India seamer Irfan Pathan today said he will miss Sachin Tendulkar's valuable tips at mid-on or mid-off while taking his run up after the veteran bids goodbye following his last Test against the West Indies next month.
"At the start of my career, he has helped me a lot. Whenever I used to bowl, he used to tell me what length to bowl for a reverse swing," said Pathan.
"I have learnt a lot from him. Not just bowling, I have learnt a lot about batting too. I have seen him closely for nine years in the dressing room and (observed) how he carries himself and how he behaves off the field. He is an ideal role model for all the cricketers.
"I will miss all these. But definitely on the field, I would miss the big cricketer at mid-on, mid-off," he added.
He hoped the crowd give Tendulkar the best-ever farewell.
"No one even came close to it (200 Test matches). It will be a huge event. I really hope that the crowd give him the best send off any player would have got, as he deserves that. I hope it becomes the biggest event when he plays his 200th game," Pathan told reporters at the sidelines of the Reliance 2013 India Junior and Cadet Open event.
Asked how he reacted to the news of Tendulkar's retirement, the 28-year-old said, "When you hear it for the first time, when he announced his retirement, a player like Sachin Tendulkar, who has given so much not only to Indian cricketers but the people around the world, you do feel sad. I felt sad when I heard it.
"But somewhere you realise a day would come, and thinking of that was frightening. Now that the day is going to come soon, it is a disappointing news," he said.
"His memories will always bring us cheer. It is sad for cricket loving people but when he is quitting, he is spreading happiness," Pathan added.
