The
focus is understandably on Sachin Tendulkar as
he pads up in the T20 format of the game for one last time. The Master Blaster
arrived in Jaipur on Wednesday for Mumbai Indians' opening match against
Rajasthan Royals here on Saturday.
"We know that this is the last time that he would be playing in the T20 format," Mumbai Indiansskipper Rohit Sharma said on Thursday. "We will try to make it special."
Sharma doesn't want to speculate on Tendulkar's retirement. "He knows what is best for him. Now, he wants to take one game at a time and right now, it is CLT20," the skipper said.
For Royals skipper Rahul Dravid, it is just another game. "I have played so many times with and against him that it doesn't really matter now," he said. "That's what the game is all about."
Even Dravid will be playing competitive cricket for the last time and the focus for him is to lead the Royals to another successful outing.
"We know that this is the last time that he would be playing in the T20 format," Mumbai Indiansskipper Rohit Sharma said on Thursday. "We will try to make it special."
Sharma doesn't want to speculate on Tendulkar's retirement. "He knows what is best for him. Now, he wants to take one game at a time and right now, it is CLT20," the skipper said.
For Royals skipper Rahul Dravid, it is just another game. "I have played so many times with and against him that it doesn't really matter now," he said. "That's what the game is all about."
Even Dravid will be playing competitive cricket for the last time and the focus for him is to lead the Royals to another successful outing.
John Wright has been following Tendulkar's career since he was 16 and feels the reason for the Master Blaster's longevity is keeping things simple. "I first saw him as a rival player when he was 16," Wright, the Mumbai Indians' coach, said. Tendulkar had toured New Zealand with the Indian team in 1990 when Wright was still playing for the Kiwis. "I interacted with him a lot when I was the India coach," the New Zealander said. "And now, as the Mumbai Indians coach, it is once again a pleasure working with him. The best part is that Sachin hasn't changed since he was 16, in his approach towards the game. He continues to be sincere, hard-working and very dedicated."
Wright went on to add that the Master Blaster knows the game in and out. "He has kept it simple. He is the same old Sachin, a great person and a tremendous cricketer."
Mumbai Indians underwent a four-day preparatory camp at Ahmedabad before coming to Jaipur and, Wright said, Tendulkar was as sharp as ever. "It is a pleasure to inform you that he has been batting well and looks very keen and fresh."
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