Sachin Tendulkar retires from one-day cricket

Sachin Tendulkar, Indian cricket legend, has announced the end of his illustrious career in one-day-international (ODI) cricket, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has said.

“I have decided to retire from the one-day format of the game,” said Tendulkar in a statement released on Sunday.

“I feel blessed to have fulfilled the dream of being part of a World Cup winning Indian team (in 2011).”

“I am eternally grateful to all my well-wishers for their unconditional support and love over the years.”

The 39-year-old Indian batsman is the world’s top run-getter in one-day cricket, with 18,426 runs from 463 matches at an average of 44.83 with 49 centuries and also holds the record for scoring the highest runs in Test cricket.

Also known as the Little Master, Tendulkar was the first batsman in the history of the one day game to score a double century.

Growing speculation

But the 39-year-old has limited his one-day appearances in the last three years to prolong his Test career, and since India’s World Cup triumph on home soil 20 months ago he has only played in only 10 matches, all in February-March this year.

In his second-to-last one-dayer, against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup, he made 114 to become the first player to achieve 100 international centuries, but since then has not scored another century in either one-dayers or Tests, amid growing speculation that he might retire from international cricket altogether.

Tendulkar made his announcement as national selectors were considering the team for the limited-overs home series against Pakistan starting on Tuesday.

Former India skipper Krishnamachari Srikkanth said Tendulkar’s records can never be matched.

“I am surprised by his move but he is leaving ODI cricket on a high. I am sure he will want to leave on a high in Test cricket also. He will be looking forward to a good Test series against Australia,” he said.

“His records cannot be surpassed.”

Former captain Sourav Ganguly said: “I felt that he might have played on, but it is his decision and I think it is right.

“There was a doubt on whether he would play ODI cricket or not. But I am not surprised by his decision. He has done what he thought was right.”

Tendulkar is widely regarded as one of the greatest batsmen of the game, next only to Sir Donald Bradman. 

The batting legend was nominated into the Rajya Sabha, India’s upper House of Parliament, in June this year.