'I told BCCI these 2 matches are going to be my last': Tendulkar reveals conversation with board ahead of farewell Test
Tendulkar recently revealed that ahead of his farewell series, he had spoken to the BCCI and urged the board to agree to his ‘only request’.
It’s been over 8 years since Sachin Tendulkar played his final match for India, but looking back at it, his parting visuals still make his fans emotional. Tendulkar called time on his 24-year-long illustrious career in November of 2013 after completing 200 Test for India, finishing with over 33,000 international runs and 100 centuries.
Tendulkar played his final Test in his hometown of Mumbai, a match that was attended by celebrities. He scored 74 in his final innings and once Mohammed Shami picked up the last wicket, the entire stadium and million on their TV sets got up to give their beloved son a fitting farewell. As en emotional Tendulkar struggled to hold back tears, he paid a last visit to the pitch and paid his respects.
Besides it being Tendulkar’s last match, another reason behind the Master Blaster getting emotional was the fact that for the first time in his career, his mother was in the stadium to watch him play. Tendulkar recently revealed that ahead of his farewell series, he had spoken to the BCCI and urged the board to agree to his ‘only request’.
“When I was about to play my last match, I told the board… the BCCI, that these two games are going to be my last but my only request and my wish is that I play my last game in Mumbai so that my mother could come to the stadium and watch. So they graciously agreed to host the last game in Mumbai and that’s the only time she has seen me play live in 24 years,” Tendulkar told Graham Bensinger.
“It was unbelievable. I was batting. They showed her on that mega-screen and she wasn’t aware of it. And the whole stadium is watching her reaction. I was anyway emotional, and in those emotions, you need to stay focussed. That was an important over, the last six balls but what I saw on the mega-screen was equally important.”
Tendulkar revealed how during his entire career, no one from his family watched him play live, barring his brother Ajit.
“It started from my school days. I kind of hated anyone watching me live. So my brother would hide somewhere behind a tree and watch me the whole day. So my brother has seen every match of my life. So he would watch me and prepare his notes and we would be discussing that. Also, my brother kind of told all the family members that nobody is going to go and watch him. He has to perform… he has to score runs and if he is going to be distracted with family members, that is not going to work,” revealed Tendulkar.
