How much longer should Tendulkar be given?

[Richard]

He probably will you know...Everytime I criticise a batsman he seems to find form out of nowhere!

Why haven't you won more Greigys, then?

 

[Richard]

Tendulkar should get the second test and probably the third test to prove that he can still make a genuine contribution. Curtains after that, but the selectors will probably refuse to drop him even then.

I just don't know, TBH. Ever since that SA Test series he's looked like he's just a few strokes away from a massive breakthrough. Looks can be deceiving I know, but I'd hate to see him dropped at any time in this series unless he starts looking completely out of it.

If we'd won this just-completed game I'd honestly want the flattest pitch you could ever see and would almost be happy to have Plunkett and Mahmood in the team just to give him the best chance to get something big under his belt.

Because I honestly think if he could do that it'd be a monkey off the back and might see his graft in tough conditions valued more.

 

[The Sean]

I'd never seen Sachin play live before Sunday, when I was lucky enough to be at Lord's to see him in action. He seemed unsure of himself, footwork and shot selection were quite tentative and it was truly a far cry from the dynamic, breathtaking strokeplayer of a few years ago. And yet there were still those touches of class, the timing and quality you just can't teach but are born with, and it was encouraging to see he still had that about him.

What I really loved though, was the genuine affection from all points of the crowd - partciularly the ovation from the MCC members as he walked out to bat. It was both inspiring and depressing - as though the love from the crowd was both an acknowledgement of his greatness but also a goodbye to an old friend who had lost his magic and was living on reputation.

I hope it's not true and I'd love nothing more than for him to peel off a mountain of runs in the next two Tests and beyond. Great sportsmen deserve to go out on their own terms. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar certainly does.

 

[Prince EWS]

Why haven't you won more Greigys, then?

Because he doesn't make predictions.

 

[Richard]

People (and this is not just Blake, he's only been in charge of it for a fairly short time) often seem to give Greigys for non-Greigy-worthy stuff, though.

Often someone saying "Dravid is looking awful here" followed by him suddenly starting to look better and ending-up with 250 will get a Greigy.

 

[NUFAN]

Tendulkar will make over 151 in the first innings of the second test.

 

[sirdj]

As long as it takes to pack his bags.

Tendulkar was a very good player but I think his presence in the team means that someone else does not get a spot.

He was very good, but lets admit it his time has gone, it would be better if he retired gracefully instead of being dropped from the squad.

I dont buy that rubbish argument that a Tendulkar at 60-70% is better than anyone else. I think they should play Yuvraj in the test squad.

 

[open365]

I'd never seen Sachin play live before Sunday, when I was lucky enough to be at Lord's to see him in action. He seemed unsure of himself, footwork and shot selection were quite tentative and it was truly a far cry from the dynamic, breathtaking strokeplayer of a few years ago. And yet there were still those touches of class, the timing and quality you just can't teach but are born with, and it was encouraging to see he still had that about him.

What I really loved though, was the genuine affection from all points of the crowd - partciularly the ovation from the MCC members as he walked out to bat. It was both inspiring and depressing - as though the love from the crowd was both an acknowledgement of his greatness but also a goodbye to an old friend who had lost his magic and was living on reputation.

I hope it's not true and I'd love nothing more than for him to peel off a mountain of runs in the next two Tests and beyond. Great sportsmen deserve to go out on their own terms. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar certainly does.

Excellent post, you phrased my thoughts better than i ever could.

The problem with Tendulkar is that he's naturaly show good that even in his worst periods of form he produces shots than make you think he's about to turn the corner and get a big score. Sadly, i just can't see it happening, grandmaster time has caught up with him and he's but a shadow of the player he used to be.

 

[sirdj]

I'd love nothing more than for him to peel off a mountain of runs in the next two Tests and beyond. Great sportsmen deserve to go out on their own terms. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar certainly does.

Most of us would like Sachin to score the runs and extend his career for another decade but in my heart I know that its not going to happen.

Which is why I think that he should retire before he is dropped.

 

[open365]

Agreed, imo there's no option but for Sachin to retire, he just has to, there's no way on Earth i'm allowing the greatest batsman of his generation to be dropped and for the crowd at his last game not to know he would never grace the field of play again.

 

[Anil]

Here is one for the best prediction of the week from me...

Tendulkar to shut up the critics in the process of this England series with a few sublime knocks.

even his harshest critics(except the tools of course) wouldn't really mind seeing some of those sublime knocks, but people have been predicting this for a long time now, nothing's happening...

 

[Nishant]

even his harshest critics(except the tools of course) wouldn't really mind seeing some of those sublime knocks, but people have been predicting this for a long time now, nothing's happening...

quite true...but i still dont think its the right time to give him too much stick. I would definitely give him the rest of this series. At the end of the day, at lords, no batsman, including Dravid, did well at all.