Published: Nov 12, 2013, 05:13 PM (IST)
Edited: Nov 12, 2013, 05:13 PM (IST)
Rajeev Shukla (above) said Sachin Tendulkar always maintained that retirement will ‘happen suddenly’ to him © Getty Images
By Nishad Pai Vaidya
Nov 12, 2013
Indian politician and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vice-president Rajeev Shukla on Tuesday revealed that former captain Sourav Ganguly wanted all Team India members to wave their shirts after win over England at Lord’s in the NatWest Trophy final in 2002, but Sachin Tendulkar asked others not to do it.
Speaking at the Salaam Sachin conclave organised by India Today in Mumbai, Shukla said, “[Sourav] Ganguly wanted everyone to do that but Sachin [Tendulkar] told don’t do this because it is a gentleman’s game.”
Shukla said Tendulkar always maintained that retirement will ‘happen suddenly’ to him, as the Little Master was all set to be a part of India’s squad for the tour of South Africa that begins next month.
Shukla said, “Tendulkar said if retirement has to happen, it will happen. Tendulkar wanted 200 tickets during tour to South Africa. But before that West Indies tour was announced. And then suddenly one day he said I want to hang my boots. ‘The decision of retirement would happen suddenly to me’, Sachin used to say always.”
Shukla recalled meeting Tendulkar during a tour of England, and how the batting legend remained focussed on his game.
“I met Sachin Tendulkar properly when I became the manager of the team on tour to England. There was request from Tendulkar that he wants to spend the time with his family and join the team mid-way while the bus heads towards the airport. Likewise, the bus stopped and he got in the bus and there was a music system with him. He came and sat down next to me and that is how we became close,” he said.
“Tendulkar doesn’t like to talk much, be on call, he likes to concentrate on his work totally. The juniors respects him a lot,” he added.
Talking about the decision to nominate Tendulkar to Rajya Sabha, Shukla said, “The decision of nominating him to the Rajya Sabha, it was Sonia Gandhi’s idea of nominating him. So when he was in Dhaka, I called him one day and told Tendulkar that the party head wants him to be nominated to the Rajya Sabha. Tendulkar said he will speak to his family and let them know. Usually when Sachin doesn’t want something he says no outright. However, we were hopeful and next day he called up and said his family was adverse. He wanted to know how to go about it,” he revealed.
Catch live updates of the Salaam Sachin conclave here
