Sachin Tendulkar's request to well-wishers: No mementoes, please!

Now, Tendulkar is being perfectly practical. Where would he store all those gifts which would have been presented with so much love and thought.

It is learnt that the scorers who have worked on their scorebooks and now, laptops at the Wankhede Stadium, wanted to present him with a souvenir, but they heard about his request and have decided to respect his wishes.

Of course, the Mumbai Cricket Association has big plans to felicitate him and even his host association has decided to present him with a painting instead of a trophy or citation.

"Tendulkar requested us not to give him any memento as he is finding it difficult to accommodate everything in his house. Hence, we arrived at a decision to present him with a painting," an MCA official told MiD DAY yesterday.

"It is not that he will not accept a memento if presented. He would not break anyone's heart. But he is finding it difficult to store everything. That is why he has requested those who know him well to refrain from giving him mementoes," a source close to the master batsman, said.

Tendulkar will play his last first-class match for Mumbai from October 27 at Lahli in Haryana. The Eden Gardens at Kolkata will host his 199th Test before the 200th at Wankhede Stadium. Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has decided on a grand felicitation function as part of the five-day carnival. u00a0