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.
The India stumper 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 scrutinizes 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 happy that Tendulkar would be
retiring on his own terms, Dhoni felt that there will be a feeling of emptiness
among cricket fans.
“He had a few injuries to 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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