Tendulkar happy to play in front of home crowd: MCA

The Mumbai Cricket Association today issued a statement on behalf of retiring great Sachin Tendulkar saying the senior India player was "more than happy" to play his final Test in the city and he would be pleased whichever way MCA chooses to felicitate him.

"Sachin Tendulkar is more than happy to play in Mumbai in front of his home crowd. He just wants his mother to be present when he plays his last Test. This is his main wish. Whichever way MCA honours him is acceptable to him," said MCA's joint secretary Dr P V Shetty today.

The MCA official did not elaborate what provoked such a statement being issued on behalf of the celebrated cricketer, who will bow out of the game after playing his landmark 200th Test against the visiting West Indies team at the Wankhede Stadium here from November 14-18.

However, it was learnt that Tendulkar is upset with reports that MCA is to gift him a special painting on November 11 at the official felicitation when the association's Kandivli facility will be named after him.

Tendulkar is set to play his 199th Test at Kolkata's Eden Gardens, which happens to be the first game of the two-match rubber against the West Indies, from November 6-10 before playing in his and the series' last game here.