In pictures: Tendulkar's farewell series
- Published
Legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar's farewell series begins at the Eden Gardens in the eastern Indian city of Calcutta on Wednesday, when India play West Indies in the first game of a two-match series. The 40-year-old former captain announced his decision to retire from all forms of cricket last month.
Authorities in Calcutta have made grand preparations to make Tendulkar's second-last Test match a special occasion.
A life-size wax figure of the master batsman is already on display at the stadium.
Tickets for the game carry the picture of Tendulkar.
A gold coin embossed with Tendulkar's face has been used in the toss for Wednesday's game.
Cricket officials are planning to shower 199kg (440lb) of rose petals from the sky and hand out 67,000 Tendulkar masks to fans on the opening day of the game.
The master batsman will move on to play his final match in his home city of Mumbai next week. A Tendulkar fan has already installed a huge cricket bat near a railway station in the city.
And last week school children in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh painted their faces to pay tribute to Tendulkar's farewell series.