I’m not bothered by others’ opinion: Tendulkar
19 April 2013 12:42 AM GMT
Sachin Tendulkar may not be in the best of form of late but the senior Indian batman on Thursday said that he was not bothered by the opinion of others about his retirement and that he would just stick to his job.
‘Lots of people have been talking about this question (of retirement). If I remember correctly, this question began in 2005 and it has been continuing since then. But my answer has been I will stick to my job and you stick to your job,’ he said at the launch of India’s first e-newspaper, www.enewspaperofindia.com .
‘It does not affect me,’ Tendulkar said when asked whether the constant talk of when he would retire had irritated him or affected his performance. Tendulkar talked about how media speculated on his 100th international century after he scored his 99th ton in 2011 World Cup.
‘It was the media doing all the build-up. I scored my 99th international hundred during the World Cup. You (media) kept quiet during the World Cup, not discussing about my 100th ton as there were the other more important matter of India winning the tournament. After the World Cup there was again this focus on my 100th international ton,’ he said.
Some of Tendulkar’s counter questions to queries prevented the scribes from asking follow-up questions. Asked if he read newspapers often, Tendulkar shot back, ‘Main newspaper parte rahunga to kaun khelega (If I keep on reading newspaper then who will play).’ On former teammates Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and V V S Laxman giving opinions about him, though not necessarily negative, Tendulkar said, ‘You think they were talking wrong things about me?
‘People are free to give their opinions. Lots of people are giving opinions about me. Some have played the game and they were giving opinions. Some have not played the game but they are also giving opinions. I don’t worry about opinions. It’s a package deal. You won’t score a hundred everytime you go out to bat. And like that you won’t get positive comments all the time. So I can’t control what others say. I can just focus on the things I can handle, that is to play to the best of my ability,’ Sachin added.
‘Lots of people have been talking about this question (of retirement). If I remember correctly, this question began in 2005 and it has been continuing since then. But my answer has been I will stick to my job and you stick to your job,’ he said at the launch of India’s first e-newspaper, www.enewspaperofindia.com .
‘It does not affect me,’ Tendulkar said when asked whether the constant talk of when he would retire had irritated him or affected his performance. Tendulkar talked about how media speculated on his 100th international century after he scored his 99th ton in 2011 World Cup.
‘It was the media doing all the build-up. I scored my 99th international hundred during the World Cup. You (media) kept quiet during the World Cup, not discussing about my 100th ton as there were the other more important matter of India winning the tournament. After the World Cup there was again this focus on my 100th international ton,’ he said.
Some of Tendulkar’s counter questions to queries prevented the scribes from asking follow-up questions. Asked if he read newspapers often, Tendulkar shot back, ‘Main newspaper parte rahunga to kaun khelega (If I keep on reading newspaper then who will play).’ On former teammates Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and V V S Laxman giving opinions about him, though not necessarily negative, Tendulkar said, ‘You think they were talking wrong things about me?
‘People are free to give their opinions. Lots of people are giving opinions about me. Some have played the game and they were giving opinions. Some have not played the game but they are also giving opinions. I don’t worry about opinions. It’s a package deal. You won’t score a hundred everytime you go out to bat. And like that you won’t get positive comments all the time. So I can’t control what others say. I can just focus on the things I can handle, that is to play to the best of my ability,’ Sachin added.
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