I dont think it is more about foreing coach, it is about who is coaching and how best they can bring the best results they can and how consistently they can. I dont think that in the direction we should have a foreign coach or an Indian coach. To me we should have a proper coach who understands the players and is their friend.

I feel coach is a coach, it really doesnt matter where he comes from as long as the relation between the coach and the player is a healthy relation where they are more of friends.

Till one stage, I see who writes and what he writes. After one stage you exactly understand from whom you can take advice and who makes constructive criticism. I never paid attention to what people wrote because the people who guided me were close to me and none of them had a pen in their hand.

The people close to me showed me how to improve my game and not tried to criticise me.

I enjoy everyone's success. It is a team sport and in a team sport it doesn't really who performs or not. In a team all 11 players cannot perform well everytime.

Talking about the new generation, I have thorougly enjoyed being part of the team. I know someone like Bhuvneshwar Kumar was never born when I first played for time. It was a joy to work with them and be a part of the same squad.

I enjoy everyone's success. It is a team sport and in a team sport it doesn't really who performs or not. In a team all 11 players cannot perform well everytime.

Talking about the new generation, I have thorougly enjoyed being part of the team. I know someone like Bhuvneshwar Kumar was never born when I first played for time. It was a joy to work with them and be a part of the same squad.

Winning the World Cup was a dream come true. I had to wait a long time for it, 22 years. So winning the World Cup was special. My last day in cricket was special. The way people reacted, it was really very special.

My most disappointing moment was losing in the final of the 2003 World Cup. We were playing so well but it was sad that we could not cross the final hurdle.

Let Arjun play his cricket, do not keep any expectations from him that his father did well so he must also do well. Arjun has choosen to play cricket and he is passionate about the sport, he is madly in love with cricket. That is what matters because I would not put any pressure on him to perform and you also do the same.

I would only like him to enjoy the cricket.

My mother was extremely happy. Initially I thought she would come or she might not. That is why I requested the BCCI to host the match in Mumbai. My mother preferred being in the stadium and watch every ball. When I went to meet her in the Presidents Box I could see it in her eyes. She spoke to me through her eyes and I could see that.

I was able to perform since school days because the balance was good at home. Whenever I used to play a good knock we never had a big celebration, we just bought a packet of sweets and offered it to god. Even yesterday my mother told me that I kept a packet of sweet in front of god and it continues.

Their reaction to me when I got back from any tour was never related to how I perform, it was like between parents and child.

As I said that earlier when I went to the wicket and I stood between 22 yards, I realised that this would be the last time I am standing here and in front of the packed stadium. I knew that this would never happen again and I got really emotional then.

There have been some wonderful moments and I could think of all those things. It all happened so late. I didnt want to be rude but I didnt want to look up. I was in tears and I didnt want anyone to see my face that way.

It is hard to expresss how I feel but I would say the decision to retire was right.

As I said earlier, this award for all Indians. I respect this award because this is the ultimate. If I have to talk about others sportsperson I would say I am accepting the award on their behalf. We have had so many great sportsperson and I have grown up hearing their name. I would say me getting the award will open the door and more and more sportsperson will get the award in the future.

When I woke up this morning, I woke up at 6.15 in the morning and then I suddenly realised that I didnt need to quickly get up and have a shower. I made myself a cup of tea and had a nice breakfast with my wife. I spend a lot of time responding to all the messages. The morning was pretty much relaxed.

About the Ashes, it is something that I am sure both the nations are looking forward, both Australia and England. England are looking forward to prove that they do well Down Under, and Australia will be looking to bounce back.

My favourite against Enbgland was the first hundred I scored in OId Trafford and the second moment in 2008 when I chased 378 in Chennai.

As I said in my speech we lived the dream together. I used to represent the country and also my brother Ajit. It is hard to express in words how much he did for me. 

Injuries were a difficult time because the injuries I suffered were different and they were not common ones. To overcomes injuries and make a comeback was not easy. Everytime there were different goals. I knew I had just two months and had to put a lot of effort in training.

Whenever you have injuries, the nature plays a big role in the recovery and it is important to respect nature. My tennis elbow took around 4 and half months to recover. I tried to play before that but that was not easy. The challenges at those times were not easy. I used to think my career was over and I would not be able to play again. After my tennis elbow injury I could not even pick the plastic bat of my son Arjun.

It was a difficult phase in my life and a lot of people helped me in my comeback.

Ramakant Sir and Ajit my brother were a strong team. One used to talk to me on the field and one used to talk off the field. As I said that day my brother Ajit called me and said how could you play such a shot?

Sir never told me well played because he didnt want the game to get to my head. Whenever I used to score runs I used to think that he would say well played but it never happened.

Sir called me last evening and he told me well done. I was happy that Sri was happy. Whenever such things happen and you get to share it with such people, the happiness becomes more special.

When I took the decision to retire, I was not that emotional because I knew it was not the right decision. I became emotional only when the players gave me such a nice send-off. I got emotional when I went to the wicket and said thank you and whenever I see it on television I become emotional again.

The one thought that I will never go there again in a competitive match, in short to again play for India, that made me emotional.

I know never ever in a life in an international match I have done that. Those 22 yards have given me everything. Whatever I am toiday it is because of those 22 years, it is like a temple. I just wanted to say a big thank you. Everytime I go to batting I go to the wicket, touch the wicket and say thanks. I just thanked cricket for all that is has given me.

Please understand that West Indies have world class players. This sport is a great leveller and there are ups and downs. There have been times when we have not done well too. They are a terrific side, they play cricket in the right spirit and that is what matters.

Please understand that West Indies have world class players. This sport is a great leveller and there are ups and downs. There have been times when we have not done well too. They are a terrific side, they play cricket in the right spirit and that is what matters.

Yesterday, I said that this award [Bharat Ratna] is my for mother for all the sacrifices she made right from my birth. I would like to go a step further, it is not just my mother but like my mother there are a milions and millions of mothers, who make a lot of sacrifices for their children. I am humbled and honoured that this award has been bestowed on me. This is for my contribution to cricket for the last 24 years.

People have appreciated my performance and the way they have responded it has given me the strength to perform better. The award is for the entire nation and I am truly honoured.

Even though I will not be playing for India, I will still be playing for India and I will be praying for India. Not in cricket but in any other field, I would want India to do well.

I was enjoying but honestly I would say that I have always maintained if I stopped enjoying cricket, I would tell you when I get that feeling. After playing for 24 years, you have to appreciate that I had a few injuries in between and it was not easy to overcome those injuries. At some stage in your life your body gives you the message that enough of the physical load, the body needs rest. I figured that the body cannot that same amount of load any more. The training sessions were becoming a bit of an effort. I thought this is the perfect time to leave the game. After that I requested the BCCI to please schedule the last match in Mumbai because my mother had never seen me live play before this game. She never told me that she wanted to come for the match. I wanted it to be a suprise for her but she got to know through you. It was a really special feeling for me. 

Cricket is my life, it is my oxgen. Out of 40, I have played cricket for 30 years so 75 percent of my life was cricket. There will be some association with cricket going ahead maybe not in the immediate future. It's been 24 hours since I quit cricket, give me atleast 24 days to think.

24 years playing for India was a big thing. In those 24 years, there were a lot of challengers but the desire to play for the country was so strong that I found solutions along the way.

Last night when I was sitting, it has not struck me yet that I will not play cricket. I will play cricket somewhere. In short, it was a dream journey for me and there are no regrets that I am quitting cricket. I thought it was the right time to stop cricket and it was an enjoyable journey.

Tendulkar arrives at the conference hall, wearing the India blazer and tie. He is currently obliging the photographers and moving around on the dias. 

Tendulkar's management company WSG paying a tribute to the batting icon with a small video showcasing some of his best knocks, achievements and the reactions from the other greats.

The press conference is expected to begin in a few minutes.

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The media conference is expected to begin in a few minutes. Already it looks like the whole Indian media has descended at the Trident Hotel for the interaction with the batting legend.

Tendulkar, who made his international debut against Pakistan in Karachi in 1989 as a 16-year-old, finished his career as the sport's most prolific international run-scorer.

He leaves the game after playing more Test matches (200), scoring the most Test (15,921) and One-Day International (18,426) runs, and compiling more Test (51) and one-day (49) hundreds than any other player in cricket history.

Sachin Tendulkar, who quit cricket after the second Test against West Indies in Mumbai on Saturday, will address the media at 4pm IST.

The batting icon bowed out of the game after a glorious spanning 24 years and he is expected to relive his experience in the media conference.

Tendulkar delivered an emotional farewell speech after the end of the Test match at the Wankhede stadium which left India in tears. Click here to read the full text of his speech.