Sachin Tendulkar to retire next month

Indian Sachin Tendulkar, the world’s most prolific international run-scorer, will retire after playing his 200th Test match at home against West Indies next month.

“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,” the 40-year-old, who compiled a record 100 international centuries, said in a statement released by the Indian cricket board (BCCI) yesterday.

“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.

“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.”

Tendulkar, who made his debut against bitter rivals Pakistan in 1989 as a 16-year old, has gone on to accumulate 15,837 runs in 198 Tests and 18,426 runs in 463 one-day internationals.

He played just one Twenty20 match for India against South Africa in December 2006, before retiring from the shortest format of international cricket.

Tendulkar fulfilled his long-cherished dream of winning the World Cup when India won the tournament in 2011 at home and last December he hung up his boots from the 50 overs game.