Top 98 Quotes & Sayings by Sachin Tendulkar

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.

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

Critics haven't taught me my cricket, and they don't know what my body and mind are up to.

My point of view is that when I am playing cricket I cannot think that this game is less or more important.

I have played for 15 years and it has been a dream.

I never played with a runner in my entire life, even in schools, because only I know where the ball is going and how hard, when I hit the ball, something my runner will never know about.

Before coming here I had a minor back problem and I thought whenever I play Pakistan I get a back problem.

It has been very good here, but the World Cup game was different. It had a different significance to it.

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.

The Australian tour was good for us; it was ideal preparation for us.

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

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.

Isn't cricket supposed to be a team sport? I feel people should decide first whether cricket is a team game or an individual sport.

When I was 15, I started playing first class cricket and always dreamt of being a Test cricketer, wanted to do something for the country, married in 1995, have 2 kids it's been great.

I just keep it simple. Watch the ball and play it on merit.

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

Obviously after such a long gap, one itches to get back to the game and score big runs.

At least with me, the match starts much, much earlier than the actual match.

I have never believed in comparisons, whether they are about different eras, players or coaches.

I just want to continue the way I am going.

It doesn't always happen according to the way you have planned things out but I feel if you have covered most of the aspects, it does help out there in the middle.

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

Shoaib Akhtar has been playing for 5, 6 years and is an experienced bowler.

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.

Before you lay a foundation on the cricket field, there should be a solid foundation in your heart and you start building on that. After that as you start playing more and more matches, you learn how to score runs and how to take wickets.

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

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

But eventually it is a game of cricket.

New Zealand's Daniel Vettori is a very good bowler.

I have never thought where I will go, or forced any targets on myself.

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 always had a dream to play for India but I never let it put pressure on me.

I hate losing and cricket being my first love, once I enter the ground it's a different zone altogether and that hunger for winning is always there.

As a kid I loved John McEnroe. They called me Mac because, while everyone else liked Borg, I was crazy about McEnroe. I tried wearing headbands and sweatbands, and whooping at people. It didn't quite work.

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.

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

If one man is representing India in cricket, then yes, blame that person when things go wrong.

I want to give my six hours of serious cricket on the ground and then take whatever the result.

I'm really focusing now on how I can get to the next level as a batsman. How can I get even more competitive? How can I get even more consistent? How can I get better?

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.

I believe every era has its significance and the same holds true for players and coaches.

I feel it's the conscious mind that messes things up. The conscious mind is constantly telling you, this might happen or that might happen, even before it has happened. Your conscious mind tells you the next ball might be a out-swinger, but when it's coming at you you realize it's an in-swinger... so literally, you've played two balls.

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.

Every individual has his own style, his own way of presenting himself on and off the field.

There are a few players who don't like to think about the game.

I have never tried to compare myself to anyone else.

At the start of my career, when I used to toss and turn at night, I was fighting that feeling and wanting to go to sleep. Now I know that's normal, so I'll just get up and watch TV or something. I know it's just my subconscious mind getting ready for a game.

If you don't execute on your plans, then you don't reach anywhere.

I believe in controlling the control elements. Something where we don't have control on certain things, those things you obviously cannot waste your energy in trying to figure out 'How can I control this?' You would much rather focus all your energy on the things that you can control.

It is important to understand that if you do fall, it's important for you to get right back up again.

Chase your dreams and don't find shortcuts...!!!

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.

Along with the talent, you also need direction.

Success is a process... During that journey sometimes there are stones thrown at you, and you convert them into milestones.

To me, pre-match preparation is extremely important because that's something which is within my control.

Making an effort is in your hands. Giving 100% is in your hands.

Chase your dreams .... but make sure you don't find shortcuts.

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 important not to take anything for granted.

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