Originally Posted by
CEDYBLUE
Ricky Ponting's performance in the last 3 years has nothing to write home about, except for once series against the perennially hapless India. There has been calls for Ricky Ponting's head/body/arms/legs for a long time now and to say that he could have 'easily' continued for 2 more years just because he is 2 years younger to Sachin is laughable and raises serious questions about your understanding of the game. There was one player from Namibia who played when he was around 47 and hence going by your criteria, Sachin can 'easily' play for another 7 years at least.
Emotions aside, even I would like to see Sachin retire soon, but not for the long list of reasons you have listed down here.
The 'Genius' and the 'Rare Phenomenon' is not booed by anyone as yet, and it is only some 'knowledgeable' fans/critics like you who have been calling for this head from the time you first started watching cricket, for reasons not known. Nambi, I could see you lauding Ian Chappell's Mirror classic in 2007 and would have wanted Sachin to retire @ that stage, because you cannot see him undergo the 'trauma'.
Nambi, Trauma is not new to Sachin. Right from the 1990’s when he was the one exceptional Indian on the world stage to this date, Sachin has been carrying the trauma that has been a result of the unrealistic expectations/hope of an entire nation that was conveniently dumping all their personal aspirations/dreams/desires on Sachin’s tiny frame. Every Indian wanted to express themselves to the World and put the onus on Sachin. Sachin took the trauma all these years and delivered.
Ever since the day Sachin eased himself into the Indian team and started establishing his prodigious talent, he has been asking the question 'Whether my team needs my presence' and right from the days of the Serial Match Fixer Azharuddin to this day of MSD, Sachin's presence has been the only reason why Cricket is still the No 1 sport in India. The IPL riches of today and all other luxuries that Indian Cricket is getting used to today, is because of Sir Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar.
Now coming back to the question of Sachin's retirement, I Say Sachin should retire soon for 3 important reasons.
1. Sachin does not deserve to play in a team that plays the game without any respect/sincerity/patriotism. Sachin plays in a team where all ‘seniors’ believe they are above the game and is led by a captain who is genuine but insensitive and does not have a vision. Sachin should disassociate himself from this team.
2. Sachin should not represent BCCI anymore, an organization that employs obesity hit 50 year olds and is solely focused on raking millions with no respect to neither the game nor the players or the paying public. Sachin should disassociate himself from it.
3. Sachin does not deserve to play for the Indian general public which seems to have identified other ways and means to get counted and hence are ready to dump the very man who brought them self-respect. The generation of today believe they are an independent and a self-confident lot. They don’t need heroes anymore; they don’t need a Sachin anymore to bring them respect. Sachin should disassociate himself completely from this group of hypocrites.
Sachin is not scoring runs for some time now, yes you have a point, but that does not been he is not ‘performing’. If you would have noticed the intensity that this selfless 40 year old man displayed on the field in the last 3 test matches against England when he was chasing/throwing himself around when every other senior/young team members were either fooling around or disinterested, you would have known what performance truly means. Performance means giving your all, irrespective of your form/age/environment, etc.
If you would still stay that scoring runs is the only criteria for performance, well mark my words, Sachin can still cause a turn-around and shut all Ian Chappells one more time.
But Sachin should just disassociate himself from the game which does not deserve him anymore.