Tendulkar's final Test, framed

Nov 16, 2013

Sachin Tendulkar walked out for his 200th and final Test, in Mumbai, his hometown•BCCI

At lunch on day one, West Indies, who had batted, were off to a decent start and Tendulkar led his team off •BCCI

Tendulkar at the crease? The fans were bound to come in bright and early on day two, and so they did•The Washington Post/Getty Images

... which only grew as he picked up from where he had left off the previous evening•BCCI

Tendulkar's son, Arjun, took it all in from close quarters - he was a ball boy•BCCI

As the end drew nigh, Tendulkar had one last bowl in international cricket•BCCI

After spending a bit of time in the West Indies dressing room, he came out onto the field, one last time•BCCI

Then came <i>that</i> emotional, stirring farewell speech

Then came that emotional, stirring farewell speech•BCCI

He had already been felicitated, on the morning of the match, receiving all manner of mementos •BCCI

He wouldn't have thought he'd be batting later that evening, but another West Indies collapse came, and Tendulkar found himself walking out to bat - his last innings, it turned out•BCCI

The security personnel were out in full force, the Indian newspapers were all about Tendulkar•The Washington Post/Getty Images

He got to his 164th international half-century, but a 101st century was not to be•BCCI

Day three, and in the face of the little resistance shown by West Indies, the final day of Tendulkar's career, it was widely accepted. To mark the occasion, the Indian team lined up for a photograph•BCCI

All too soon - even before lunch - it was over•BCCI

He had previously made time to sign autographs for the media•BCCI

A last goodbye to his adoring fans, on the shoulders of his awed team-mates•BCCI

He played more freely, and more impressively, than he had done in a long while. At stumps, after a delightful little display of batting, he was unbeaten on 38•BCCI

Tendulkar walked out to thunderous applause ...•BCCI

Tendulkar was out for 74. Need we describe the ovation he received from his fans?•BCCI

And yes, Tendulkar walked the team out to the middle•BCCI

West Indies had given him a guard of honour on day two, now it was the turn of the Indian team•BCCI

Now Tendulkar made time to spend a private moment with his family•BCCI

Finally, a quiet, private moment amid the chaos, just Tendulkar and his cricket pitch. And that's how, after 664 international matches, 34,357 runs, 100 centuries and 201 wickets, Sachin Tendulkar signed off from the game•BCCI