I thought I should move on from India and Sachin and write about Cricket in general but one article which I read today put me off so much. This is an article by Ian Chappell, considered to be amongst the best of thinkers of the game. The article had been about Sachin to review his future. Sachin for one is revered by many as God and by others as a great batsman and anyone who is on that pedestal would not want to demean their name just for a couple more extra centuries.
He has had it all. The name, the fame, the money, the cricketing records, his share of great knocks and his share of a dent in the moral s bowlers. I dont think he would be so naive to throw it all after 17 years of building it up. What more records does he need. He has seen it all. After almost 15K One day runs and 12 K test runs, I dont think he is playing just to increase them by another thousand or so. I feel he ll know better and earlier than most as to how and when would he retire. During the 2003 world cup, when he was asked to play down the order, he expressed his displeasure and stated his preference to open the innings. But four years older and definitely wiser, this time around, he didnt mention any preference and was most happy to play down the order. Had he been playing for himself and the statistics, he would most definitely have preferred to open the innings and no one could have been against it. But Team India had a plan and for the plan to be successful(atleast on paper), it required Sachin to play at No 4 and he did that against his wishes. He has changed his style of play to suit the team. True, he has not met the standards , a very high one - mind you, that he had set for himself and he too would know that.
This may indeed be the time that he has to quit or there could still be some time left for him to do some things which he has not done in the past 17 years. But that is not for others to decide. Till this point, he has decided the course he has taken. He decided at 17 that he had it in him to make it to the top. He decided the shots he played and the deliveries he bowled. He decided to take the captaincy and then relinquish it. Just like all the things he has decided over the past 17 years, I think he would decide the time best for him to call it a day. After all, he has been our best batsman through the 90's and the lack of form in the last four years has not displaced him much from his place as the very best.
Again, this could be the time to retire or to come back strongly with vengeance against the detractors but whatever it is , it is for him to think and decide and not for others to pour their thoughts in. Whatever the decision is, we can be sure that it will be taken keeping Team India s well being in mind. Afterall, he has done the same over the past 17 years. He has been there, seen it all.
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Should Sachin Retire? - The big question is asked by everyone. Sachin fanatics like me do ask that question, cos i want him to retire when he is doing good. i dont want a repeat of Kapil Dev or Srikanth, who were cursed and cursed during there twilight... After 2003 worldcup i wanted Sachin to continue till 2007 and retire after winning the championship - after all he deserves it... But now, when i look back, i think it would have been better if he would have retired in 2003 itself. Imagine how it would have been. I am not denying ur contention that 'he is not playing for some extra centuries or runs' but i just want to avoid hearing people cursing him. I couldnt stand others lavishly accusing Sachin for not playing well. As u said, expectations on him are so high. But try to watch a match in public and then u ll feel what i do now. there was a time, when i always wanted India matches in public just to see Sachin's support. Even during India Pakistan match in Chennai - the stadium was only half filled, from full house, when Sachin got out for 4, when India was chasing a massive total added by Saed Anwar's world record score. But now, right from the time he enters, i start hearing comments about his failure and the boo boos... I hate it...Everytime i say to myself that the Master should blast this time and shut these people. But i am sorry to say, its not happening most of the times. Whenever i think of him or see him coming from the pavillion, i think about the Sandstorm match or the Perth Test, but not many matches are added in the recent times... i would like to quote Bill Clinton's verse here: "When memories outweigh dreams, u know that u are getting old". I would like Sachin to retire on a PEAK. But anything less than 1998 will not be considered a PEAK for him. If not peak, atleast on a high. The question now is, IS THIS THE HIGH!!! I am afraid.
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