Reasons why Sachin should not be dropped

[bharat297]

Yes Sachin and co. had a bad series, but lets face it ... Sachin have been in good form over the past year. I personally am not one who believes in things like ... Sachin can not perform in 3rd innings or 4th innings or anything.I believe that if a batsman is in form, then these stats dont mean anything and can change. Form is everything, ... How do you think these stats develop in the first place? These stats develop as a result of a form slump. He has not scored well this series, but Sachin is most definitely in form. His footwork is still sharp, his shot selection is good, his timing is strong. It is difficult for any batsman to play a spinner that you cant read the ball, and you are kidding yourself if you think any batsman played Mendis or Murali comfortably. Gambhir and Sehwag scored more because they batted more against the pacemen. Even in Sehwag's 201, he had many many chances against Mendis. Even in these innings (bar the last one, where he played injured) Sachin looked pretty solid and then eventually misread one. Credit must go to these 2 bowlers for their relentlessness. The way the Indian ODI team struggled in the Asia cup final against Mendis proves that it doesnt matter how old u are, if you cant read a spinner, on a turning track ... ur a walking wicket. These stats change. I mean 18 months ago people said Sachin wont deliver in 2nd innings in ODIs. He played many memorable knocks in ODIs in 2nd innings in 2007. Then people said that he cant score against Australia, so he scored against Australia. Then they said he would never win us a tournament final overseas, so he wins us the CB series in Australia. Now they are saying he cant score in 3rd and 4th innings. He used to be able to do this, so its not a mental thing. His form is still pretty good, despite this series. Now, Sachin has a history of answering his critics and silencing them in fine fashion, time and time again. Do we really want him not there for the Australian series?

[CC1981]

Sachin have been in good form over the past year.

Nonsense. He's had ONE good series. In a day and age where there are batsmen routinely averaging 60-70+ in a calendar year, Sachin's sub-50 average isnt 'good form' for even an above average batsman like Bell or Younis Khan, let alone a great player. Sachin in Tests is an over-the-hill guy who can only beat up mediocre attacks. He's long since stopped being a test batsman who can domiate against the best bowling attacks ala Lara could even till near the very end of his career.

[bharat297]

Nonsense. He's had ONE good series. In a day and age where there are batsmen routinely averaging 60-70+ in a calendar year, Sachin's sub-50 average isnt 'good form' for even an above average batsman like Bell or Younis Khan, let alone a great player. Sachin in Tests is an over-the-hill guy who can only beat up mediocre attacks. He's long since stopped being a test batsman who can domiate against the best bowling attacks ala Lara could even till near the very end of his career.

In the space of 2 paragraphs you have already contradicted yourself. You say he had one good series, (he did well against England and Pakistan too), but Im pretty sure ur referring to Australia ... then you say he can only beat up mediocre attacks. Do you read what you type?

[CC1981]

... then you say he can only beat up mediocre attacks. Do you read what you type?

yes..no contradictions...Aussie attack minus McWarne = mediocre attack!

[bharat297]

He has averaged 49.5 since 2007, during his "form slump". Most batsman would dream of having a career average that high, and this is the average that we ask Sachin to be dropped in. Yes he has struggled in 2nd innings recently, but those things turn around.

[bharat297]

yes..no contradictions...Aussie attack minus McWarne = mediocre attack!

Oh ok ... well then I guess you can never be proven wrong now ... because both those guys have retired ... how convenient. Lets not forget, Sachin has caned Warne all throughout his career. Warne rated him as the greatest player he has ever played against. McGrath rated him as the 2nd best. These guys arent idiots, they are 2 of the greatest bowlers in history. Do you ever stop to think that maybe ... just maybe, that 99% of the cricketers that have played him actually might know a bit more about cricket than you do? Pretty much anyone that has played him has said he is one of the greatest batsman of all time. Richie Benaud, this summer rated him as 2nd to Bradman (this was during his apparent form slump)

[CC1981]

He has averaged 49.5 since 2007, during his "form slump". Most batsman would dream of having a career average that high, and this is the average that we ask Sachin to be dropped in. Yes he has struggled in 2nd innings recently, but those things turn around.

No, that isnt Tendy's form slump...Tendy's form slump is scoring something like 300 runs in 12 innings or so the year before, scoring 50 runs in 5 innings in 2003, etc....his stats since 2007 started isnt that of a form slump, thats the best he's done in 4-5 years and is as good as Tendy will be today...which is 1/3rd of what Ponting or Mahela/Sanga etc are.

Yes he has struggled in 2nd innings recently, but those things turn around.

He's struggled more than that..he's struggled to average 40+ in a test series in something like 8 outta the last 11 series (minus minnows ofcourse...everybody averages 40+ vs the minnows BD and ZIM) or is it 9 outta 12 ? Sorry, but if Sachin wasnt an Indian and was from a proper cricketing nation (by proper i mean nations that know how to win consistently) like AUS or RSA, he'd have been dropped and packed away into retirement a long time ago.

[bharat297]

No, that isnt Tendy's form slump...Tendy's form slump is scoring something like 300 runs in 12 innings or so the year before, scoring 50 runs in 5 innings in 2003, etc....his stats since 2007 started isnt that of a form slump, thats the best he's done in 4-5 years and is as good as Tendy will be today...which is 1/3rd of what Ponting or Mahela/Sanga etc are.

2002 - He averaged 61 2003 - He averaged 17 2004 - he averaged 70 2005 - he averaged 51 2006 - He averaged 24 2007 - He avergaed 55 2008 - He is currently averaging 42 I see 2 bad years. Remember in 2006 he had major surgery. So it was really 2003 where he was really out of form. In that he played injury free and still struggled, other than that, whenever he has played a few matches on the trot, he has made plenty of runs. You are comparing Sachin's final years, with Sanga's peak years. If anything it is Ponting that has struggled against the top attacks. He has struggled against spin in the subcontinent. He struggled against the Pakistanis at full strength in the early 00's. He struggled against England at full strength in 2005. He struggled against India in 2007/08.

[CC1981]

I see 2 bad years.

I see a lot more than just 2 bad years, because i don't consider runs against Bangladesh to be worth anything. Take those and the runs against Zimboks out and see how he's done against any half-decent attack.

Remember in 2006 he had major surgery.

I dont care if he's had surgery or his tooth removed or got divorced or his dad died...Indian cricket team isnt his jaagir...whatever his personal reasons may be..bottomline is if he sucks, he gets the boot. Simple as that.

If anything it is Ponting that has struggled against the top attacks. He has struggled against spin in the subcontinent

No, not subcontinent, only India..Ponting did mucho better in SL than Tendy did this time around. Ponting's only struggled against India in India and has recently had a couple of half-decent series. He still has done far far better than Tendy over the last 4-5 years..so has Matty, Symonds,Gillchrist, sanga,mahela,kallis,smith,KP,Lara,Chanderpaul...hell, a LOT of people..

[bharat297]

I see a lot more than just 2 bad years, because i don't consider runs against Bangladesh to be worth anything. Take those and the runs against Zimboks out and see how he's done against any half-decent attack. ..

Well he averages 44 since 2004 when you take out BD and Zimbabwe ... so yea ... ur right he's useless. And you dont care that he surgery ... LOL. Ok so injuries dont affect anything. Lets see he was in form before the injury, he returned to form a little bit after the injury. Yea they dont affect anything. LOL Do you ever wonder why all these players call him the best batsman ? Its not just that he is stylish ... I mean Michael Vaughan was stylish. Are you seriously telling me that 99% of the cricketing world who agreed Sachin was back in form last summer, were wrong? and you were right?

[CC1981]

And you dont care that he surgery ... LOL. Ok so injuries dont affect anything. Lets see he was in form before the injury, he returned to form a little bit after the injury. Yea they dont affect anything. LOL

I didnt say surgery or injuries dont affect performance..ofcourse they do. My point is, i dont care what is the reason he isnt performing...if he isnt performing, he shouldnt be in the team...doesnt matter if he's been injured, someone died, someone was born, yadda yadda...perform or get out..punto fnale.

Do you ever wonder why all these players call him the best batsman ?

even the best of the best have to go someday...tendy's is very near. he is no longer the best batsman...he WAS the best batsman.

[bharat297]

I didnt say surgery or injuries dont affect performance..ofcourse they do. My point is, i dont care what is the reason he isnt performing...if he isnt performing, he shouldnt be in the team...doesnt matter if he's been injured, someone died, someone was born, yadda yadda...perform or get out..punto fnale. .

Ok I agree ... but he was performing before the injuries and he has shown that when he is fit he still has it. Also yes, the best have to go some day, and I believe that Sachin should and probably will retire from ODIs at the end of the year simply because his body can not handle it. However in tests, he still play a couple more years. Im not sure if you are watching his batting, but do you see any apparent weaknesses in his game. I remember in 2006, he was struggling. He was seeing the ball late, his reaction time was slower and he really struggled that year. In April 2007 after the world cup, he spent some time with Bob Simpson and fine tuned his game ... All of a sudden when you see him bat, again ... the footwork is sharp, he is playing straighter, bat speed is still good, he is driving on the up again, and his placement is good, he is driving with a nice high elbow, and he is playing more horizontal bat shots. Even this series, while the runs havent come, he hasnt looked out of sorts at the crease. Trust me, he is just one good innings away from turning this around. Unless you can give me some technical reason, that u see that suggests he is struggling for form, like some weakness the opposition can exploit, I refuse to believe he is past his prime. Not from what I saw last year. I would have agreed with you in 2006, but since 2007 he has fine tuned his game and I think he is in form.

[SachDan]

Im not sure if you are watching his batting, but do you see any apparent weaknesses in his game. . Even this series, while the runs havent come, he hasnt looked out of sorts at the crease. Trust me, he is just one good innings away from turning this around.

Exactly...he's looked so comfortable at the crease and its just the Luck that eluded him.

[King Tendulkar]

Aussies will feel the backlash!

[Chandan]

yes..no contradictions...Aussie attack minus McWarne = mediocre attack!

Right! And the Australian team vising in the October will be minus McWarne and hence a mediocre attack. So why not keep Sachin who can "beat a mediocre attack" according to you?

Oh ok ... well then I guess you can never be proven wrong now ... because both those guys have retired ... how convenient. Lets not forget, Sachin has caned Warne all throughout his career. Warne rated him as the greatest player he has ever played against. McGrath rated him as the 2nd best. These guys arent idiots, they are 2 of the greatest bowlers in history. Do you ever stop to think that maybe ... just maybe, that 99% of the cricketers that have played him actually might know a bit more about cricket than you do? Pretty much anyone that has played him has said he is one of the greatest batsman of all time. Richie Benaud, this summer rated him as 2nd to Bradman (this was during his apparent form slump)

Bharat, McGrath and Warne are gone. No point in discussing about them now. Sachin will NOT be dropped from the test team. And I feel that Laxman and Dravid might have given themselves a chance to hang for another series. It is Ganguly who is in big trouble for the coming series!

[fineleg]

Exactly...he's looked so comfortable at the crease and its just the Luck that eluded him.

:hysterical: Some fans keep defending even if God did zilch in the series! Now "luck factor" :giggle: For 6 consecutive inn, it was LUCK!!! :D Wait, 1st Match: "rusty", "out of practice" 2nd Match: "Luck eluded" 3rd Match: "Injury" Any other excuses?

[Shane]

My Sig tells it all ...

[The_Black_Prince]

Here's a good reason why Sachin should not be dropped - Over exactly the last 3 years and 27 test matches, Sachin has averaged a meager 41.50 in test match cricket. His test average has dropped a full 3 points from 57.25 3 years ago to a present 54.23. At the rate he is going, he will drop below Lara (52.88) in less than a year. In 2 years, his average could be below 50. This is why he should not be dropped.

[DadaRocks]

BCCI shud arrange a series with bangladesh...couple of 200 * not out will bring back sachin average to 57 or even 60...

[punjabi_khota]

Here's a good reason why Sachin should not be dropped - Over exactly the last 3 years and 27 test matches, Sachin has averaged a meager 41.50 in test match cricket. His test average has dropped a full 3 points from 57.25 3 years ago to a present 54.23. At the rate he is going, he will drop below Lara (52.88) in less than a year. In 2 years, his average could be below 50. This is why he should not be dropped.

maaki.