MIRPUR: A phenomenal century of hundreds under his belt, iconic cricketer Sachin Tendulkar is in no mood to consider retirement as he feels going out on top is a “selfish thought”.
Tendulkar struck his 100th international century in an Asia Cup match against Bangladesh on Friday, ending a year-long wait to get to the milestone which might remain unsurpassed.
But the 38-year-old is not even thinking about bidding adieu to his over two-decade long career just yet.
“My belief is that if I feel I can contribute, I am mentally there where I feel I am bringing value to the team then I should be playing. It’s a very selfish thought that when you are at the top you should retire,” Tendulkar told Times Now.
“When you are at the top, you should serve the nation. When I feel I am not in a frame of mind to contribute to nation, that’s when I should retire not when somebody says. That’s a selfish statement that one should retire on top,” he explained.
Responding to the criticism against him that he was playing only for the milestone, Tendulkar said, “There are certain people I respect and there are certain people I don’t respect. So I don’t get affected by ones I don’t respect, they have there opinions, it doesn’t matter much they remain where they are.”
“I don’t bother much about them. Let them be where they are. I have got a bigger job of playing for India, score runs and win matches for India and I focus on that job instead of reacting to what they are saying,” he retorted.
Cent per cent commitment
“There is one thing I can put my hand up and say that I am 100 percent sure about my effort and commitment. If they were lacking, then there would have been a question mark but in those areas in my book, I scored 100 out of 100,” Tendulkar told reporters on Saturday.
Felt like Federer
Tendulkar said that at one level, he could find a connect with Roger Federer considering the his wait for the World Cup was just like tennis legend’s wait for his elusive French Open title.
“I don’t know obviously what Federer had gone through but I am sure it was tough. I would not compare my 100th century with the French Open, rather it would be the World Cup. I had to wait 22 years and that wait was much longer.”
Favourite centuries
Asked about some of his favorite centuries, he doesn’t take much time to answer “Perth.” He had scored 114 at Perth in 1992.
“Something that means a lot to me is the hundred at Chennai (against England) in 2008. That was really really important to me because of what had happened before that (26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai). Then, the first 100 (at Manchester), 136 in Chennai (against Pakistan) and 241 against Australia at Sydney.”
Tendulkar cited the innings of 200 not out in the ODI against South Africa at Gwalior as one played with tremendous pain.
“A specific innings that comes to my mind is when I got that double century (against South Africa) at Gwalior. I remember before that game I was lying on the physio’s table, getting various treatments and my whole body was in trouble.”
Tendulkar recollected how he was completely exhausted after that innings.
“I was completely exhausted. I couldn’t even stand on that field, I was that exhausted physically and mentally. To deal with injuries is not easy and at my age, it becomes even more difficult and that was the case even before I played that game. I went to the ground and forgot all about that.
His highest Test score of 248 is incidentally against Bangladesh and Tendulkar recalled a funny anecdote from that particular innings.
Funniest incident
“Possibly the funniest incident of my life took place in that match. I was batting with Anil and while taking a run and passing him, I told him “keep an eye on the second run.” And while taking the second one, I saw that the throw was good and I stopped and Anil ran, and the keeper missed.
“I returned to my crease but because I was going for the second run, Anil kept running. Twice, we actually ran in the same direction and on atleast three occasions, we were about to get out but we did not and we had a good laugh.” (Agencies)