India to play 2 Tests against WI at home before SA Tour - Tendulkar's 200th Test

[India-KXIP fan]

Will look forward to this :nice: Perfect stage to retire, 200th test at his home against a chitty team he can still score runs against aged 40+. Nice of the board to arrange this farewell series :nice:

[Raghav_12]

It is increasingly clear that proposed WI tour has more to do with India's tug of war with CSA and Haroon Logart than with Sachin and his retirement. With this single stroke, BCCI has put CSA on tenterhooks and partially punished them for declaring itinerary unilaterally. I am sure after hearing this news CSA officials would be getting all fidgety and may come down to India to appease BCCI. Personally it will very unforunate to Indian Cricket Fans (ICF's) to get this marquee tour cancelled or curtailed but since when BCCI cares about indian fans.

[CSK Fan]

If he DOES retire at Wankhede' date=' question to be asked will be why not after 2011 WC final..it cannot and will not ever get bigger than that.[/quote'] He has given his reasons time and again. He did not want India's WC win to be voer-shadowed by his retirement. Just like it happened with MI's IPL win

[diga]

Kallis views on tendulkar's retirement now seems so true now.. Sachins destiny is not in his own hands

[Old guy]

He has given his reasons time and again. He did not want India's WC win to be voer-shadowed by his retirement. Just like it happened with MI's IPL win

That is such a silly excuse ..also so egocentric ..how will win get over shadowed by retirement ? Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4

[Old guy]

It is increasingly clear that proposed WI tour has more to do with India's tug of war with CSA and Haroon Logart than with Sachin and his retirement. With this single stroke, BCCI has put CSA on tenterhooks and partially punished them for declaring itinerary unilaterally. I am sure after hearing this news CSA officials would be getting all fidgety and may come down to India to appease BCCI. Personally it will very unforunate to Indian Cricket Fans (ICF's) to get this marquee tour cancelled or curtailed but since when BCCI cares about indian fans.

True..I think it's more to do with this fight than anything else but still it's bullshit :(( Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk 4

[saneindian]

He has given his reasons time and again. He did not want India's WC win to be voer-shadowed by his retirement. Just like it happened with MI's IPL win

Doesn't change the fact that he is not going to get a bigger stage and occasion to quit on a high

[CG]

Sachin missed the perfect opportunity to quit form odis and even tests after 2011 wc.But still he should retire at home against wi.

[PSB_Zone]

Is odi against wi also sheduled if not there is enuf time for full fledged tour of saf .Ind/australia odi will finish on 2nd november and nz tour will begin on 19th jan.. 2 test against wi can be played frm 6th nov to 10 nov then 14th to 18..India can go to saf on 25th nov to 10 december play the warm up matches odi and t-20 first and three test with boxing day after wards then they can go strt to nz still will hv abt 10 days gap..If 5 odi against wi are also scheduled then it will make it a little tighter

[vishalvirsingh]

Can you imagine any batsman retiring on 99 centuries?

Will we get any thing special by beating West INdies in INDIA 2-0... Amit Mishra and Ashwin would win india the Test with in 4 days and each one of them would get at least 6 wickets in each TEST if not More............. KOhli Pujara and Shikhar Dhawan are in such hot forms , they will surely hit one century if not 2 in these 2 Tests. Tino best cant get them in both tests... If Rohit gets a chance to bat he may also score a 50 ........and book his ticket to Africa Sachin has the best chance to hit a 50 but i beleive Tino best and the Other Pacer will make sure that HE does not. r they testing our Spinners ?? or r they Testing our Batsman in indian conditions? Our Spinners wll again Pass the test with flying colours and there will be TUF competetion between mishra and ashwin to fetch more wickets....Bhuvi may also get 1 and UMESH also 1........

[Raghav_12]

Will we get any thing special by beating West INdies in INDIA 2-0... Amit Mishra and Ashwin would win india the Test with in 4 days and each one of them would get at least 6 wickets in each TEST if not More............. KOhli Pujara and Shikhar Dhawan are in such hot forms , they will surely hit one century if not 2 in these 2 Tests. Tino best cant get them in both tests... If Rohit gets a chance to bat he may also score a 50 ........and book his ticket to Africa Sachin has the best chance to hit a 50 but i beleive Tino best and the Other Pacer will make sure that HE does not. r they testing our Spinners ?? or r they Testing our Batsman in indian conditions? Our Spinners wll again Pass the test with flying colours and there will be TUF competetion between mishra and ashwin to fetch more wickets....Bhuvi may also get 1 and UMESH also 1........

read my previous post. WI series has little to do with Sachin and his retirement. It's because of war going on between BCCI and CSA simnce CSA appointed Haroon Logart as their chief. Not only this, BCCI has advanced date for NZ tour as well which will now start mid Jan than early Feb as planned earlier. http://www.espncricinfo.com/new-zealand-v-india-2014/content/story/667669.html

India's NZ tour advanced to January India will tour New Zealand for a month in mid-January for five ODIs and two Tests, with the first one-dayer to be played on January 19 and the second Test ending on February 18. New Zealand Cricket's release came a day after the BCCI's working committee approved the tour. The announcement increased the uncertainty surrounding India's South Africa tour in November, the itinerary of which is yet to be finalised. The New Zealand tour was scheduled to begin in early February, according to the ICC Future Tours Programme, but will now start around two to three weeks earlier, eating into the time allotted for the South Africa tour. In fact, according to the itinerary announced by Cricket South Africa in July, and objected to by the BCCI, the third and final Test in Johannesburg was to end on January 19, the day on which India will now be thousands of miles away commencing their New Zealand sojourn. The make-up of the South Africa trip had already been put in doubt after it was left out of a list of upcoming series announced by the BCCI a day ago, which included a freshly-planned home Test series against West Indies in November. West Indies will then will travel to New Zealand after playing in the subcontinent, for a series that starts on December 3 and ends on January 15, four days before the home team's first game against India. "It's brilliant that the Black Caps will be playing five ODIs against the world's top one-day side given the proximity of the World Cup in 2015," NZC chief executive David White said. While the boards have stuck to the five ODIs as laid out in the FTP, the originally scheduled three Tests have been cut down to two, while the Twenty20 international has been done away with. The venues will be confirmed in a week or so, NZC said. India last toured New Zealand from February to April 2009 for a longer trip consisting of two T20s followed by five ODIs and ending with three Tests. While New Zealand won both T20s, India took the ODIs 3-1 and the Tests 1-0.

WI tour and this advanced NZ tour mean, there would hardly be any gap for SA tour. Eagerness with which people jump to attack Sachin has become sickening. TOI-let paper leads the way by making this a front page story.

[CSK Fan]

Doesn't change the fact that he is not going to get a bigger stage and occasion to quit on a high

So after all the accusations of his being selfish and caring only for himself, now his detractors want him to be selfish and care for himself? This is why they dont make any sense

[Sooda]

Also, why are they not talking about cutting down the 7 ODIs vs Aus? Play 3 ODIs and save 2 weeks there, cut down the 7 ODIs vs SA to 3 ODIs and save 2 weeks there again...there you have the 4 weeks for scheduling a home series vs WI without cutting down tests in SA or NZ.

Cut the Aus ODI tour out altogether in fact

[diga]

So after all the accusations of his being selfish and caring only for himself' date=' now his detractors want him to be selfish and care for himself? This is why they dont make any sense[/quote'] I am all for Sachin caring for himself if he is not able to contribute with the bat in either the WI or the SA series (if it happens).. He was our batting weak link in the last test series against the Aussies and now he is getting a bonus series vs WI. Utilize that & should retire

[saneindian]

So after all the accusations of his being selfish and caring only for himself' date=' now his detractors want him to be selfish and care for himself? This is why they dont make any sense[/quote'] Detractors? :hysterical: All those who are not blind faithfuls != Detractors

[Sooda]

So this series has nothing to do with SRT and all to do with BCCI vs CSA :hmmm: ?

[G_B_]

I think the bcci wanted to cash in on Tendulkar 200. Fair enough. But there was no need to squeeze in 5 ODIs with WI.

[Lord]

The inexplicable ways of the BCCI

The BCCI’s continued refusal to explain means that its latest bombshell – a home series against West Indies when everyone was looking forward to an away series in South Africa – will be interpreted in a manner embarrassing to itself, and to Sachin Tendulkar, among others. Riding roughshod over other cricket boards, the ICC and the interest of the game itself has been reduced to a crude art. If it has been done to appease television, then let the television channels take over the BCCI’s job. At the very least, it shows poor planning. But look at the range of possible explanations that are already being tossed about: 1. It is a purely commerical decision so Sachin Tendulkar can play his 200th Test match at home and then retire. The money possibilities are huge in this for the BCCI, which puts a price on everything. 2. It is a happy solution to ensure that Indian batsmen do not have to face Dale Steyn, Mornie Morkel and Vernon Philander in South Africa. 3. The BCCI cannot afford the loss of face in another poor series abroad. 4. The BCCI is out to teach Cricket South Africa a lesson for voting for Haroon Lorgat as its CEO. 5. The BCCI, like ageing boxers, is happy to take on only those countries they are confident of beating. 6. It doesn’t matter who India play, how series affect their cricket, so long as they don’t lose. A loss will reduce the interest among the fans, and in the money bags who support the game. 7. With the BCCI in a mess over its internal affairs and IPL spot-fixing allegations, a successful cricket team is an important counter to inefficiency and lack of accountability. Should India lose, the focus will be back on the BCCI, and the august body cannot afford that. 8. The BCCI might be using the West Indies tour as a gigantic bluff to bring South Africa to heel. 9. A home series gives N Srinivasan some more leverage to appease those who need to be convinced to vote for him when he stands for the President’s post for another term. More favours, more votes. Some, all or none of the above may be true, but by functioning like a secret society with no access to information for those who care for the sport means that guesswork will be the order of the day. All the more reason for the cricket board to come under the RTI. Tendulkar deserves better than to be seen as a player chasing a record in the comfort of his home environment. He is the greatest batsman India – perhaps the world of international cricket – has produced, and he needs to be seen as more than a mere statistical curiosity. Poetic justice might see him withdraw from one of the Tests against the West Indies with a common cold. What will the BCCI do then? No one can afford to displease the BCCI – not South Africa, not the ICC, not even the saner elements within the BCCI who believe the national body is being hijacked by men with dollar signs in their eyes and egos as large as the Eden Gardens. Srinivasan has been careful to say that the tour of South Africa has not been called off; but what price CSA will have to pay for it has been left unsaid. When did the West Indies come into the picture? The more he spoke about his honesty, wrote Emerson, the faster we counted our spoons. Similarly, the more the President speaks about not tiring the cricketers, the more aware we ought to be that there is more to all this than meets the eye.

[Crookbond]

He has given his reasons time and again. He did not want India's WC win to be voer-shadowed by his retirement. Just like it happened with MI's IPL win

To be fair MTC, he could have announced his retirement a couple of months later as well if that was the case. I think Tendulkar felt he still had something to contribute to the team and the opinions of the senior members in the squad may also have made him give that final push. Raghav - This does not have to be either/or situation. BCCI wants to cash on Tendulkar's 200th Test AND send CSA a message. They just found the sweet spot this time around. I must add it is a shame for a player like Tendulkar to be caught in this power show boating by the BCCI. He deserves better.

[Detonator]

Tendulkar’s 200th Test: BCCI masterclass on how to run cricket

Dear BCCI, Your decision to invite the West Indies for a two-Test series in November, thereby allowing a certain Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar to play his 200th Test at home, will doubtless come in for criticism. The most obvious is the shameless opportunism to capitalise on Tendulkar’s career milestone. As a board official, anonymously of course, has pointed out – with no full home series scheduled for the rest of the year, you stand to lose a lot of money. Never mind that this schedule was agreed upon by all the cricket boards years ago and you did not object then. You have realised the error and acted to fix it. That is the most important thing. Sachin Tendulkar might get a chance to play his 200th Test in India. Getty Images By going outside the agreed upon Future Tours Programme to invite a team whose board isn’t in the best position financially, you have also killed two birds with one stone. You can make a bundle marketing Tendulkar’s career landmark, and help ease a fellow cricket board’s financial concerns. That’s the sort of clear focus on the bottom line one expects from a bank or investment company, not from a non-profit organisation that believes it should not pay any tax because its primary objective is to promote the sport of cricket. Such vision should be applauded at a time when India as a country is struggling economically. Besides, what’s the point of having financial muscle if you don’t use it? We all know muscles deteriorate if they aren’t exercised enough. So if you want to show Cricket South Africa that they should not have hired a chief executive you don’t approve of by shortening India’s tour, go right ahead. They should have known better than to think independently when India provides 70 to 80 percent of global cricket’s revenues. The other advantage of having Tendulkar play his 200th Test at home against a weak team, instead of during a highly anticipated and potentially exciting series against the top ranked Test side, is that it gives him the best chance of making a hundred in his 200th Test. Now that would be some story, and you should be congratulated for seeing the flaws in the FTP and setting up a potentially uncompetitive series for what looks like the sake of one man. Now the last time Tendulkar went to South Africa in 2010-11, he produced a masterclass in how to play fast bowling. Dale Steyn was thundering in but Tendulkar crafted a century of high courage, determination and technique that will stay in the memory of all those who were lucky enough to watch it. But playing high quality fast bowling away from home is always a risk. Tendulkar has struggled in recent times too and hasn’t made a Test ton since that 146. So don’t listen to those who will say that this move is disrespectful to Tendulkar, the West Indies, South Africa and the sport of cricket. Yes, Tendulkar has always said that cricket is bigger than he is. He probably feels embarassed by the decisions you took took at your Working Committee yesterday. Great players always wants to test themselves against the best. But he also isn’t bigger than the BCCI. These decisions are clearly in the best interests of the board, which naturally means they are in the best interests of Indian cricket. After all, it is you who control Indian cricket, if not all cricket. And speaking of Indian cricket, things on the field are pretty good at the moment. Off the field, perhaps there are one or two things to look at – three cricketers being arrested for spot-fixing in the IPL and the board in court over the shabbiness of its investigation into the whole affair. But these are the minor issues, right? Sreesanth has always had a question mark over his temperament and who cares about Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan. They are small fry who took a risk and got caught. That just shows the system is working. Everyone’s attention should be on the field. India won the Champions Trophy, a tri-series in the West Indies and whitewashed Zimbabwe in Zimbabwe. Shikhar Dhawan has thrilled crowds the world over with his shot-making and his movie-star moustache. Ravindra Jadeja has become a star and Cheteshwar Pujara and Virat Kohli have emerged as genuine batting heirs to the Big Four. Why then risk the good times against South Africa? India has never won a series against them. Far better to give the team more confidence against West Indies, shorten the series against SA to two Tests, as you are reportedly proposing, and limit the potential damage while still bathing in the glow of Tendulkar’s achievement. The tour of New Zealand that follows will then likely return India to winning ways should South Africa not go well. Indian fans have short memories, as you well know, and all this will blow over once the team is winning. And what cricket needs isn’t a good contest, as it commonly thought. What cricket needs is a successful Indian team because that is what puts bums in seats. So it doesn’t matter that one fan wrote the following on our website: We want Sachin to play against SA in SA in his 200th match and score a century. This will be his legacy. Not playing at home against a third grade West Indian side. That just proves this fan doesn’t know what is good for him. Thankfully, we have you to stay true to the course. My only regret is that this did not strike you sooner. That way you could have ensured Tendulkar made his 100th hundred in India and not against Bangladesh in a meaningless tournament like the Asia Cup. On the plus side, the Kohlis and Pujaras now know their futures are in good hands. Thanking you, Sincerely, A cricket fan.