most arduos one-day efforts by the 38-year-old right-hander, to get to the 100 that had become as much a talking point as the team’s fortunes in the past 365 days.
The diminutive batsman, the most successful batsman in internationla cricket right now, kept it subdued.
He shook hands with Suresh Raina, his partner at the other end, and raised his bat to acknowledge the cheering fans with a straight face giving little insight into what was going on his mind amid the drama.
But the teammates in the dressing room were as expressive as they could be as they all got up from their seats to applaud the veteran as he added another feather to an already overcrowded cap.
However, reaching the milestone was no easy task for the player who often makes batting look effortless. After getting what several former cricketers called a monkey off his back, Tendulkar was dismissed by Mashrafe Mortaza. The 114-run knock was incidentally Tendulkar’s maiden century against Bangladesh.
Upon his dismissal, the Bangladeshi players expectedly gave him a round of applause as he walked back to pavillion with fans cheering him on. His Indian teammates and coach Duncan Fletcher received him at the boundary lauding the iconic player.
But what would be remembered is the wait that Tendulkar endured to get to the milestone. (Agencies)