Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar wants to play his farewell Test in Mumbai as there will be one very special spectator among the thousands thronging to see his final bow - Sachin's mother Rajni who has never seen him play an international match before.

Sachin's request is likely to be accepted by the Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) and Mumbai will be the venue of the master blaster's 200th Test appearance in mid-November with proud mother Rajni watching. She needs a wheel chair to get around but Tendulkar is determined to ensure she is in the stands when he walks out.

Sources said Sachin's wish will be accommodated by the board and his 199th Test will be at the Eden in Kolkata, another venue known for its cricket loving spectators. It is understood that Tendulkar is not too bothered whether the Mumbai venue is the Brabourne Stadium run by the Cricket Club of India or the Wankhede controlled by Mumbai Cricket Association. What matters to him is to end his phenomenal career with his mother watching.

Apart from a personal touch, Tendulkar is keen to call it a day before the Mumbai crowd which has cheered him on over the years and in a city that saw him progress from a school prodigy to international cricket's most celebrated batsman with a string of records. It is learnt that Tendulkar is also keen to extend invitations to some persons he has admired in the cricketing world.

While he prepares to sign off in style, BCCI is busy considering his replacements in the middle order with another Mumbai player Rohit Sharma seen as a likely choice. The other is Yuvraj Singh who could be in contention if he carries his form into the ODI series against Australia. The third name doing the rounds is Suresh Raina.

The board's tours and fixtures committee is scheduled to meet on Tuesday (Oct 15) to decide on the venues for the two-Test series against the West Indies. The committee's chairman, also a BCCI vice-president, Rajiv Shukla assured that Tendulkar's request will be considered. Speaking to TOI on Friday, he said, "We will consider Sachin's request for playing the Test in Mumbai."

As for the match being played at the Brabourne or the Wankhede, former BCCI and MCA chief Sharad Pawar entering the MCA elections (to be held on Oct 18) fray has certainly added to the intrigue. Those in the BCCI circles say the ruling BCCI head and Pawar's bete noire N Srinivasan may choose to favour Brabourne over Wankhede.


Sachin Tendulkar More Stills


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