What does Sachin Tendulkar's 40th birthday really mean?

It means so much for so many people. But then again, it doesn’t mean a lot to many people too. So as Sachin Tendulkar turns 40, one can wonder what all the hype and hoopla is really about.

Senior sports writer Ayaz Memon has been around the cricket scene for a long time and he believes that when it comes to Tendulkar, numbers matter.

“There are only two players in the game who will be identified by a figure. 99.94 for Don Bradman, that is his batting average and may never be exceeded and Sachin Tendulkar and his 100+ international centuries which may also never be exceeded,” said Ayaz.

“So statistics define these two guys and 40 is going to pop up… so inevitably, along with the hype and hoopla there will also be the question: Ab chaalis saal ka ho gaya… will he continue playing or should he retire?”

The retirement question has been asked so often in the recent past that of late, Tendulkar has stopped even responding to it.

“Over the last few years, questions have been asked especially because he hasn’t been in good form. The form has waned and it has shown wear and tear. And it is not an illegitimate question; it is not a silly question,” said Ayaz. “To quote an American actor, Billy Burke, ‘Age is of no importance, unless you are cheese.’ I would like to add or a sportsperson.”

“There is a finite-ness to how long you can play. You can be an actor till you die or a businessman but to remain an active sportsperson is almost impossible.”

Watch the entire discussion between Ayaz Memon and Ashish Magotra in the video above.