Whiplash

The game can be so cruel sometimes is a thought process that emanated
from the little big fella Sachin Tendulkar during his media interface
on Sunday. He quickly added that he had a few posers for God after
completing his 100th hundred, “It has been a tough time for me, what
is it that I lacked, was I short on commitment?” It is clear from
these utterances that Tendulkar’s mindspace over the last one year or
so has been dominated by that elusive hundred.

It was nice of him to come out and speak to the media in the manner
that he did. However, curiousity as always killed the cat. Bah, how
dare one ask Tendya when he is going to retire? Means what, he plays
for India doesn’t he? He plays at the pleasure of Indians, yes Indian
selectors. This is the theatre of the absurd, people will always have
opinions in a democracy. We are still one, we haven’t degenerated into
a mobocracy. I might have an opinion of Tendya, so will the next man,
woman and child. Everyone is free to express it.

Nobody and I mean nobody can take his place for granted in the Indian
cricket team. Is the massive eco system that surrounds Tendya jittery
over these calls for his retirement? Dang, why are we obsessing over
Tendulkar’s retirement? The moot point here is simple – if there comes
a time when he is not good enough to represent India, he will have to
make way for a youngster. There is no permanence attached to his
position in the side. Yes, he is one of the greatest batsmen of his
generation. But the same generation also saw Rahul Dravid, Ricky
Ponting, Jacques Kallis and Virender Sehwag.

They will all have to go one day or the other. Old man river wants to
carry on, so be it, but only if his performance levels are upto speed.
Not beyond that.