Sachin Tendulkar's final Test: Honored with a Postage stamp

One of the game’s all-time greats, Sachin Tendulkar, announced his retirement from one-day cricket, bringing to an end a glorious 23-year-old career in the format during which he rewrote numerous batting records.

“I have decided to retire from the One-Day format of the game. I feel blessed to have fulfilled the dream of being part of a World Cup wining Indian team. The preparatory process to defend the World Cup in 2015 should begin early and in right earnest,” the 39-year-old said in a statement released by the BCCI today.

“I would like to wish the team all the very best for the future. I am eternally grateful to all my well wishers for their unconditional support and love over the years,” he added.

Tendulkar, considered the most complete batsman in modern cricket and one who was considered next only to the legendary Sir Donald Bradman, retires from the ODI format at the top of the run-getters’ list.

Tendulkar goes out after amassing 18,426 runs in 463 one-dayers at an average of 44.83. The diminutive right-hander has an astonishing 49 hundreds in the format, including a double hundred — the first in this form of the game.

Tendulkar made his ODI debut against Pakistan way back in 1989 and interestingly he is quitting the scene just ahead of another series against the arch-rivals.

The Mumbaikar, who made himself unavailable for Twenty20 after playing just one game in 2006, will now remain active in only the Test arena.

The brightest moment of his ODI career came last year when he finally became part of a World Cup winning Indian team after five previous appearances.

On Thursday, for Sachin Tendulkar's final Test at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai a special gold coin was used at the toss between India and West Indies on Thursday.

The coin was a Sachin special crafted in gold which was tossed by MS Dhoni as Darren Sammy called with Dhoni winning the toss and opting to bowl.

The coin has Sachin's likeness on one side and the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) log on the other. After the toss, the coin was given to Sachin as a momento as he plays his 200th and final Test match.

A 1000 replicas of the toss coin will be presented to select dignitaries at the stadium.

Sachin Tendulkar was also honoured with a postage stamp becoming only the second Indian living person after Mother Teresa to receive this honour.