Tendulkar and Zaheer retirement discussion [Poll added]

[beetle]

What's all this cr@p about being "unthankful" and "respect"? We are Indian cricket fans and not Tendulkar fanboys. You make it sound as if Tendulkar was the second coming of Christ who made some great sacrifice. He's a professional sportsperson - nothing more and nothing less - just like Dravid, Laxman, Gavaskar, Kapil and numerous others. Being a sportsperson is just like any other job, i.e. you need to perform or make way for others. You are not owed any favors or entitled to "spot for life" in the team. We don't really care for whether Tendulkar "enjoys his cricket" or not. I enjoy cricket as well but I'm not gonna enjoy it at the cost of the national team. Tendulkar has averaged 15 over the last 10 innings and has barely done anything of note over the last 2 years and it's high time he's kicked out. He's not owed anything by BCCI or the fans. He has played for 23 years and as a result he is a billionaire which he wouldn't have been anywhere near becoming if he hadn't become a cricketer. He gained plenty of money and fame in the process and stop pontificating as if he has made some great sacrifice for the nation. In fact he has shown over the last year or so with the 100th 100 fiasco, his picking & choosing the matches & series, his 100th 100 which cost India the Asia Cup, his preference to spend "quality" time with his kids during their "school vacation" and his preference to play IPL while skipping intl matches/series that he's as selfish as any other bloke. Dravid is one guy whom I have respect for - the guy was selfless to the core and hung up his boots when he saw that he was past it whereas the so called "god" is continuing to cling on to his spot even though he's well past it. And knowing him he'll continue playing home matches and retire when India is about to tour SA leaving the team in the lurch with a newbie and an unsettled lineup. But of course "god" deserves to do so coz team doesn't mean anything, it's all about when bhagwan decides he stops "enjoying" his cricket :giggle:

:hatsoff:

[vvvslaxman]

The rest of the team has also been **** mate. If you take an average over the past 2 years, he's the same or better than Gambhir, Sehwag, Dhoni, Laxman etc. It's just discrimination based on age, combined with a "cut the tall poppy" and a cruel fake-egalitarian attitude to treating all cricketers equal. In the world of many fans here, you are only as good as your last performance, and that is it. Past performances count for nothing.Who cares if you single handed,h decimated attacks all across the world. Who cares if your technique is second to none. Who cares if you are the most experienced batsman in the history of the game. Who cares if you have a track history of coming out of slumps with a bang, Who cares if you are the most aesthetically pleasing batsman the world has seen. All that matters, in the minds of some righteous fans here, is what the end result is, not the process and history behind it. The argument for getting new young talent into the team instead of SRT is also flawed. You would have a very vulnerable line up, in which there would be little or no experience in the middle order. We are proclaiming Pujara to be Dravid after an innings on 19 abroad! We need SRT to groom the middle order, so that they develop the temperament, the skill and mindset to go on in the future without him. Instead of calling for his head, hope SRT's form improves, encourage him, and get over your grudges, Indian cricket will be in a much better place if he performs. The pleasure some people are taking in his failures is sickening to say the least.

Let him address his own issues first before addressing the issues of others. Using your logic no great players can ever retire. Dravid could have also stayed for experience. Laxman could have also stayed for experience. So could have Ganguly. Now that Sehwag is experienced enough he can stay forever. So Can Gambhir. Why did we even have to pick Pujara, Kohli. Oh wait why did we pick Tendulkar in 1989 instead of sticking to the same old players.. why did we pick Azharuddin in 1984 removing Sandeep patil . After all he just had couple of test failures.

[Nova]

Age is not irrelevant, it's the most important factor when considering whether to stick with a player or not. You will never give the same leeway to an out of form (20 months at that which is more than just a small dip) as you would to a 26 year old. Reason for that is based on the basic cost-benefit analysis, i.e. what's the upside you gt while sticking to a 40 year old. Even if he comes good he won't last more than a year or so but a 26 year old can still give you 10 good years. With Tendulkar the low reward simply doesn't justify the risk. And what of transition plan? What if Tendulkar continues to play for another year or more and then quits just before India travels abroad for next overseas tour? Have you thought about that and how the team would be in disarray to fit in a newbie leading to an unsettled lineup? Do you have appetite to endure another 0-8 disaster? Do you only care the no. of 100s Tendulkar scores and not the team on the whole? Do you think it would be fair to the player who's oing to replace Tendulkar (most probably Rahane) to be thrust into the middle straight away in SA rather then get a series or two at home to get settled just like Pujara? For me, and looks like quite a few others, the team comes first and I don't want to see the 0-8 debacle ever again. Haven't we learnt any lessons from the fiasco already and still trying to go ahead with a 40 year old instead of planning for the future and ensuring we give ourselves - team as well as the newbies - best chance of succeeding? For me Tendulkar there's hardly any upside to continue with Tendulkar but everything to gain by blooding a youngster in Rahane or even Rohit. Give them a chance to establish themselves before sterner tests ahead and I doubt either Rahane or Rohit will do any worse than Tendulkar.

Good post based on sound logic. Anyone has a counter argument for this? I don't think so. Let's keep our emotions and devotion to SRT aside, and think. Once the mind is clear, then you can see why SRT should retire soon.

[vvvslaxman]

These people are not true India fans and one of the reasons that the country is dying with poverty and not advancing in any other sports or areas due to these selfish attitudes. Overtake China one day? DOnt make me laugh' date=' they wudnt treat their sun jihai in such a way[/quote'] True Indian fans does not have to be sachin fanatic. Just saying. Rest of the crap you spewed there you can eat for your lunch.

[vvvslaxman]

U_G is in full form :hatsoff:

[GautiMaan]

Milk that was good yesterday turns sour today. We can all play around with metaphors but if he cant perform at home what hope is there for him to "guide" youngsters in SA?This series is where the line should be drawn for not only Sachin but for everyone else,score or gtfo

[The Outsider]

Tendulkar phaanbois are cracking me up in this thread.

[EnterTheVoid]

From that 1000 page rant, U_G wants to dump Tendulkar and give Nohit Sharma a go! From one comedian to another! :hysterical:

[Ultimate_Game]

I simply can't understand how people can call themselves "true" Indian fans and continue to back 40 year old over the hil player who puts the team's future at risk. I am a huge Dhoni, Gambhir & Yuvraj fan coz they have been instrumental in us winning 2007 T20 Cup and the 2011 WC but if any player comes along who is an upgrade on any of these players I will take the new player over the incumbent that very moment. No player is bigger than the team and I simply can't fathom how anyone can actually prefer a player over the team :dontknow:

[vvvslaxman]

I think Tendulkar will call it quits when his average keeps taking a big hit.. Rightnow he is averaging 54.60. This is the lowest since oct 2008. If it drops couple more points he will call it quits to protect his average.

[Ultimate_Game]

From that 1000 page rant, U_G wants to dump Tendulkar and give Nohit Sharma a go! From one comedian to another! :hysterical:

It could be Rahane or Rohit or any other youngster whom selectors go for. Any option would be better than a 40 year old has been.

[vvvslaxman]

if he had retired right after world cup he would have averaged 56.94 with 51 centuries. Now 54.60 with 51 centuries.

[EnterTheVoid]

Yea, lets replace Tendulkar with Flathappa Ultimate_Game, he secured his credentials by tonking a few sixes against Bermuda in a game no one watched

[cybervickey]

The reality of things is that : NO matter how much you guys cry , ***** and moan , Sachin will go when he want's to go . People in India got enough respect and knowledge to know whats right !.So troll away you guys , This is just a futile argument over here.

[Ultimate_Game]

Yea' date=' lets replace Tendulkar with Flathappa Ultimate_Game, he secured his credentials by tonking a few sixes against Bermuda in a game no one watched [/quote'] Wow!!! What a counter-argument :hatsoff: I am sure I was refering to "Flathappa" when I mentioned Rahane. Have to say your wits are as sharp as your god's reflexes :hysterical:

[Ultimate_Game]

The reality of things is that : NO matter how much you guys cry , ***** and moan , Sachin will go when he want's to go . People in India got enough respect and knowledge to know whats right !.So troll away you guys , This is just a futile argument over here.

If that's the case we may as well shut down ICF coz nothing discussed here will have a bearing on anything that goes on the field or off it (selection). The reason why we come here is that we love cricket and discuss our viewpoints.

[vvvslaxman]

Post world cup performance by our players.

[vvvslaxman]

If there was any one in the list that deserved longer rope that was Dravid lol

[cybervickey]

If that's the case we may as well shut down ICF coz nothing discussed here will have a bearing on anything that goes on the field or off it (selection). The reason why we come here is that we love cricket and discuss our viewpoints.

DUDE ! I understand where you are coming from but kicking sachin outta team ain't happening unless Sachin himself decides that he has played enough cricket . I too feel that this is not the same sachin of the 90's and early 2000's but he is still really really good. I too respect Dravid a lot for retiring when he thought he has had enough . Why can't we extend the same courtesy to Sachin ?

[Nova]

The reality of things is that : NO matter how much you guys cry , ***** and moan , Sachin will go when he want's to go . People in India got enough respect and knowledge to know whats right !.So troll away you guys , This is just a futile argument over here.

Can you present a counter-argument for this post: http://www.indiancricketfans.com/showpost.php?p=2180919&postcount=793 Please mull over it.