No one can tell me when to retire

MUMBAI, India: Sachin Tendulkar dismissed speculation of an imminent retirement while conceding that the pressure of chasing an unprecedented 100th international century had unnerved him.

"No one can tell me when to retire because those advising me about retirement did not bring me into the team," Tendulkar said at a function on Sunday to commemorate his century of centuries.

"I will decide when to retire."

Celebrating 100 international centuries ... Sachin Tendulkar returns to his home city of Mumbai on Sunday. Photo: AFP

There had been speculation that Tendulkar would announce his retirement, at least from one-dayers, after reaching the milestone, particularly as he had been limiting his participation in the 50-over format for two years.

Tendulkar, who was stuck on 99 centuries since last year’s World Cup, scored 114 in the Asia Cup against Bangladesh for his 49th ODI century this month, adding to his 51 in Tests.

"It was a tough phase [going for more than a year without a century] and there were times when I did not bat up to my expectations. But I never lost hope. Remember, I also waited for 22 years to win the World Cup. When I finally got the century, I asked God what I had done wrong, why did it take so long?" he said.

"I don’t play for records and I don’t know if my record will be broken and when. I only hope it is an Indian batsman who does it," said Tendulkar, who holds most major batting records including most runs in Tests (15,470 from 188) and one-day internationals (18,426 from 463) and most centuries in either format.

Tendulkar is also the first batsman to score a double-century in one-dayers. His record score of 200 not out against South Africa at Gwalior in 2010 was only recently broken by compatriot Virender Sehwag, who smashed 219 against the West Indies at Indore.

"I don’t need to prove anything to anyone. I only enjoy playing the sport as I have the passion and love for the game. My focus will always be only on enjoying the game. I always dreamed of being regarded as one of the top players of the game and when you reach there, you want to be right there with the group," he said.

Tendulkar said his priority would be Test cricket and that he would always cherish the fact that Sir Donald Bradman picked him in his all-time Test XI.

"There has to be more importance to Test cricket. This format is very challenging for which you need planning. You need to play at a different pace at different times. If you ask any player, most would tell you that Tests have to be No.1 and I have no different opinion," he said.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/tendulkar-no-one-can-tell-me-when-to-retire-20120326-1vt7b.html#ixzz1qBcJHvV8

Sachin Tendulkar finally hits 100th international century

Indian cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, treated like God by his fans, ended the long and tiring wait for his 100th international century on Friday at Dhaka'sShere Bangla National Stadium. 

Tendulkar, the leading run scorer in the history of both Test and one-day cricket, achieved the most-coveted ton by taking a single off Shakib Al Hasan against Bangladesh in Asia Cup. Tendulkar's century came off 138 balls and was studded with 10 fours and a six. 

The master blaster's 99th century had come against South Africa on March 12, 2011, at Nagpur during the World Cup. Friday's century was Tendulkar's 49th in one-dayers; he has 51 Test centuries. 

Tendulkar, who was left stranded on 99 international hundreds for a year and four days, played Test series against England, the West Indies and Australia. He also featured in the recently concluded triseries in Australia but his bid to become the first batsman to score 100 international hundreds remained unfulfilled, although he came close on a few occasions. 

Tendulkar has defied age and injury at every stage of his career. Whenever injuries threatened to stall his career, he pushed his body to the limit, and sometimes even beyond. Even the most threatening of all his injuries - the painful tennis elbow (in 2004) - couldn't break him. He cried out in agony, waited with hope for almost a year, tackled it with determination and ultimately conquered it like only he can.

In February 2010, Tendulkar became the first in world cricket to score a double hundred in one-day internationals, while in December 2010 he became the first to score 50 Test tons, both landmarks achieved against the best pace attack in world cricket - South Africa. 

Wisden, regarded as the bible of cricket, named Tendulkar as the leading cricketer in the world for the year 2010. 

In 2007, Wisden had identified Tendulkar as the player to have won such an award for 1998 - had it been instituted then. 

Tendulkar, who realised his long-cherished dream when India won the World Cup in April 2011, was also named in Wisden's 2009 Test XI, at his accustomed number four position. 

His passion for the game not only keeps him going, but also gives him the opportunity to reinvent himself. Each time he goes out on to the field he seems to be raising the bar for himself. 

Anxious Sachin Tendulkar looks for form

MIRPUR: The man is desperate, yet he hasn't lost his smile. 

More than the 100th century, it's his string of low scores that is bothering Sachin Tendulkar. That's why he was there at the Sher-e-Bangla Stadium practice nets on a day of optional training, along with Rahul Sharma and Yusuf Pathan. 

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He batted as if his life depended on it, but once out of the batting nets, didn't mind sharing a word or two with the young Bangladeshi practice bowlers or poking fun at Rahul Sharma's batting. 

In fact, the 15-odd minutes that Tendulkar bowled to Sharma was the most entertaining bit of the two-hour practice session. When the Little Master was batting, he hit the leggie out of the ground at least five times. Rahul probably said that he would return the compliment when his turn to bat comes. 

As the Punjab boy padded up and entered the net, Sachin took the ball, and started bowling his nicely tossed-up leggies. Sharma was out five times (twice bowled, skied the ball twice, and got stranded mid-pitch once) as Tendulkar laughed his heart out. 

"He was just chilling out. Sharma wanted to hit the big sixes but Tendulkar's guile was too much for him," a member of the Indian contingent told the TOI. 

But all that happened in the second half of the session. The first 70 minutes was all about the single-minded approach of the master to iron out the flaws that have crept into his batting of late due to a bad patch. 

The methodical Tendulkar, in fact, broke up the batting session into two halves. In the first half-an-hour, he tried to hit everything straight. Some of the sixes that he hit would fall in the second tier of the galleries if he hits like that during India's match against Bangladesh on Friday. 

"Off the pacers, he wanted a specific length. That's why he asked the bowling coach Joe Dawes, and the video-analyst Dhananjay to bowl at him while fielding coach Trevor Penny gave a few throwdowns," one of the practice bowlers present at the nets, said. It was Dawes' first day at office with the Indian team. Though none of the pacers were there, he enjoyed bowling to Tendulkar. "It was good fun bowling to Sachin. A very good beginning to my stint," Dawes told reporters. 

Once the pacers were done, it was down to Yusuf Pathan and Rahul Sharma. Tendulkar was severe on Sharma, playing some real big ones, while he tried a few innovative shots against Yusuf. One delivery even sneaked through his defences after hitting the inside-edge and the Master looked a little annoyed with himself. 

Coach Duncan Fletcher kept a close eye on the proceedings standing behind the net, and once Tendulkar was done with his batting, the duo had a long chat as Yusuf tried to get his pull right against the practice bowlers. "After the session, one of us told him to get the 100th hundred against Bangladesh. He just smiled," a nets bowler said.