Revered by many as the greatest cricketer in history, Indian talisman Sachin Tendulkar finally brought the curtain down on a 24-year international career with a victory over the West Indies in Mumbai.
With India securing a victory of an innings and 126 runs, fans were denied the chance to see a second innings from Tendulkar, leaving his first innings 74 as a fitting parting contribution.
“After 24 years my body is complaining,” said Tendulkar.
“There comes a time when your body says it's had enough of stresses, and I want to relax a bit. It was becoming an effort.
“A question came to me while I was sitting at home in front of the television when it was time to go for workout. I thought, 'Should I hit the gym when feeling comfortable in front of the television?'
“It was a strong message that now is the right time to move away from cricket.”
Tendulkar’s international career is unparalleled. He made 664 appearances for India, scoring more than 34,000 runs. Ricky Ponting is the only other man to come close, and even then Tendulkar has retired with 2,500 more runs than the former Australian captain. However, nothing prepared Tendulkar for his final appearance, in his home town of Mumbai.
"I couldn't look up when shaking hands because I was in tears," - Sachin Tendulkar's emotional farewell.
“When I went out on the wicket I realised that for the last time I will stand in a packed stadium as part of an Indian team,” he said.
“I was really emotional and couldn't control the tears knowing I will never again have a cricket bat in my hand playing for India.
“Walking back to the dressing room, I didn't want to be rude, but I couldn't look up when shaking hands because I was in tears and I didn't want anyone to see my face that way.
“My mother was in the crowd for the first time and she was extremely happy. Earlier, I thought she might come, or she might not come because it was a little difficult for her to travel. It was the only reason why I requested that the BCCI play the match in Mumbai.
“For safety reasons, I requested we had a guest house for her, but she preferred to sit and watch each ball played. It was so special when I saw her in the president's box and I could see in her eyes what it meant to her.”
Tendulkar has praised the influence of his family on his development in the game, praising their approach to encouragement, and an ability to keep him grounded during his formative years.
“The beauty about my family is they never lost balance,” he said.
“Whether it is a 100 or 15 runs, it didn't matter - my mother and father always had encouraging words.
“Like any other Indian family, we used to buy packet of sweets and offer them to the Almighty, thanking the Almighty for everything happening in my life.
“That process has continued. Even yesterday, my mother told me I have kept sweets in front of God.
“That continues and it will never stop. It is something I've learned over years from my parents.”
Now, with many starting to come to terms with a Tendulkar-less India side, the stage has been set for another player to transcend into hero status. But, for Tendulkar, his influence has travelled farther than offering wisdom to his younger teammates.
“If you are prepared to learn, you will learn. I share my experiences and observations on their batting,” he said.
“It is a nice thought to train a new generation of Sachin Tendulkars.
“I would like to help the next generation and share my thought and be involved with cricket. Even before I retired, I spent time with youngsters; I just didn't make it public.
“It is fun, but I've always done that, not because I'm the most senior player - even when I was the most junior player I still did it. It is about talking and breathing cricket - no matter what stage of life you are in.
Who will step into Sachin's shoes? Don't miss the chance to see the new generation in person, as England and India visit Trent Bridge on Wednesday 9 July for the first Investec Test match, as well as a sold-out One Day International on Saturday 30 August. Secure your seats here.