Mumbai: The Wankhede stadium in Mumbai will host Sachin Tendulkar’s landmark 200th and final Test with the BCCI on Tuesday acceding to the legendary batsman’s wish to play his farewell match in front of his home crowd.
The BCCI’s Programmes and Fixtures committee, headed by Rajiv Shukla, chalked out the detailed schedule of the hastily-arranged series against the West Indies, comprising two Tests and three one-dayers to be held next month.
“Tendulkar had requested that the 200th Test match should be given to Mumbai, so that his mother could also watch the match. The BCCI president and BCCI thought about it and accepted it. Keeping that sentiment in mind, it has been allocated to Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai (scheduled from November 14-18),” Shukla told reporters here.
The Eden Gardens in Kolkata will host the opening clash of the series from November 6 to 10 and like Wankhede, gets an ‘out-of-turn’ Test match as according to the BCCI’s rotational policy, it was actually Bangalore and Ahmedabad’s turn.
“The committee decided to give the first Test match against West Indies to Kolkata,” he said.
Explaining the rationale to have the first Test in Kolkata, Shukla said, “Since both the Test matches are going to be important, it requires a bigger venue. A stadium which is large, that is why the first Test match has been given to Kolkata.””Sachin is a legend and if he has become a member of Rajya Sabha then he definitely has something to deliver. Otherwise, he would have never accepted this membership. I am sure that once he retires from the game, where he has a God-like stature, he will give more time to Parliament and will become an exemplary MP,” said the MP from Odisha. “Sportspersons take some time to adjust in Parliament as the proceedings are something new and strange to them but the interest develops gradually. I hope that he will raise sports related issues in the house,” Tirkey said. Mungekar noted that though Tendulkar is yet to speak in the house, everyone is in awe of his behaviour.
“Despite being a star, his approach, modesty, mannerism and simplicity is commendable. I am sure that he will show the same dedication and involvement in parliamentary work post retirement,” he said.
Tendulkar had begun his new innings as an MP with a detailed letter to the then Sports Minister Ajay Maken putting forward a plan to improve sporting infrastructure at the university level as well as identifying young talent in schools and colleges. He had hinted at concentrating on parliament work after retirement when he took oath as a member of Rajya Sabha.
“I am here because of my cricket career. I cannot take any focus away from my cricket. When I stop playing cricket, I don’t know, then I will start attending to other things,” he said. (PTI)