He is disappointed that SachinTendulkar is just two Tests away from quitting international cricket but Indian
skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Saturday said he is happy as well to see the
celebrated veteran go out on his own terms.
Tendulkar, 40, is expected to play
his 199th and landmark 200th Test match against the West Indies next month and
the matches are scheduled for November 6-10 and 14-18.
He would then bid adieu to cricket
as the holder of a plethora of world records, including the only batsman to
score 100 international hundreds. “I knew it [retirement] was coming, I am
quite happy for him, for the kind of illustrious career he has had, for the
time he was at the top throughout his career. For 23 years or so he was always
at the top,” said Dhoni at the mandatory pre-match press conference here ahead
of Sunday’s first ODI against Australia.
“He had to carry the expectations of
so many Indians. At times the Indian fans set very high level of expectations.
To bear with all of that and to come up with the performances that he came up
with is fantastic. “I think at the moment we would rather enjoy the two Test
matches to the fullest. It will give me an opportunity to see a house full Test
match I have seen big crowds coming in. But it’s one chance I will see a
houseful crowd hopefully in both the venues and if I am not able to then in the
next 25-30 years I don’t think I will see a houseful Test match,” Dhoni added.
Dhoni lauded the way Tendulkar, who
made his Test debut at the age of 16 against Pakistan in 1989, shouldered the
burden of expectations right through his glittering career. “…when you are top
batsman for your side for a considerable period of time, everyone scrutinises
your performance, when you score or not score runs,” Dhoni said.
“I think there was plenty he had to
deal with apart from cricket, cricket of course was his passion. He had to deal
with so many things that go around it. If you see all of that I think he has
had a fantastic career,” said Dhoni. While Dhoni was happy that Tendulkar would
be retiring on his own terms, he felt that there would be a feeling of
emptiness among cricket fans. “He had a few injuries too and from whatever
interaction I have had the rehabilitation was far more painful than the injury.
I am very happy he had such a fantastic career and also for the fact that he
retired on his own terms.
“At the same time at some corner of
your heart there is a feeling that you won’t see him playing for the
international team or any form of cricket. That’s the only thing I am
disappointed about.” Saying that Tendulkar’s retirement spells the end of an
era, Dhoni said he had learnt many things from the batting great and one of
those was how to target a bowler in ODIs. “
Of course it will be an end of an
era. We all know that when he started playing cricket in ’89 I was 8 years old.
To remember what happened in 83-84 it’s difficult. But closer to 90s in the
past we can relate to what happened “To point out that this is the particular
thing I learnt from him is very difficult.
I think in the opportunities I got
to bat with him I learnt to read the game,” he said. “Especially in the ODIs in
the time I spent (with him) I learnt how to target a bowler, what to do and how
to do at that point of time. I think that’s something that has really helped
me. There are plenty of other things I learnt from him but a press conference
will be too short a time to explain all of that,” he added…
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