Sachin Tendulkar has no plans to retire after India's World Cup triumph, but said the team would miss Gary Kirsten, their outgoing coach.
India regained the World Cup after 28 years with a six-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the final in Mumbai on Saturday under the guidance of Kirsten, the former South Africa batsman.
"I can't believe we're the world champions. I am enjoying cricket too much to retire from any form of the game," Tendulkar yesterday told NDTV.
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"Personally, I would say Gary [Kirsten] should continue, but he has family commitments.
"I respect his decision. We will miss him a lot.
"It's been a pleasure to work with him. He's probably worked harder than anyone else."
India not only secured the No 1 ranking in Tests and No 2 in one-day internationals (ODIs) under Kirsten, but also became a formidable force both at home and on their travels.
Tendulkar, the world's leading run scorer in both Tests (14,692) and ODIs (18,111), became a World Cup winner for the first time on his sixth and probably last appearance in the tournament.
He said winning the World Cup was his biggest cricketing moment and wished he could have shared it with his father, Ramesh.
"I miss my father," he said. "He would be proud.
"My kids being there for the victory lap made it even more special," said Tendulkar, whose father died during the 1999 World Cup.
The master batsman rated MS Dhoni as the "best captain" for leading the team shrewdly in the high-pressure tournament on home soil.
"He [Dhoni] reads the situation well, is open to ideas, and above all he stays calm and doesn't show frustration," Tendulkar said.
Meanwhile, Shahid Afridi has made himself available for Pakistan's tour of the West Indies after previously opting for a break.
The all-rounder, who captained Pakistan during the World Cup, had said he wanted a break from the game but has now made himself available to play in the tour, which begins later this month and includes five ODIs and two Test matches.
"Earlier I had decided to skip the tour because I wanted to take a well deserved rest from the game, but some former players and my family and friends told me to change my decision at this crucial time for Pakistan cricket," the 31-year-old told the Express News channel.
"I want to be part of the team on the coming tour and carry on the momentum we got from the World Cup."
