Tendulkar may quit ODIs before retiring from Tests

By IANS

New Delhi : Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar has said that he may stop playing One Day Internationals (ODIs) before retiring from Tests as the shorter version put a lot of pressure on the body.


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“If I do quit, it will be from ODIs first,” Tendulkar told NDTV in an interview in Kolkata Tuesday.

Refuting rumours of his retirement, he said: “I don’t know where the rumours about me retiring after the Lords ODI against England started. I did not say anything, I spoke to my wife Anjali and she told me this news had started back home, I never said anything.

“I just had to focus on the game at hand. People were saying this is my last game in England, that may be possible, but certainly not my last One Day International,” the legendary batsman said.

He was in Kolkata to promote Sunfeast Open Tennis tournament as a brand ambassador of Sunfeast, a brand of ITC Foods.

“Test cricket is more challenging. One Day cricket puts a lot of load on the body, but if I make a decision I will let everyone know. At this stage I don’t know, but One Day cricket puts a lot of pressure and there are more chances of injury, so One Day cricket is what I may stop playing before Tests,” Tendulkar said when asked about his future plans.

Tendulkar said he had a great time watching India’s thrilling victory against Pakistan in the Twenty20 World Championship.

“Greatly enjoyed the bowl out versus Pakistan. The three stumps suddenly looked narrower. Harbhajan, Uthappa and Sehwag did a fantastic job and I especially enjoyed Uthappa’s reaction,” he said.

Asked about the poor umpiring decisions against him on the England tour, he said: “It’s part and parcel of the game. If the relationship between the players and umpires is good, the game moves forward. The umpire actually came and apologised to me, that was very nice of him, how many guys walk up and say they are sorry.”

“The fact that I missed the opportunity to score six hundreds on the England tour is definitely there at the back of my mind, but what’s more important to me is that India won on those occasions. Hundred is only important if India wins, and for me the excitement was there because we won.”

The master blaster said the best compliment he had ever received was from Sir Don Bradman, who had said that Tendulkar’s style of play was similar to his own style.

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