Sachin Tendulkar retires from ODIs

One of the game's all-time greats, Sachin Tendulkar, on Sunday announced his retirement from one-day cricket, bringing to an end a glorious 23-year-old career in the format during which he rewrote numerous batting records.

"I have decided to retire from the One-Day format of the game. I feel blessed to have fulfilled the dream of being part of a World Cup wining Indian team. The preparatory process to defend the World Cup in 2015 should begin early and in right earnest," the 39-year-old said in a statement released by the BCCI today.

"I would like to wish the team all the very best for the future. I am eternally grateful to all my well wishers for their unconditional support and love over the years," he added.

Tendulkar, considered the most complete batsman in modern cricket and one who was considered next only to the legendary Sir Donald Bradman, retires from the ODI format at the top of the run-getters' list.

Tendulkar goes out after amassing 18,426 runs in 463 one-dayers at an average of 44.83. The diminutive right-hander has an astonishing 49 hundreds in the format, including a double hundred -- the first in this form of the game.

Tendulkar made his ODI debut against Pakistan way back in 1989 and interestingly he is quitting the scene just ahead of another series against the arch-rivals.

The Mumbaikar, who made himself unavailable for Twenty20 after playing just one game in 2006, will now remain active in only the Test arena.

The brightest moment of his ODI career came last year when he finally became part of a World Cup winning Indian team after five previous appearances.

Only Sachin Tendulkar can decide when to retire - Sir Viv Richards

India's record run scorer has struggled in the series against England, failing to reach double figures four times, prompting suggestions he should retire.

"Nobody is qualified enough to tell him when they think he should go," Richards told BBC Radio Shropshire.

Tendulkar is the highest-scoring batsman of all time and holds the records for the most centuries in both Tests and one-day internationals. Earlier this year, one month short of his 39th birthday, he became the first player to score 100 international centuries .
In October, Tendulkar admitted for the first time he was considering retirement, saying he would decide his future on a "series-by-series" basis.

And Richards believes a player of his achievements should be able to continue as long as he wants.
"When you're retired, you're retired for a very, very long time," said Richards.
"It's like being dead to some degree, so while you're alive and still up for it and still enjoying what you're doing, to me that's what it's all about."

Richards says he understands why Tendulkar might want to play on, recalling his own decision to retire, three years after returning to county cricket with Glamorgan in 1990.
"I wanted to go out with a bang," said Richards, who helped Glamorgan win the Sunday League in 1993 and has fond memories of his swansong.

"To have gone to Glamorgan at that time and to have helped to generate that spirit about what collective competition is all about and having success at the very end of it, it was a proper send-off."

Wrong to speculate on Sachin Tendulkar's future: MS Dhoni

As calls for Sachin Tendulkar's retirement got stronger, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni said Wednesday that it was wrong to speculate on the batting maestro's future.

"When it comes to Sachin, I feel the best thing to do is not to speculate. He has proved everybody wrong throughout his career. But I am not Sachin Tendulkar, maybe when he comes for press conference you will have to ask him," Dhoni said on the eve of the fourth and the final Test here against England.

As India gear up to prevent a series defeat, Dhoni said Tendulkar's presence in the dressing room in such a situation means a lot to the team.

"He's the best man to have in the side in a game like this. The kind of experience he has and the kind of performances he has come up with over the years... he is someone we all look up to," Dhoni said.

Sachin Tendulkar presented with Order of Australia membership

Veteran cricketer Sachin Tendulkar was on Tuesday conferred with the membership of the Order of Australia (AM) for his service to India-Australia relations by promoting goodwill, friendship and sportsmanship through the sport.

The award was conferred on the 39-year-old master batsman by the Australian Arts Minister Simon Crean here. He was presented with a medal and a cricket stump.

Tendulkar became only the second Indian after former Attorney General Soli Sorabjee to get the honour.

Sorabjee was made an Honorary Member of the Order of Australia (AM) "for service to Australia-India bilateral legal relations" in 2006.

Tendulkar is the fourth non-Australian cricketer to be made an Order of Australia AM, the other three being West Indian legends -- Brian Lara, Sir Garfield Sobers and Clive Lloyd.

Lara was made an honorary member in 2009 while Lloyd was conferred with the award way back in 1985. Sir Garfield Sobers got the award in 2003.

Tendulkar is considered as one of the greatest batsman the game has ever produced with more than 30,000 international runs under his belt. He has scored 15,533 runs in 190 Tests besides a mammoth 18,426 runs in 463 ODIs.

Australia minister Simon Crean said Tendulkar deserved the honour.

"From the heart of the game in London to the streets of Mumbai and throughout the world, cricket unites people from many cultures. Cricket is Australia's national game and one that we share a great love of with India. Our two countries embrace the game like nowhere else.

"Today I am proud to have this opportunity to honour a great sportsman, a great cricketer, a philanthropist, and someone who has inspired a generation - Sachin Tendulkar," Crean said.

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard had announced the honorary AM for Tendulkar when she visited India last month.

"As the first batsman in international history to score 100 hundreds earlier this year Sachin Tendulkar's record is second to none. Today we are honouring not just what he has done on the field of play, but also what he has done off it," Crean said.

"Along with his cricketing prowess, Sachin has contributed substantially to philanthropy and supports a range of charitable causes as well as sponsoring over 200 underprivileged children each year.

"He is a global ambassador and role model for cricket, for sport and for social responsibility and a worthy recipient of this honour," he added.

First trip to Australia changed me as a cricketer: Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar, who was today conferred with the Order of Australia, said the first trip Down Under way back in 1991-92 changed him as a cricketer and pointed out that the Aussies had a role in his transformation into a "tougher" player.

"It (the 1991-92 tour of Australia) completely changed me as a cricketer. It was a critical moment of my career. Three and half months changed me completely.

"I thought I was ready to play against any attack in the world and I can say that Australia has had some contribution in that to transform me into a tougher cricketer," Tendulkar said after receiving the honour at a function.

He said the Aussies, who are known for their mental toughness, also appreciate quality performace.

"We all know Australians are fierce competitors but when you do well against them, they shower on you all the compliments. And that is what happened to me. I scored reasonably well and scored a couple of hundreds there (in the Test series).

"That (the Test rubber) was followed by the tri-series against the West Indies, another tough opposition", he said.

Tendulkar further said he dreamt of playing in Australia ever since he was a 12-year-old.

"The association with Australia started long time ago and not in 1991. To me it started way back in 85 when I was 12 years old watching those fantastic day-night matches on television. I started dreaming that one day I want to go there and play cricket. It turned into a reality in 1991-92," he said.

The 39-year-old batsman got nostalgic when he recalled the moment when he met Sir Don Bradman and admitted that he was very nervous.

"The most memorable trip to Australia was when I was asked to come and wish Sir Don on his 90th birthday. I was in the middle of a national camp in Chennai and the BCCI graciously agreed to send me.

Tendulkar recollected that he was tense prior to meeting the late Australian legend Bradman.

"I met Sir Don along with (Shane) Warnie. We both were so tense, we didn't know how to react. We were driving to his place thinking about what questions to ask him. I said it's your turn. You are an Australian you should know better. I told him you start and I will take over a little bit later", he said.

"But the moment we went there we were struck by his personality. We just stood beside him and allowed him to talk as much as we could because we wanted to hear him. Sir Don had said the standard of playing in cricket was better now.

"The natural question was what would you have averaged in today's cricket. He said maybe 70... The natural reaction was why only 70, why not 99.94, he said come on son it is not bad for a 90 year-old man. That trip was truly a memorable one," he said.

According to Tendulkar, outside India, he enjoys playing in Australia and Sydney is his favourite ground.

"It is a wonderful spot to play cricket. I have to say publicly that away from India, it is the best spot I have enjoyed playing cricket. And away from India, Sydney is my favourite ground.

"I think these two things are so dear to me and have left me with such fond memories, especially SCG where I got the opportunity to hold Sir Don's bat which he had used.

"It takes a step further in my liking for Australia and SCG. I have met so many Australians who have said Australia is going to thrash you but we want you to score a century."

He added that the 2007 tour was also a memorable one for him as he received standing ovation at each stadium.

"The 2007 trip was very special because wherever I went, whenever I went to bat, the entire stadium gave me standing ovation. It was touching, something which will always stay with me for the rest of my life.

"On a lighter note, a friend of mine asked how does it feel, I said it feels great but I laugh in my mind because they all feel this is my last trip to Australia. I am glad I was there again. After 2007, how I couldn't be there in Australia in 2011?"

Coming back to that maiden cricket tour to Australia some two decades ago, Tendulkar said, "One had to be there and experience how cricket is played down under.

"Then the mega event of the World Cup in 1992, we were there for a month. And the kind of atmosphere I saw there was truly fantastic.

Tendulkar further said that he will be there in Australia to play cricket or as a tourist on his next visit.

"Who knows I might be again going to Australia to play cricket or just as a tourist, because I love that spot."

On the home series against Australia, he said, "I know we will be playing a series in a couple of months, which will be closely fought and fiercely fought in the right spirit."

Considered the finest batsman in contemporary cricket, Tendulkar has amassed 15,533 runs in 190 Tests besides his mammoth 18,426 runs in 463 ODIs.