Sachin eyes 200th Test

For months now, cricket fans have been resigned to the inevitability of Sachin Tendulkar's retirement from the game that he has graced internationally for the last 24 years. Despite falling form and slowing reflexes, Tendulkar, now 40, has not made it clear when exactly he will walk into the sunset.
But, in an exclusive interview to Mail Today here on Tuesday, Tendulkar did confirm that he was looking forward to playing his 200th Test in South Africa at the end of this year, making it clear that his white flannels would still be in use till January 2014 at the very least.
“The South African tour still has some time to go [in December], but it would be interesting to play the 200th Test. It's a big number and it will be a special feeling when I reach there,” said Tendulkar, who has played 198 Tests for a mind-boggling 15,837 runs since making his debut in 1989. He retired from One-Day-Internationals in December last year, while his Indian Premier League farewell came on Sunday after Mumbai Indians won the title.
No man in the 136-year history of Test cricket has managed to play more matches than the Mumbai maestro, and asked how he felt about the impending landmark, Tendulkar said: “ I am not aware of that feeling right now. When it comes, I would probably be able to answer that better.” However, the first man with 100 international centuries, including 51 in Tests, clarified that more than the 200- Test mark, what would serve as incentive for him would be to help India's cause on the tough tour.
“Whenever we go [as Team India], we go to win. We always focus on doing well and play to win. That's the way I look at it. If anything [record] comes along, it's a coincidence, which is fine,” he said.