NEW DELHI (AFP) - Retired sports stars often struggle to build a life away from the game, but for record-breaking cricketer Sachin Tendulkar the transition will be particularly painful.
The Indian batsman admitted he never imagined life beyond cricket as he pursued his passion for most of his 40 years -- more than half of them as an international player. "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," Tendulkar said Thursday as he announced his retirement.
"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." The Mumbai batsman, who said he will retire after playing his 200th Test next month, will at least not have to worry about where his next rupee is coming from.
The multi-millionaire is listed by Forbes among the world s highest-paid sportspersons, with annual earnings of $18.6 million -- $16.5 million from endorsements and $2.1 million from cricket -- in the financial year that ended in June.
Tendulkar, who has millions of devoted fans, already serves in India s parliament, the first active sportsperson to do so. But the veteran will almost certainly be offered a job as a commentator, while former cricketers are hoping he takes up coaching.
A lucrative career in television commentary is an option for Tendulkar, following in the footsteps of a host of international cricketers.
He would be in good company alongside former team-mates like Kapil Dev, Ravi Shastri, Sanjay Manjrekar, Navjot Sidhu, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly.
The soft-spoken introvert may not be an ideal candidate, but a senior TV executive said production houses will still queue up to sign the "Little Master".
The married father-of-two, 40, has scored an unprecedented 100 international centuries, holds most coveted batting records except Don Bradman s career average high of 99.94, and finally won the World Cup with India in 2011.
Tendulkar shattered batting records, earned millions of dollars and was revered as a demi-god in India and particularly at home in Mumbai. But in the eyes of many fans, humility remains his prime virtue. If there was any arrogance, it was in his batting because he loved to dominate bowlers before injuries to his elbow, back and ankle forced him to adapt his game in the latter years of his career.
"The way he conducts himself and handles fame and everything that goes with being Sachin is a great example for all sportsmen," Australian leg-spin great Shane Warne wrote in his book "Shane Warne s century". "On the field, he has never put himself before the team."
Technically sound, temperamentally unflappable, quick to adapt to different conditions, Tendulkar came very close to batting perfection in his pomp.
He also became an unrivalled source of pride in a country with few international sporting heroes, capitalising on his status with commercial deals to advertise cement, watches, sportswear and apartments among others.
While little is shared about his private life, he is known as a fast-car enthusiast once reported to take his beloved Ferrari out in the early hours of the morning to beat the traffic in his native Mumbai.
Australia s Don Bradman, widely considered the greatest Test batsman of all time, once said Tendulkar s style of batting reminded him of his own, which was based on dominating and demoralising the opposition.
The Indian batsman admitted he never imagined life beyond cricket as he pursued his passion for most of his 40 years -- more than half of them as an international player. "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," Tendulkar said Thursday as he announced his retirement.
"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." The Mumbai batsman, who said he will retire after playing his 200th Test next month, will at least not have to worry about where his next rupee is coming from.
The multi-millionaire is listed by Forbes among the world s highest-paid sportspersons, with annual earnings of $18.6 million -- $16.5 million from endorsements and $2.1 million from cricket -- in the financial year that ended in June.
Tendulkar, who has millions of devoted fans, already serves in India s parliament, the first active sportsperson to do so. But the veteran will almost certainly be offered a job as a commentator, while former cricketers are hoping he takes up coaching.
A lucrative career in television commentary is an option for Tendulkar, following in the footsteps of a host of international cricketers.
He would be in good company alongside former team-mates like Kapil Dev, Ravi Shastri, Sanjay Manjrekar, Navjot Sidhu, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly.
The soft-spoken introvert may not be an ideal candidate, but a senior TV executive said production houses will still queue up to sign the "Little Master".
The married father-of-two, 40, has scored an unprecedented 100 international centuries, holds most coveted batting records except Don Bradman s career average high of 99.94, and finally won the World Cup with India in 2011.
Tendulkar shattered batting records, earned millions of dollars and was revered as a demi-god in India and particularly at home in Mumbai. But in the eyes of many fans, humility remains his prime virtue. If there was any arrogance, it was in his batting because he loved to dominate bowlers before injuries to his elbow, back and ankle forced him to adapt his game in the latter years of his career.
"The way he conducts himself and handles fame and everything that goes with being Sachin is a great example for all sportsmen," Australian leg-spin great Shane Warne wrote in his book "Shane Warne s century". "On the field, he has never put himself before the team."
Technically sound, temperamentally unflappable, quick to adapt to different conditions, Tendulkar came very close to batting perfection in his pomp.
He also became an unrivalled source of pride in a country with few international sporting heroes, capitalising on his status with commercial deals to advertise cement, watches, sportswear and apartments among others.
While little is shared about his private life, he is known as a fast-car enthusiast once reported to take his beloved Ferrari out in the early hours of the morning to beat the traffic in his native Mumbai.
Australia s Don Bradman, widely considered the greatest Test batsman of all time, once said Tendulkar s style of batting reminded him of his own, which was based on dominating and demoralising the opposition.
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