Tough to see SRT go away, says Anil Kumble

As the date of legend Sachin Tendulkar’s 200th Test in Mumbai nears, the excitement is only increasing. But at the same time, his retirement is bound to sadden everyone, not just fans but also fellow cricketers.

Former India captain and Karnataka State Cricket Association president Anil Kumble said: “He has been synonymous with the game. It will be sad to see him walk away from the field,” he said here on Friday. “It’s tough to see someone who has been part of our lives for 24 years to go away. I am glad that I was associated with him in a way all along his career and will watch his last match,” he added.

Rahul Dravid said: “It’s going to be really strange for a lot of people, me included. We can almost imagine a one-day team without him but imagine a Test team without Tendulkar on the team list? It was virtually given that he would be around and I guess we all wished he will go on forever. It’s moment to actually celebrate that someone could achieve so much excellence and maintain that standard for 24 years. It’s only when he decided to move on that we started looking at his numbers and it sorts of boggles your mind that somebody could actually achieve what he has for over 24 years. It’s been a phenomenal career,” he stated.

Former speedster Javagal Srinath considers it a privilege to have played with Tendulkar. “It was a privilege playing along with him. As a captain and player, we have had some real hard discussions on the field and what I cherish now is the great relationship. We still remain good friends,” he concluded.