Record-breaking Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar on Friday scotched speculation over his future in one-day cricket, saying he had no plans to retire as long as he was enjoying the game.
The master batsman, 39, on Wednesday opted out of India’s upcoming tour of Sri Lanka for a one-day series and a one-off Twenty20 match, leading to speculation over his one-day career.
Tendulkar said he skipped the Sri Lanka tour to spend time with his family.
‘It’s not about what XYZ thinks, it’s about what I feel and I feel as long as I am enjoying and I feel like being part of it, I’ll continue (playing one-dayers),’ Tendulkar told CNN-IBN news channel.
‘I think it (speculation over retirement) has been going on since 2006. It’s been six years now. I am enjoying cricket and as long as I am passionate about cricket it makes sense being part of team sport.’
Tendulkar said he decided to stop playing Twenty20 internationals in 2007 because he felt he should not be part of the squad. He has figured in just one T20 international and was not part of India’s 2007 World Cup-winning squad.
‘I felt I should not be part of T20 squad because the
team did well. When I get that feeling in one-day cricket maybe I would take that decision,’ said Tendulkar.
‘When I feel like taking that decision (to quit one-day cricket) I will take that. I don’t want the rest of the guys to take that decision for me.’
Tendulkar holds four world batting records—maximum runs in Tests (15,470) and one-day internationals (18,426) and centuries in Tests (51) and one-dayers (49).
He completed an unprecedented century of centuries during the Asia Cup in Dhaka in March.
The one-day series in Sri Lanka starts in Hambantota on July 21 while the Twenty20 match will be played on August 7.