Image courtesy of: International Business Times

“I think it was a befitting tribute to our ‘Master’ as we call him”

The Mumbai Indians have announced that they will be retiring Sachin Tendulkar’s number 10 jersey after the franchise triumphed in both the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) this year.

Tendulkar noted that this would be his last year with the Indians after the IPL concluded in May and he also recently announced that he would be retiring from international cricket after his 200th Test, which is set to come against the West Indies in his hometown of Mumbai next month.

“I think it was a befitting tribute to our ‘Master’ as we call him,” Mumbai Indians owner Nita Ambani said. “Winning the IPL as well as the Champions League T20 in the same season is a great achievement. It’s a very emotional moment for us and we have decided to retire his No. 10 jersey.”

However, former India pace bowler Ajit Agarkar, who played alongside Tendulkar on numerous occasions, stated that the ‘Little Master’ should be allowed to decide whether to retire his jersey or not.

“The practice of retiring a legend’s jersey is prevalent in the West,” Agarkar said. “I don’t think it happens in cricket. Sachin is the right person to talk on this.”