The cricket fraternity on Sunday paid glowing tributes to Sachin Tendulkar on his retirement from one-day internationals, saying that the record-breaking batsman’s feats cannot be surpassed.
Tributes started pouring in soon after the 39-year-old cricketer announced his decision to quit ODIs today.
“I felt that he might have played the series against Pakistan. But it is his decision and I think it is the right,” said Tendulkar’s long-time opening partner in ODIs, Sourav Ganguly.
“There was a doubt on whether he would play ODI cricket or not. But I am not surprised by his decision. He has done what he thought was right. I don’t think there was any pressure of selectors on him. It is his own decision. No one can drop him,” Ganguly added.
Former captain Kris Srikkanth said he was surprised by Tendulkar’s decision.
“I am surprised by his move but he is leaving ODI cricket on a high. I am sure he will want to leave on a high in Test cricket also. He will be looking forward to a good Test series against Australia.”
“He has always done well against Pakistan. But he always raises his bar on a good wicket against a strong attack. Be it in the 1992 World Cup against Pakistan or 2003, he did well against Pakistan in the 2011 World Cup also,” Srikkanth said.
“It is easy for us to say that he could have retired after the 2011 World Cup. He has got 100 centuries so he went to the Asia Cup. It is one thing that only few have achieved. His records cannot be surpassed,” he added.
Another former India skipper Dilip Vengsarkar said Tendulkar should have continued with ODI cricket.
“Actually I am surprised. If he is continuing with international cricket (Test) then he should have continued with ODI also. We play almost 25 ODIs in a season. It is very important to keep playing international cricket.”
“As long as he is playing Test match cricket or international cricket, he should have continued playing in ODIs,” Vengsarkar said.
Tendulkar, considered the most complete batsman in modern cricket and one who was considered next only to the legendary Sir Donald Bradman, retires from the ODI format at the top of the run-getters’ list with 18,426 runs in 463 matches.
“Masters 463 matches, 23 years, 18426 runs !!!! These numbers no body else will be able to come close to. Salute salute salute to Sachin,” tweeted teammate Harbhajan Singh.
According to Kirti Azad, Tendulkar has “obliged” Indian cricket by calling it quits.
“I think he has obliged Indian cricket by retiring. The god has ultimately decided,” Azad said.
“The selectors didn’t take a call. I think he was also tired of the selectors not taking a call on him. I am very happy that he has ultimately taken a decision at the right time,” he added.
Another former player Bapu Nadkarni said Tendulkar’s decision should be respected.
“His retirement was expected for some time now and he must be thinking that he is good enough for the five day scene, which is why he hasn’t retired from Tests.
“He is the best man to decide when to retire from other formats because he knows his body well. All this time people were asking when is he retiring? Now that he has announced his retirement from ODIs, people are asking why he has retired. I don’t understand the Indian people,” he said.
