Breaking his silence over being nominated to the Rajya Sabha, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar cleared the air on the subject and said cricket would always remain his priority. “I am not a politician, but a sportsman and will always remain one. Cricket is my life and I will not give it up for politics,” said Tendulkar, speaking after being felicitated in Pune by a private firm for completing a hundred cricket centuries.
“It is an honour to be nominated to the RS,” said the Master Blaster, adding that what made it special was the fact that eminent personalities like Lata Mangeshkar had been nominated in the past. “Cricket is my area of expertise. I would like to contribute to that field,” he said.
Tendulkar spoke on various topics ranging from the World Cup victory to his hundredth century. “Winning a World Cup was my cherished dream for which I waited for 22 years. ” He recalled the moments after India won their second World Cup. “My driver told me that my fans were dancing on my car outside the stadium. I told him not to stop them and also did not bother about the dents to the car,” said Tendulkar. Replying to a query on why he did not publicise his charity work, Tendulkar said that he was sponsoring the education of deprived children through the Apanalaya Centre. “It is for my personal satisfaction and I don’t need publicity," he said.