So to continue or not to continue? - Sachin's dilemma

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/end-of-the-road-for-sachin-tendulkar/1/215940.html

Sachin's form is now well and truly under the microscope in India. Of course during the Aussie tour there were pundits suggesting he was close to the end. Is he tarnishing his reputation by continuing? Certainly the whole 100 100s saga was tedious.

What to people think?

I hope he doesn't go on too long and take off some of the gloss of a stellar career. Look how Drunky has done just that.

he will have to make a call after the england series. if he has another poor series he may well pull the plug. of course it is in india's interest that he regains his form and continues at least till 2014 for the overseas tours. losing the entire middle order at the same time would be disastrous

He'll go to 200 tests at least.

and its not like he's blocking anyone if someone like raina manages to get into this team

kick raina out and get rahane in. you have 3 talented young players (kohli, rahane, pujara), 2 fairly experienced players (sehwag, gambhir) and a man with a wealth of experience (srt). this would be ideal for india in this transition period

i would give srt at least 4-5 more tests to see if he can average even 45-50, if not 55-60. these 2 tests were after a gap of 8 months so a bit early to say if it is terminal

Sachin: Unsackable. Bigger than the BCCI.

He will be playing as long as he enjoys it.

Sachin in 2032:

No doubt about it. He should have gawn a year back instead of saddling the team with his distant 100th 100. here is no evidence in the last 10 tests he can bat for the team. With passing months it will be doubly tough batting overseas as he approaches 40. he should quit now instead of chasing a mirage of a perfect farewell.

But he wants that ton against the Poms!

What ton is that, Pete? Is this a dumb Q?

The ton to crown his career!

Ah, as simple as that. Cheers.

Yeah, I imagine a home series v England would round his career out nicely.

On the flip side, I am glad Ashwin now looks undroppable at least for a season. Shuts the door firmly on pathetic Bhajji's face. I was astonished to read Ganguly's suggestion that he should be played in all 3 formats and can't be left to languish in domestic cricket. Maybe he loves Bhajji since the Sardar has his best record playing under Ganguly, but surely right now he is not even good enough for a domestic side?

On the minus side, Everyone has given up on Raina sensibly for tests. But Dhoni is hellbent on retaining his buddy at all costs. He wants to give him a 'a chance to be groomed for no. 6' slot. He will certainly be played against England if Dhoni has his way.

Lets all pray for a miracle injuringT20 so we don't have to carry this passenger in the crucial home series vs England.

He should go, he won't, but he should. He hasn't been good for a long time. Basically he's being selfish. He's not been worth his salt, but there're records to extend. If he were a fledgling, he'd have been dropped by now.

Pictures speak louder than words!

How could FTB play tests after tests is beyond me!!!

Gotta be Chennai lobby behind his inclusion in test team. Thankfully at least, stupid Srikanth's insane tenure as India's chairman of selectors has ended.

Dropping Sachin Tendulkar? That's out of the question for all selectors, not just Shrikkanth. That would require brass balls and I doubt many selectors around the world would drop such a batsman in a hurry. It's up to him to retire at the right time. Another miserable series and it surely is time.

The selectors were stupid in picking Raina and not dropping Harbhajan for Ashwin or Ojha earlier.

i think sg was referring to raina

Thats right, TO. That title surely belongs to one and only Raina.

Gotta be a big joke if anyone equates Tendulkar with a proven FTB, even if mistakenly.

Further on FTB, people say he is a very hard working cricketer. Surely he is, by all accounts. But does that suffice? No, it doesn't. Kind of a shot he played in 2nd innings of B'lore test convinces me (yet again) he is not made for test cricket but Dhoni (as fat skinned he is) is hell bent on proving everyone else wrong.

FTB neither has temperament nor technique to survive the rigours of test cricket. The sooner everyone (those who matter) get this in their heads better it would be for everyone concerned, Indian cricket, fans and FTB himself.

Fascinating piece this by Manjrekar.

Tendulkar not finished yet

This things stands out.

There is an important reason why I think Tendulkar is still relevant in Indian Test cricket: it's because of the fierce competitor within him. No one I have seen hates failure more than Tendulkar does, or can make the sacrifices necessary to overcome it.

Even as I write this, I can visualise Tendulkar at home with his family. His mind will be fixed on the next full-length delivery that he will receive in his next Test innings. I can see that image now, of Tendulkar's foot coming well down that Ahmedabad pitch and sending that full, straight delivery sizzling off the turf for four.

But that last paragraph is pure religion - blind faith in the man as cricketing (or perhaps not jsut cricketing) god, rather than a rational judgment.

The first paragraph makes more sense with regard to the top (key) question, if true. But desire and determination alone by no means guarantee any success. There are heaps of examples of good/great cricketers who really wanted to go on when their forces, eyes and coordination were clearly on the wane.

I am not saying SRT can't still "do a job". I am sure he can make some scores. But his average is likely to keep coming down, he is now a mere mortal among mortals (and more mortal than say Kohli or Dhoni), rather than the avatar he was.

One can be allowed to have 'blind faith' on someone as good as Tendulkar, I assume. After all, its not Rainas and Rohits we're talking about.

it will all end in tears

But his average is likely to keep coming down, he is now a mere mortal among mortals (and more mortal than say Kohli or Dhoni), rather than the avatar he was.

People said this after WC '07 as well that if he keeps on playing any further his test average would fall below 50, Endulkar etc. But it didn't, its still in mid '50s which very very healthy who has played close to 200 tests and has been almost non stop cricket for last 22-odd years.

So there you go.