New Delhi: Nearly two decades of cricket may have taken a toll on Sachin Tendulkar's body, but the master batsman hopes to play in the 2011 World Cup and wants to realise his "unfulfilled dream" of winning the coveted trophy for the country.
Tendulkar, who has been rested from the second and third Test against South Africa due to a groin injury, said he would not commit himself to play in the 2011 mega event to be held in the subcontinent, but would want to call it quits with a World Cup triumph.
"Winning the World Cup is certainly still an unfulfilled dream and I would love to play in it. But 2011 is still some way to go, and I don't want to look that far and commit myself to anything," said Tendulkar who will appear for a record sixth time if he plays in the mega event to be co-hosted by India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
Tendulkar, who began his international career in 1989 as a 16-year-old, said he would weigh his career options series by series without setting a timeline for retirement.
"I am enjoying my cricket at the moment and don't want to think too much into the future. I have been playing almost non-stop for 20 years and want to focus only on present. I prefer to take series by series," the master batsman who turns 35 on April 24 told CNN-Lokmat.
He said he had defended Harbhajan Singh in the Sydney racial row as the off-spinner did not say what he was accused of and it involved protecting the national pride.
Injured Tendulkar out of third Test
"I defended Harbhajan Singh because he had never said what he was accused of and I felt if we don't defend him this time, then when will we stand by him. I felt that Harbhajan was a teammate who needed support and I should take the lead," Tendulkar said.
"It was not just important for us as cricketers, but it was important for all Indians staying abroad, not just in Australia," said the maestro.
Responding to a query on on-field sledging that BCCI and ICC want to curb, Tendulkar said any international player should be prepared for it if it was within limits.
"There are limits to everything which no cricketer should cross. Some things will happen on the field of play. Everyone wants to win, and we should be prepared for it as long as it is within limits."
Tendulkar, who has the most centuries in Tests and one-day cricket and just 171 runs away from becoming Test cricket's highest run getter, said the West Indian legend Brian Lara was the finest batsman he had played with or against.
"Ricky Ponting is good especially when he is playing South Africa or West Indies, but not against India. Lara is a great player, a once-in-a-lifetime player. He had amazing ability," the Indian icon said of Lara whose most Test runs he is expected to erase from record books.
The master batsman, who does not have a leadership record to match his batting prowess, picked Nasser Hussain as the most inspiring captain.
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