Tributes pour in

December 24, 2012 12:30 am | Updated November 17, 2021 11:01 am IST - Bangalore:

With Sachin Tendulkar announcing his retirement from ODIs, players past and present paid glowing tributes to him.

V.V.S. Laxman: “I am sure Sachin has thought this through and we must respect his decision. It was an absolute treat to play alongside him in the one-day format.

“I have very fond memories of the century he made against Australia in Sharjah when I was at the non-striker’s end. He redefined the art of opening the innings in one-day cricket, and what was amazing was the consistency with which he continued to score over a period of 23 years and more than 460 matches.”

Rahul Dravid: “Sachin’s has been a phenomenal career. If you look at the statistics, his greatness becomes even more evident in the sheer volume of runs he has scored and the huge gap between him and the next batsman. To bat consistently at the top-order and the aggressive manner in which he did that is a staggering achievement.”

Anil Kumble: “It will be tough to see an Indian (ODI) team list without Sachin's name in it. He has made the decision and there must have been a sense of relief for him.

“He changed the way batting was approached in ODIs especially after he started opening. And he was good as a bowler, if a left-hander came in, he will bowl off-breaks, if a right-hander came in, he will bowl leg-spin, if there is dew then he will bowl seam-up and that’s Sachin for you.”

Javagal Srinath: “It was an absolute pleasure to watch him bat in ODIs. He changed the way ODIs were played right from the time he opened in a match in New Zealand in 1994.

“He was the one who infused aggression into the game and you can say that he was a game-changer. It was a privilege to share the dressing room with him. The good thing is that he will still play Tests.”

Mohammad Hafeez, Pakistan captain: “He is a legend. We all should feel sad for that (ODI retirement). As a cricketer I personally and we as a Pakistani will really miss him.

“We all love him as a player, as a nation (Pakistan) we love him, he is a great entertainer, he is a legend and the talent he has got is exceptional and we wish him the very best in whatever he wants to do in the future. I feel sad, he dominated for the last two decades but we have to respect his decision.”

Venkatesh Prasad: “Against New Zealand in 1994 the team was looking for someone, and Tendulkar, still so young, offered to take up so much responsibility.

“The rest is history. The New Zealand attack was blown away by a rampant Tendulkar. His 49-ball 82 in Auckland remains one of the pivotal efforts of his ODI career.”

Mohammed Kaif: “Waqar Younis was on a hat-trick having dismissed Sehwag and Ganguly at Centurion in 2003. As I walked in, he said to me ‘be calm and stay focussed.’ There was a lot of chatting from the Pakistanis but I survived the hat-trick ball.”

PTI reports from Mumbai

Sourav Ganguly: I felt that he might have played the series against Pakistan. But it is his decision and I think it is the right.

“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.”

Krish Srikkanth: “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.

Dilip Vengsarkar: “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.”

Hashim Amla: “Conclusion of a sterling ODI career from a wonderful batsman. Congrats Sachin Tendulkar.”

Arjuna Ranatunga: “He has figured greatly with runs in the longer version of cricket. I think he has played a little bit more in the longer version. I know, he feels he is good enough to play in the longer version in order to achieve the milestone of 200 Tests.”

W.V. Raman: “Obviously an era has come to an end as he has chosen to make a quiet exit from one day scene. It is not a surprise in a way because he has minimised his appearances in the last couple of years. Obvious his enjoyment factor would have diminished.”

Kevin Pietersen: “Statistics NEVER lie! They tell a very true story.. Well done Sachin! What an incredible ODI career..,” he tweeted.

Sharad Pawar: “Greatest batsman of all time & my good friend Sachin Tendulkar retires from One day cricket. Thank you for making India so proud.”

Sunil Gavaskar: “I think he really cares for Indian cricket. May be whatever he saw, read and heard might have prompted him to make a call. But I feel, he knows his body well.”

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