Mumbai: Batting icon Sachin Tendulkar always yearned for a compliment from his beloved coach Ramakant Achrekar and it came on the day when he put an end to his 24-year-old illustrious career.
Tendulkar said he received a call from his childhood coach yesterday, congratulating him for the Bharat Ratna award.
“Sir till now had never told me well played. The reason was that sir didn't want me to get complacent. Sir told me that this game is bigger than any cricketer and always respect it. I always respected it. Whenever we scored a lot of runs, we used to hope that now sir will tell us well played. But it never happened,” Tendulkar told reporters here.
“That is why yesterday in my speech I said jokingly that you can say it now. After this I am not going to play any serious competitive match, so you can take the chance now and tell me well played. Because I wouldn't get complacent now.
“I got his call yesterday after recieving the Bharat Ratna. Sir told me well done. Sir was very happy and hearing this, I was very happy. When such things happen and you can share it with special people and that happiness increases,” he added.
The 40-year-old, who retired from cricket yesterday after India comprehensively defeated West Indies, said his brother Ajit and coach formed a strong team.
“Sir and my brother Ajit were a solid team. One used to tell me on-field and one used to tell me off the field at home, my brother. Discussions are on for the last 30 years. Like I said in my speech, day before night also we discussed on how I should have played that shot (that dismissed me). This is the beauty of our relationship. I can't express it in words on what kind of relationship we share,” he said.
The batting legend said his brother became emotional yesterday but was also relieved.
“This was a dream that we lived together. I was representing the nation and along with that even Ajitda was also representing. It is difficult to express in words what he has done for me. Yesterday when I met him, I felt he was a little emotional but was not showing it. But at the same time he appeared to be relieved and relaxed,” he said.
