India's batting legend and superhero of world cricket, Sachin Tendulkar, whose performance with the willow charmed and captivated sports lovers across the world for the past 24 years like a magicians creations with his wand, announced his retirement after playing his 200th Test as tributes poured in Thursday from his followers, players and experts.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said Tendulkar has contacted its president N. Srinivasan and has requested the cricket body to release a statement to the media on his behalf.
"All my life, I have had a dream of playing cricket for India. I have been living this dream every day for the last 24 years. It’s hard for me to imagine a life without playing cricket because it’s all I have ever done since I was 11 years old," said Tendulkar in his statement.
"It’s been a huge honour to have represented my country and played all over the world. I look forward to playing my 200th Test Match on home soil, as I call it a day," he said.
"I thank the BCCI for everything over the years and for permitting me to move on when my heart feels it's time! I thank my family for their patience and understanding.
"Most of all, I thank my fans and well-wishers who through their prayers and wishes have given me the strength to go out and perform at my best," said Tendulkar.
The 'Master Blaster' announced his decision to retire, which shocked and stunned thousands of his fans both in the country and outside.
In a glittering career spanning 24 years, Tendulkar has broken and created almost unthinkable records, including 100 international centuries, with his bat.
Tendulkar has played 198 Test matches and scored 15837 runs with 51 hundreds and 67 fifties. He scored 18426 runs in 463 One Day Internationals.
He slammed 49 hundreds and 96 fifties in his ODI career besides being the first man to score a double century in 50-over format.
Tendulkar, however, played only one T20 International in his career though his fans saw his charismatic performance in the newest format of the game in Indian Premier League (IPL) and Champions League T20.
The former Indian captain was a part of the Indian team which won the World Cup in 2011 and also played a crucial role in Mumbai Indians side that won both IPL and CL T20 this year.
Since making his Test debut in 1989 against Pakistan at the age of 16, the boy wonder of world cricket hit his first Test century came in England at Old Trafford in 1990.
Tendulkar, who announced his ODI retirement last year, was equally brilliant with his bat in the limited 50-over format of the game.
Some of his finest performance with the bat were seen against Australian side which dominated the cricket world for a significant period of time.
The cricket fraternity and people from other walks of life paid rich tributes to Tendulkar, who retired from Test on Thursday.
Srinivasan said he respects Tendulkar's decision to retire, but cannot imagine the Indian cricket team without him.
"I have been an ardent follower and admirer of Sachin Tendulkar from the days he came to play Buchi Babu in Chennai. He is without doubt the greatest cricketer India has produced. In fact one should really say he ranks among the top of all time great sports persons in the world," said Srinivasan.
"No one has served Indian cricket as Sachin has. He has truly been an Ambassador for India and Indian Cricket. He has been an inspiration for generations of sportsmen not just cricketers."
"We respect his decision to retire although many of us can't imagine an Indian team without Sachin," he said.
“'If you start your course with all your force/Every source of nature will turn towards and help you/To achieve your true success'. This holds so true for one of our finest players, master-blaster Sachin Tendulkar," said BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel.
"With mixed feelings of joy and sorrow, joy for his excellent performances during his career, and the sorrow of bidding him goodbye after his 200th Test, I wish him good luck for all his future endeavours," he said.
Former Indian cricketer Sunil Gavaskar, whose records were broken by Tendulkar, said, "It's never going to be easy. First and foremost, we will remember his jersey number 10. And then the position of his batting...some of the greatest batsmen played at the number 4 position. The next number 4 will have such a pressure on him."
Former Indian cricket team captain Saurav Ganguly, who had shared the pitch with the god of cricket, said it is a right decision.
"Well cricket will go on. He is such a great mascot of the cricket....but I think this is a right decision at the right time," said Ganguly.
Cricketer Gautam Gambhir tweeted: "Salutes to Sachin paaji. I think India jersey number 10 should retire as well and preserved forever. Thanks Paaji."
England cricketer Kevin Pietersen said: "Sachin #10dulkar - Undisputed Champion of Cricket! #SachinTheGreat."
Former England captain Michael Vaughan wrote on his Twitter homepage: "One of the Greatest ever @sachin_rt is retiring... One of my heroes and a absolute joy to play against."
Indian cricketer Irfan Pathan tweeted: "Not being able to play alongside him or not seeing him play in d future sounds scary #SachinTendulkar."
Indian cricketer Parthiv Patel said: "Words can not define his greatness..greatest batsman ever and even better humanbeing.u will be missed paji.@sachin_rt."
English cricketer Eoin Morgan tweeted: "Sad to hear the greatest ever batsman is calling it a day. One man who inspired a nation #Sachin."
Former Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner and cricket administrator Lalit Modi posted on his Twitter homepage: "Recieved the news on Sachin's retirement with mixed feelings. A truly remarkable man -none like him exists,he is not only revered, worshiped.But he is someone I and billions look upto. Feel sad he will not be lighting up the field In the style we are so accustomed to."
"On the other hand happy 4 him that he wants to move on. He will always be an icon that we will enjoy and hearts throb when ever we sight him.What Sachin has done for india, cricket and sports in my view no one has done for any other sport. He will live fondly in our hearts forever," he said.
Former Australian cricketer Tom Moody said: "#Tendulkar #Lara #Ponting who would you want to watch construct a test 100 the most? All very different but equally effective over time!"
Former Australian cricketer Dean Jones tweeted : "I wonder what #SachinTendulkar will do now? #media #coaching #politics I reckon he will be great at anything he does. @sachin_rt."
Cricketer Akash Chopra tweeted: "Great player & a brilliant human being. Thanks for the memories, Paaji. Privileged to have shared the dressing room with you #tendulkar."
Union Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shashi Tharoor tweeted: "The end of an epoch. The greatest Indian to wield a cricket Bat @sachin_rt announces retirement after Test#200. He has given us all so much."
Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan said: "O no! Suddenly realised the meaning of addiction. Mine was the Master.I am going thru cold turkey. To see cricket without Sachin? Unbearable."
Social commentator Suhel Seth wrote on Twitter:"Sachin Tendulkar has been timeless...cannot imagine cricket without him! Who will make us smile and lift our senses?"
Olympic medal winner Abhinav Bindra said,"Don't really know what to say about sachin. Everything will fall short. Just wish him the very best for his next innings."