Tendulkar ends ODI career
India great Sachin Tendulkar has announced his retirement from one-day internationals.
The 39-year-old right-handed batsman scored 49 centuries among his 18,426 runs in 463 ODIs, each of those figures being a world record. His format best of 200, versus South Africa at Gwalior in 2010, was another until team-mate Virender Sehwag beat it last year.
Tendulkar, who retires with an average of 44.83, made nought on his ODI debut against Pakistan in December 1989, a month after his Test bow. His last ODI was also versus Pakistan, during March in the Asia Cup win that saw his 96th format fifty.
Known as the ‘Little Master’, Tendulkar aided India’s 2011 home World Cup triumph and registered his landmark 100th international hundred in his penultimate ODI - against Bangladesh in March.
“I feel blessed to have fulfilled the dream of being part of a World Cup wining Indian team," Sachin Tendulkar said in a BCCI statement
An occasional bowler, predominantly with leg-spin, he took 154 ODI wickets with his best return 5-32 versus Australia at Kochi in 1998.
Tendulkar, whose only Twenty20 international was in 2006, remains available to India in Tests but has chosen to allow the team to build toward their World Cup defence in 2015.
He spoke to Board of Control for Cricket in India president Narainswamy Srinivasan before announcing his decision in a statement on the governing body’s website.
“I have decided to retire from the one-day format of the game,” it read. “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. 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.”
Tendulkar’s announcement comes soon before India play three ODIs versus Pakistan and then five against England.
By his high standards, Tendulkar struggled in the recent Test series loss to England with a first-innings 76 in the third game at Kolkata his only score above 13. India’s next Test assignment is four matches at home to Australia in February and March.
