Quotes from Sachin Tendulkar

I am a sportsman and not a politician. I am a sportsman and will always remain one. I am not going to enter politics giving up cricket, which is my life. I will continue to play cricket.

Having, and seeing, your dreams is very important, and so is chasing those dreams. You see dreams when you sleep, and as you chase your dreams, it keeps you awake. So it's important to stay awake.

When there is time to think about cricket, I think but when there is time to be with family, I try to do justice to that aspect of my life as well.

There have been ups and downs, but it has taught us a lot in life. Going with the team through those ups and downs is a terrific journey.

It's hard for me to imagine a life without playing cricket because it's all I have ever done since I was 11 years old.

Winning the World Cup is the proudest moment of my life. ... I couldn't control my tears of joy.

Beating Pakistan is always special because they are a tough team and we have a bit if a history regarding Pakistan.

I feel when somebody has been playing cricket for a long time, he creates a separate identity for himself.

And that is the reason why this victory is great, because different players have made contributions to the win.

There are over 200 million illiterate women in India. This low literacy negatively impacts not just their lives but also their families' and the country's economic development. A girl's lack of education also has a negative impact on the health and well-being of her children.

When there is time to think about cricket, I think but when there is time to be with family, I try to do justice to that aspect of my life as well.

Wasim and Waqar were amazing bowlers. I would put them right up there with the best in the world.

I get 0.5 seconds to react to a ball, sometimes even less than that. I can't be thinking of what XYZ has said about me. I need to surrender myself to my natural instincts. My subconscious mind knows exactly what to do. It is trained to react. At home, my family doesn't discuss media coverage.

I grew up looking at my father as to how to behave. In watching him I grasped so many things. His own temperament was of a calm person. He was very composed and I never saw anger in him. To me, that was fascinating.

If efforts to do social work are couched in selfish motives, then they will die a premature death. Why would my efforts get politicised? I have values I inherited from my father. He helped many. Anyone, even a postman knocking on our door would get a glass of water and some sweets.

I am a sportsman and not a politician. I am a sportsman and will always remain one. I am not going to enter politics giving up cricket, which is my life. I will continue to play cricket.

Any active sportsman has to be very focused; you've got to be in the right frame of mind. If your energy is diverted in various directions, you do not achieve the results. I need to know when to switch on and switch off: and the rest of the things happen around that. Cricket is in the foreground, the rest is in the background.

But eventually it is a game of cricket.

I am not thinking too far ahead, just want to take it one thing at a time.

From the spinners, Anil and I have been together for a long time and I respect him a lot.

Lara's done very well recently and I never had any doubts about the abilities of Lara or Waugh.

Schools across India do not have teachers, libraries, playing grounds and even toilets. I do not want to see empty classrooms, empty libraries. I do not want to see cattle grazing on fields meant to be cricket or football grounds.

I feel when somebody has been playing cricket for a long time, he creates a separate identity for himself.

Beating Pakistan is always special because they are a tough team and we have a bit of a history regarding Pakistan.