Mumbai: Master batsman Sachin Tendulkar on Thursday said he won't be a part of the Indian Twenty20 team in the immediate future.
Ruling himself out of the two Twenty20 Internationals against New Zealand during India's upcoming tour there commencing later this month, Tendulkar said he made the decision because he did not want to “disturb” the team that won the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa in 2007.
"I would continue not to play Twenty20 (international). The team is settled and I don't want to disturb it... That's why I won't be a part of the T20 team (in New Zealand)," Tendulkar said at a promotional event in the city.
The Indian team is scheduled to start the tour of New Zealand with two Twenty20 Internationals.
"When I had decided not to play Twenty20 after Indian tour in 2007, my body was a bit tired and it needed rest. It was not appropriate to go (to South Africa) and not give my best. After that the team had settled down and did well," the ace batsman said.
However, Tendulkar said he will continue to be part of the Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) as he was associated with it from the beginning.
"I have been with Mumbai Indians from the beginning and there is continuity," he said.
Tendulkar also added that he was not convinced about the ICC Umpires Referral system which he experienced first hand on India's tour of Sri Lanka last year.
"When I was there in Sri Lanka last time, I did not particularly like the Umpires Referral system. There is still an element of uncertainty in the system," the champion batsman said.
"I still prefer the hotspot system to identify the contact between the ball and bat. The LBW decisions are not convincing enough as the Hawk Eye gives a 22-yard view which the new referral system does not agree with ... as to whether the ball would have hit the stumps or not," Tendulkar said.
He refused to comment on the umpiring decisions that went against him in the recent tour of Sri Lanka.
"The ICC doesn't allow us to comment about umpiring decisions. Players find it sometimes a bit disappointing (about these decisions). I don't want to say anything because the entire world has seen it," he said.
Tendulkar was given out LBW (all debatable decisions) in the three matches that he played on the Lanka tour before he was rested for the final two ODIs.