India batsman Yuvraj Singh hopes to play alongside Sachin Tendulkar one last time, but said that he would definitely go to watch Tendulkar's 200th Test if he wasn't in the squad for the home series against West Indies. On the day Tendulkar announced his decision to retire, Yuvraj had made a comeback, making a match-winning 77 off 35 balls in the Twenty20 international against Australia in Rajkot.
Yuvraj made his ODI debut in 2000, when Tendulkar's career was already more than ten-years old, and thanked him for the guidance given throughout his career.
"I don't know if I am going to have the opportunity to play with him, but if I am not playing, I will definitely come and watch," an emotional Yuvraj said, following the game against Australia. "He never showed that he is the great Sachin Tendulkar. He was always trying to be chirpy with the youngsters, although we were a bit reluctant to go up to him. Personally, he's always guided me on and off the field about the things in my life, specially the World Cup journey, so it's been very special. It's tough for me to see him go.
"It's been amazing to play with him for so many years. He is one of the greatest players to have played the game and I don't know what to say, there are so many things to say about Sachin. Probably the best Indian cricketer to have ever played, I would say. He was an ambassador of cricket around the world. It's going to be an emotional time for the whole of India."
Calling Tendulkar a "next-to-impossible" batsman to replace, Yuvraj said he admired many facets of his team-mate's technique. "Lots of things - the way he hits the ball, the way he is always still. He is technically, I think, the best batsman I have seen in my career. And how he has been smart all these years to know what bowlers are going to bowl at him. He's always been one or two steps ahead, that's why he's been so consistent all these years."
He ended the press conference by saying, "Yuvi is back my friend." He would hope to be back in time to bat with Tendulkar, for one last time.