MUMBAI — Sachin Tendulkar struggled to hold back the tears as he soaked up the unconditional veneration of an Indian crowd for the last time when the sun set on the master batsman's glittering 24-year career at the Wankhede Stadium here Saturday. After his side completed the formalities of an easy victory over West Indies, Tendulkar collected a stump as a memento and slowly made his way through a mobile guard of honor formed by his teammates, head bowed and struggling to hide his emotions. As television coverage broadcast images of a huge banner in the stands proclaiming “Legends Never Retire,” the 40-year-old Tendulkar shook hands with opposing players and staff before climbing the stairs leading to the dressing room. Tendulkar later returned with his wife Anjali, daughter Sara and son Arjun to make a moving and humble farewell speech at the presentation ceremony before completing a lap of honor on the shoulders of his teammates. Tendulkar gave a passionate speech in which he thanked everyone who helped him over his long career, holding a list of names to ensure he did not miss anyone. “All my friends settle down, let me talk. I will get more and more emotional,” he said, his voice almost drowned by chants of “Sachin, Sachin” reverberating around his hometown stadium. “It's getting little difficult to talk but I'll manage.” A solemn Tendulkar spoke for more than 20 minutes as the 32,000-strong crowd listened intently with hands folded as if in prayer and eyes moist with tears. A day after the anniversary of his international debut against Pakistan in Karachi in 1989 as a mop-haired 16-year-old, Tendulkar finished his career as the sport's most prolific international run-scorer. “My life's been between 22 yards for 24 years and it's hard to believe that such a wonderful journey is coming to an end.” Tendulkar then went on to thank his parents, relatives and friends who had helped him grow over the years but made special mention of wife Anjali, elder brother Ajit and coach Ramakant Achrekar for their support. A perfect role model for the country's youth and the sport worldwide with his impeccable image on and off the field, Tendulkar offered a rare glimpse into his fiercely private family life through the speech. “The most beautiful thing happened to me in 1990 when I met my wife Anjali,” Tendulkar said, addressing his wife as she wept uncontrollably. “I know Anjali being a doctor, there was a wonderful career in front of her. “When we decided to have a family, Anjali took the initiative to step back and say that ‘you continue with your cricket and I will take responsibility of the family'. “Without that, I don't think I would have been able to play cricket freely and without any stress. “You are the best partnership I've had in my life.” He thanked Ajit for “living the dream together with him” and coach Achrekar for “taking him around town on his two-wheeler” to play matches in his early years. He also thanked his senior cricketers, doctors, sports officials and the media before moving his attention to the crowd. “Time has flown by very quickly, but the memories will remain with me forever, especially the ‘Sachin, Sachin',” he said, prompting the crowd let out the chant once more. After a lap of the ground, he went out to the pitch alone, bent down to touch it with his right hand and then touched his eyes and forehead in a traditional Indian sign of reverence before moving back to the pavilion. Such was India's dominance that Tendulkar was only required to bat once in his final Test, scoring a stylish 74, but he did get to bowl a couple of overs on Saturday to at least play an active role in his last day of duty. Responding to chants of “We want Sachin, We want Sachin” from the packed stadium, India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni tossed the ball to Tendulkar, who delighted his home fans with a brief bowling cameo in his 200th Test match. The regular bowlers returned to finish off a match that will be largely forgotten as a contest but remembered as a fitting farewell for a man who may be small in stature but cast a giant shadow of greatness over cricket in India and beyond. Tendulkar said he had a simple message for his teammates and all those aspiring to represent the country when Dhoni presented him with the special cap to mark his farewell. “I feel all of us are so fortunate and proud to be part of the Indian cricket team, serving the nation,” Tendulkar added, seeking to pass the baton on to the next generation. “I know you will continue to serve the nation in the right spirit, the right values. “Each generation gets this opportunity to merely take care of this sport and serve it to the best of our ability.” “It's been an emotional one month for us starting from the day he announced his retirement,” Anjali told a channel beaming the match live. “Sachin is very good at hiding his emotions so we don't really know what's going on in his mind.” Anjali said the retirement had not been planned for long. “He had always said he would retire the day he felt he could not give his best and he just came up to me one day and said that the time had come for him to retire,” she said. FACTBOX Brief scores of the match: West Indies 182 (Kieran Powell 48; Pragyan Ojha 5 for 40) and 187 (Shivnarine Chanderpaul 41, Denesh Ramdin 53*; Pragyan Ojha 5 for 49, Ravichandran Ashwin 4 for 89) lost to India 495 (Cheteshwar Pujara 113, Sachin Tendulkar 74, Virat Kohli 57, Rohit Sharma 111*; Shane Shillingford 5 for 179) by an innings and 126 runs. Man-of-the-Match: Pragyan Ojha. Man-of-the-Series: Rohit Sharma. — Agencies Born on April 24, 1973, in Mumbai. Made his Test debut against Pakistan as a 16-year-old, becoming the youngest Indian Test player. A year later, he hit his maiden Test hundred in England. Has played the most Tests (200), scored the most Test runs (15,921), One-Day International runs (18,426), and compiled the most Test centuries (51) and one-day hundreds (49). Has also taken 46 wickets in Tests and 154 wickets in ODIs. Had two unsuccessful terms as India captain, the first aged 23 in 1996 before being axed 17 months later after his batting suffered. He was reappointed in 1999 but stood down after a 3-0 Test series rout in Australia the following year. Tendulkar was named player of the 2003 World Cup, scoring a record 673 runs to help India reach the final, where it lost to Australia. In the next year, he equaled compatriot Sunil Gavaskar's world record of 34 Test hundreds while compiling 248 not out, his highest score, in Australia. Named Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1997. Surpassed West Indies' Brian Lara as the highest Test run-scorer in 2008. Lara had scored 11,953 runs before he retired from international cricket in 2007. Became the first batsman to score 200 runs in ODIs, against South Africa in Gwalior, India in February 2010. He finished on 200 not out off 147 balls with 25 fours and three sixes. Became the first batsman to score 100 international centuries after stroking a single off left-arm spinner Shakib Al Hasan in an Asia Cup one-dayer against Bangladesh on March 16, 2012. Announced his retirement on Oct. 10, 2013. Played his 200th and final Test match against West Indies at the Wankhede Stadium, his home ground, in Mumbai from Nov. 14, 2013. Played his final innings of 74 on Nov. 15, the 24th anniversary of his international debut against Pakistan in Karachi. The 40-year-old walked off the field for the final time on Nov. 16, 2013 after India beat West Indies. — Reuters
