Tendulkar ready to play his 'second innings' through 'Playing It My Way'

New Delhi: 'Playing It My Way', an autobiography by Sachin Tendulkar is one of the most awaited books in India and all over the world is ready to be read by the cricket fans, as it was officially released on Wednesday. The book is Co-Authored by Boria Majumdar, a cricket journo, a historian and Sachin's friend."Cricket is like oxygen to me" once said Sachin Tendulkar. Proving his statement right he's now ready to connect with the fans even after his retirement from the cricket through his book.During the release of the book, India's greatest of players like VVS Laxman, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, Ravi Shastri, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sunil Gavaskar and his brother Ajit and wife Anjali were present to share the stage with Sachin Tendulkar.Anjali Tendulkar also told her story and revealed some facts about Sachin that no one might have known till date. The master blaster of cricket or one can say “GOD” of cricket was afraid of introducing Anjali to her parents. She asked Anjali to tell his parents that they want to get married. She also told about that how Sachin set up a master plan of introducing Anjali to her parents as a journalist. His coach, Shri Ramakant Achrekar was present there too and Sachin presented him a copy of the book. But before that, earlier in the day Sachin presented the first ever copy of the book to his mother Mrs. Rajni Tendulkar.In the ceremony he answered about the Multan test controversy in 2006 when Rahul Dravid declared Indian innings against Pakistan and Sachin was left stranded at the score of 194*. Sachin said there were no misunderstanding between the two batting maestro and both laughed it off.He has mentioned in his book about the ugly “Monkeygate” scandal in 2008 in Australia. He wrote that he was feeling very distressed and the players were thinking to boycott the tour if Bhajji was banned. He alleged Symonds of provoking Bhajji again and again.On match fixing scandal in 1990s which led to a life ban on Mohammad Azharuddin, he said since he is not aware about the facts so he didn't commented on this in the book. He must have some evidence to talk about it.Tendulkar's 'Playing It My Way' has already opened Pandora's Box and has revealed incites about Indian Cricket and Indian Cricket Team. The book also describes Chappell's coaching tenure (2005-2007) of Indian Cricket team as 'the darkest phase of the Indian Cricket.'Sachin's comments on Greg Chappell are one the controversial and crucial revelation mentioned in the book. Tendulkar wasn't happy with his coaching methods. His rift with former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly was also a bad phase in Indian cricket.In an interview to English news channel, Sachin revealed about when he thought of quitting cricket forever under his captaincy.It was in 1997, when India toured West Indies for a 5 match test series. In third test at Barbados, after bowling out West Indies for a mere 140, India needed to chase just 120 to win the match. But a sheer batting collapse led the team down. India were bowled out for 81. Remembering the moment, Sachin called it as the darkest phase of his captaincy.He also mentioned about Ian Chappell when the Australian called him and said that Sachin should look himself on the mirror. Sachin felt that the person who is nowhere in Indian cricket has no right to question his commitment to Indian cricket.He said he again felt retiring from cricket after the distressing loss in World Cup 2007. But Sir Vivian Richards called him up and asked him to continue his game. He adviced him not to quit after a failure. They talked for about 45 minutes which was a bit surprise to Sachin.And when he bounced back in early 2008 with a century, Richards called him again and congratulated him.Talking about the 2011 World Cup win, he says he missed the last moment when Dhoni hit a huge six over the long-on and brought the world cup after 28 years. Being a superstitious man, he also asked Sehwag not to see the match and took him inside the dressing room. Later he came down running and hugging his teammates as his dream was fulfilled.He was also lifted by his teammates for a victory lap around the Wankhede stadium.Now asking about the role of youngsters particularly Virat Kohli in the World Cup next year in Australia / New Zealand, he said Virat is the batsman with a great temperament. He would be the main strength of India's middle order.He also remembered his last test match of career against West Indies, when after the game in the dressing room Virat came to see Sachin Tendulkar. He gifted a box with holy threads (which they tie to God) which his late father presented to him. Kohli insisted Sachin to accept it because he felt no one else was worthy to it.Sachin was touched from inside and asked Virat to go away and leave him alone after which he cried.Asking about his future plans or his second innings after the retirement he said he will be giving time to his family, friends and all such people who supported him throughout his career of 24 years.What is his motive from the book? His answer was “Satisfaction” which he explained in two phases. Firstly, the sale of the book would be to help a Mumbai based NGO Apnalaya fighting for women empowerment, differences in communities, malnutrition in children and to give a platform to those communities suffering a disadvantage.The Second phase he explained was about spreading happiness. He talked about lighting up the houses which are lost in the darkness. It is the year 2014, and still many of households in the country are not having electricity."I knew that if I agreed to write my story, I would have to be completely honest, as that's the way I have always played the game and that would mean talking about a number of things I have not addressed in public before. So here I am, at the end of my final innings, having taken that last walk back to the pavilion, ready to recount as many incidents as I can remember since first picking up a cricket bat as a child in Mumbai thirty-five years ago, “Sachin Tendulkar said.