You can't win against the God of cricket: Ajay Jadeja

Former Team India teammate Ajay Jadeja paid rich tribute to Sachin Tendulkar, who scored a decisive 79 not out in his final Ranji Trophy innings on Wednesday. Tendulkar's knock helped Mumbai score a four-wicket victory against Haryana in the sleepy town of Lahli near Rohtak. Jadeja skippered the young Haryana squad.

Speaking to NDTV, Jadeja said: "You call him God and we call him the Master. You can't win against the God of cricket." The former opening batsman said Tendulkar's decision to play the Lahli game brought the fans back to Ranji Trophy. "We didn't have a clue that he was going to play this game. It came as a pleasant surprise for our young team," said Jadeja.

Jadeja said Tendulkar's ability to enjoy the game has kept him going in the last 24 years. "He still enjoys different challenges and is still not finished," Jadeja said, indicating how his 79 runs on a difficult track at the Chaudhary Bansi Lal Stadium helped Mumbai's cause. "He has proved why he is still the master. We have all batted on this wicket but his innings made the difference," Jadeja added.

Tendulkar's teammate and skipper Zaheer Khan said the Lahli match will help the master blaster prepare for the two-Test series against the West Indies next month. "The match has been a good exposure for him. It's definitely going to help him prepare for the West Indies series," Zaheer said.