Time waits for no one but it did stand still precisely at 11:47 at
Wankhede Stadium on Saturday. Sachin Tendulkar was finally saying
goodbye to cricket, with never-before-seen tears on his face. The West
Indies only hastened Tendulkar's swansong by some poor cricket as the
Caribbeans lost by an innings and 126 runs for the second straight time
in this hurriedly arranged series. But the Mumbai Test has been all
about Tendulkar's farewell and it was time to say a big thank you to the
'God' of cricket for entertaining the world with 24 years of
extraordinary cricket. (Also read: PMO announces Bharat Ratna for Sachin Tendulkar)
The
Master Blaster finally ends with a total of 34357 runs in international
cricket and 15921 runs in Tests. These numbers, in all likelihood will
never be replaced. (Also see: Pics: Emotional Sachin battles past tears!)
There were already many moist eyes and choked voices on Friday after Tendulkar walked back to the pavilion scoring 74 runs. On Saturday, there must have been countless more as a visibly emotional Tendulkar walked into the shadows of folklore. He has after all been a great ambassador of the sport and touched the lives of a billion people. He has been the single biggest inspiration to Indian cricket over three generations after making his Test debut against Pakistan on November 15, 1989.
In
his final appearance on the cricket field on Saturday, the
quintessential team man Tendulkar walked to the middle, uprooted a
stump, hugges MS Dhoni and joined his fellow players who too were
clearly battling back tears as they gave a guard of honour to the
maestro. It was time to bid the legend a formal goodbye as Wankhede rose
on its feet and chanted "Sachiin, Sachiiin" for one last time. Their
hero made it a point to thank everyone who helped him build a successful
career. (Read his full message here)
Dhoni
too raved Tendulkar and his experience of having played in his final
Test. "It was the biggest match in cricket history and one we will never
witness again," said Dhoni. Opposition skipper Darren Sammy too was
overawed by the occasion. "Indian fans have set a benchmark in how to
treat a champion," he said at the post-match ceremony.
As
Mohammad Shami scalped the final wicket, every single Tendulkar fan in
the stands, and on the field, stood as one to bid adieu to Tendulkar.
Today, Team India did not have eleven players - it had a billion. And
the signboard at Wankhede read: You will always be remembered!
The
Master Blaster finally ends with a total of 34357 runs in international
cricket and 15921 runs in Tests. These numbers, in all likelihood will
never be replaced. (Also see: Pics: Emotional Sachin battles past tears!)There were already many moist eyes and choked voices on Friday after Tendulkar walked back to the pavilion scoring 74 runs. On Saturday, there must have been countless more as a visibly emotional Tendulkar walked into the shadows of folklore. He has after all been a great ambassador of the sport and touched the lives of a billion people. He has been the single biggest inspiration to Indian cricket over three generations after making his Test debut against Pakistan on November 15, 1989.
In
his final appearance on the cricket field on Saturday, the
quintessential team man Tendulkar walked to the middle, uprooted a
stump, hugges MS Dhoni and joined his fellow players who too were
clearly battling back tears as they gave a guard of honour to the
maestro. It was time to bid the legend a formal goodbye as Wankhede rose
on its feet and chanted "Sachiin, Sachiiin" for one last time. Their
hero made it a point to thank everyone who helped him build a successful
career. (Read his full message here)Dhoni
too raved Tendulkar and his experience of having played in his final
Test. "It was the biggest match in cricket history and one we will never
witness again," said Dhoni. Opposition skipper Darren Sammy too was
overawed by the occasion. "Indian fans have set a benchmark in how to
treat a champion," he said at the post-match ceremony.As
Mohammad Shami scalped the final wicket, every single Tendulkar fan in
the stands, and on the field, stood as one to bid adieu to Tendulkar.
Today, Team India did not have eleven players - it had a billion. And
the signboard at Wankhede read: You will always be remembered!
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