Tendulkar:hit or myth

[Executioner]

@ gb I understand now. Sachin did a lot for India even a retard would admit it. Its just that I don't like comments like : I will stop following cricket when srt retires. Now I am sure sachin himself tilted the people towards cricket. now do you think he will feel good when people lose passion for the game when he retires? Then what was the purpose of all his past exploits. He wanted to create a legacy and to ensure that even when he retired Indians would still follow the sport with passion. Saying that ofcourse, I don't think the world will ever see another sachin. He is the arguably the 2nd best batsman the world has seen afterwards bradman

[CSK Fan]

@ gb I understand now. Sachin did a lot for India even a retard would admit it. Its just that I don't like comments like : I will stop following cricket when srt retires. Now I am sure sachin himself tilted the people towards cricket. now do you think he will feel good when people lose passion for the game when he retires? Then what was the purpose of all his past exploits. He wanted to create a legacy and to ensure that even when he retired Indians would still follow the sport with passion. Saying that ofcourse, I don't think the world will ever see another sachin. He is the arguably the 2nd best batsman the world has seen afterwards bradman

On the flip side, we cannot also simply discard a player who has given so many emotional moments to us. Bradman's last test was one of the most emotional and hyped one too, and rightly so. Many felt it was an end of an era and were disinterested in cricket for a while. It was like someone close to you going away forever. And that's how it is with Sachin too. When someone close leaves your house, the house will feel empty for a while But I agree, when my brother goes overseas for years, its an emotional scene at home. When my neighbor goes and his family gets all emotional, I feel they go over the top. So I guess you have to be an Indian to understand this moment.

[G_B_]

@ gb I understand now. Sachin did a lot for India even a retard would admit it. Its just that I don't like comments like : I will stop following cricket when srt retires. Now I am sure sachin himself tilted the people towards cricket. now do you think he will feel good when people lose passion for the game when he retires? Then what was the purpose of all his past exploits. He wanted to create a legacy and to ensure that even when he retired Indians would still follow the sport with passion. Saying that ofcourse, I don't think the world will ever see another sachin. He is the arguably the 2nd best batsman the world has seen afterwards bradman

Its fair to say that the periphery of Indian cricket fans will say that. Some of girl cousins in mumbai watch cricket for sachin. Have done so since they were kids. I live in England and believe me the girls in the neighbourhood switched off football when Beckham called quits. Many of us were thankful we did not have to explain the off side rule. Obviously there are different reasons. One for matters on field and others of matters off the field looks. Also, a record number of Indians did watch the champions trophy win for India. so obviously people who say that probably a small % of them will actually carry out what they say. My mother says, never take to heart what people say when they are in the heat of the moment. Its sort of like that. Test cricket for example has been in general decline in terms of % viewer ship in India since the 90s. Thats with or without Tendulkar. what M2C says is true. Its like a relative going away for many Indian fans. Or even a death of a loved one. Most likely people will mourn and life will go on and people will be back to watching cricket. For many of us who grew up in the 90s across the world for Indians he was an icon. Its like saying goodbye to a close friend we all thought we had something personal with.

[Executioner]

well I don't want to argue about sachin being so close to your hearts. Unlike other nations Bangladesh has not produced that sort of a player that is worthy of respect from people of sort so I don't have the feelings you Indians do. The players I grew up watching are either ordinary, banned for sometime - ashrafool, or replaced by better players.

[G_B_]

In that sense you can argue that due to sachin the cricket world in general benefited as financially as sachin helped make cricket the defacto sport of India. There would be no tickle down effect indirectly. I was reading an article whereby multi talented south african white boys from private schools are turning down contracts in rugby for cricket even if they consider themselves as rugby fans. The reasons are simple. They can earn more in cricket (or they believe that) without the injuries. With the average south african cricket player earning more than the average south african rugby player at national and domestic levels. Lets you know a lot of people want to board the money train even if its not what their hearts want. The way cricket is headed, in England Aus Nz WI and SA. Its going to attract the best talent in certain ethnic groups displacing rugby/aussie rules/other sports. One of the major catalysts for that has to be sachin. He is not the only one ofcourse. There are a lot. Indian economy, Indian population growth etc etc and good performances from say England cricket team etc. But Sachin is certainly one of the major factors. I mean looks of Jamaica. Next to Blake and Bolt Gayle is the largest earner in that place.

[Executioner]

but the issue is that a lot of youngsters are losing passion for the game and following other sports. Had got to do with the poor scheduling. I dont see Indians being too keen about the 7 match odi series while Bangladesh plays just 3 matches against NZ and a total of 9 ODIs despite having improved in the past. In one case its overkill and in the other case we see such little cricket among teams that need to play more desperately. And the great ICC makes a genius plan that allows only 2.minnows to play along the big boys. At the end of the day its the same teams playing each other over and over again. I mean how many times does India-SL, NZ-england, Pakistan-SA happen?

[G_B_]

ICC need to make Ireland and Afghanistan permnanet members. that will solve scheduling problems. BD Afghanistn Zim and Ireland can play each other with more regularity.