Sachin Tendulkar to retire after playing 200th Test

India's record-breaking batsman Sachin Tendulkar announced on Thursday that he would retire after playing his 200th cricket Test match next month.

"It's been a huge honour to have represented my country and played all over the world," Tendulkar, the highest run-scorer in the history of Test cricket, said in a statement.

"I look forward to playing my 200th Test Match on home soil, as I call it a day."

India is to play a two-Test series against the West Indies next month which would enable Tendulkar, who has already made 198 appearances, to become the first player to reach the 200 landmark.

Tendulkar, who made his Test debut in 1989, said that he found it hard to imagine life without cricket.

"All my life, I have had a dream of playing cricket for India. I have been living this dream every day for the last 24 years," said the 40-year-old.

"It's hard for me to imagine a life without playing cricket because it's all I have ever done since I was 11 years old."

The right-handed batsman is the only player to have scored 100 centuries in international cricket, including 51 Test tons.

Factfile

Full name: Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar

Right-hand batsman, right-arm spinner

Major teams: India, Mumbai.

Height: 5 feet, 5 inches (165.1 centimetres)

Career:

Tests:

Matches 198, Runs 15,837, Highest 248 not out, Average 53.86, Centuries 51, Half-centuries 67

One-dayers:

Matches 463, Runs 18,426, Highest 200 not out, Average 44.83, Centuries 49, Half-centuries 96

Twenty20:

Match 1, Runs 10, Average 10.00

World records:

- Most Test runs and centuries

- Most one-day runs and centuries

- Only batsman to score 100 international centuries

- Most World Cup runs (2,278)

- Most appearances in Tests and one-day internationals

- 1,000 or more Test runs in a calendar year six times: 1997, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2008, 2010

- 1,000 or more one-day runs in a calendar year seven times: 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2007

Key dates:

April 24, 1973 : Born in Mumbai

December 11, 1988 : First class debut aged 15 with a century

November 15, 1989 : Test debut v Pakistan, Karachi

December 18, 1989 : One-day debut v Pakistan, Gujranwala

August 14, 1990 : Maiden Test century v England, Old Trafford aged 17

December 10, 2005 : Overtakes Sunil Gavaskar's world record of 34 Test tons

October 17, 2008 : Overtakes Brian Lara as highest run-getter in Tests

February 24, 2010 : First batsman to score 200 in one-day cricket.

April 2, 2011 : World Cup winner with India

March 16, 2012 : Becomes only batsman to score 100 international tons.

Oct 10, 2013: Says he will retire from Test cricket after playing his 200th match.He has already retired from one-day and Twenty20 cricket.

AFP Sports picks Sachin Tendulkar's top five Test centuries in chronological order after the record-setting Indian batsman said on Thursday he will retire after playing his 200th Test next month.

- 119 not out v England at Old Trafford, August 1990

Tendulkar scored the first of his world-record haul of 100 international centuries as a 17-year-old in circumstances that would have tested the credentials of a Test veteran.

India were wobbling at 127-5 after being set 408 to win the second Test against England at Old Trafford, before the teenager defied the England attack for nearly four hours to help his team salvage a draw.

"I thought it came at the right time when India needed runs to save the game. The first century is always going to be memorable. It gave me the confidence," Tendulkar later told Indian magazine "Sportstar".

- 114 v Australia at Perth, February 1992

Tendulkar was still in his teens when he cracked a gem of a hundred on a bouncy Perth track against a lively all-pace attack comprising Craig McDermott, Merv Hughes, Paul Reiffel and Mike Whitney.

He hammered 16 fours in a magnificent display of strokemaking after being promoted in the batting order. India lost the match but Tendulkar won many a heart.

Among his admirers was legendary Australian batsman Don Bradman, who said the Indian reminded him of his younger days.

"It was a very important stage of my cricketing life. Australia was something special. Once you score runs in England and Australia, people in the world come to know about you, about what you have done," said Tendulkar.

- 111 v South Africa at Johannesburg, November 1992

India were struggling in unfamiliar conditions on their maiden tour of South Africa, but not teenager Tendulkar who showed his team-mates the way with an impressive hundred in the first innings of the second Test at Johannesburg.

He was the lone batsman to cope with the hostile pace attack, led by Allan Donald, as he batted for more than six hours and smashed 19 fours in a breathtaking display.

"I was thrilled making runs against South Africa. They had some big names and I was determined to come good. It was the beginning of their return to international cricket and they were trying hard as well," said Tendulkar.

- 155 not out v Australia at Chennai, March 1998

Tendulkar was involved in a fascinating duel with leg-spin wizard Shane Warne, who eventually came second-best in the battle of the superstars.

The Indian fell to Warne for four in the first innings, but made amends in the second with a strokeful 155 not out with four sixes and 14 fours to set up his team's victory.

The focus was also on Tendulkar's preparations. Days before the opening Test, he batted during practice sessions with a deliberate "rough" outside the leg-stump for the bowlers to replicate Warne's spin from round the wicket.

"Tendulkar has a touch of genius about him. But I wonder if people appreciate the amount of time he spends working on his game. Sachin plans well before every tour," Warne wrote in his book "Shane Warne's Century".

- 103 not out v England at Chennai, December 2008

In one of the most emotional moments in Indian cricket, Tendulkar masterminded a memorable win over England with an unbeaten 103 a few weeks after his home city of Mumbai was devastated by a series of attacks on November 26.

Set 387 to win on the penultimate afternoon, Tendulkar built on Virender Sehwag's brisk 68-ball 83 as India achieved the highest run chase on home soil and the fifth-highest in the history of the game.

The master batsman dedicated his century to the nation mourning the Mumbai attacks.

"Their loss can't be replaced, but I hope this win brings some cheer to those who lost dear ones in the attack," said Tendulkar.
 

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