Indian batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar has already announced his retirement from the ODIs. Has anyone thought of the huge impact it is going to make upon the Team India’s batting lineup? Some critics are of the opinion that this format of game will lose its entire sheen. Perhaps, it would be no wonder when the International Cricket Council decides to drop the whole schedule permanently. Meanwhile, the Board of Cricket Control in India is busy selecting new crop of players who would fit in the place that has been left vacant by the all-time great.
Celebrated cricket writer Robert Craddock has even went on to the extent that the fifty-over game might be already on its way to meet the dead-end from where no reversal possible. With several inconsistent performances by many cricketers across the world, there are no players in near sight who could match the caliber of Sachin Tendulkar.
“Many Indian fans have said they would, in the wake of Tendulkar's retirement, cease to watch the 50-over game while some went further and said it would be the death of this form of cricket,” Craddock wrote in his column for News.com.au in an exclusive manner.
Perhaps, the ODIs have been adorned by many other cricketing greats who are contemporaries so Tendulkar such as Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis and Brian Lara. However, they could never outshine this prolific batsman from India. The entire history of cricket has to be seen from two facets: the era before Sachin and after him. Such was the impact created by him that he made the entire nation go frenzy for him. In a country where he is considered as the ‘God of Cricket’, it comes as no surprise that the Mumbaikar has left many a heart broken.
Craddock added in his column: “Ricky Ponting, the next most prolific 50-over batsman in history, is almost 5000 runs behind Tendulkar. Add Ponting's career to Andrew Symonds' runs from his 198 games and you cover Sachin. Just.”
Team India received twin blow in actuality with the sacking of dashing opener Virender Sehwag owing to his poor form. A little ray of hope was hinted by former skipper Sunil Gavaskar that the Delhi captain can claim his place back into the team only through sheer hardwork and determination. However, it has still got a long time to go. Sehwag’s case is a classic one that perfectly reflects the sudden rise and fall of a legend.
Baroda player Cheteshwar Pujara has been selected for the one dayers, but his inclusion into the current team is not a cakewalk as there are several others before who stake claim in the team. For instance, there is Saurashtra player Ravindra Jadeja on one end who is unable to impress the selectors as of yet with his all-rounder tag for which has forayed into the team. Similar is the case with Mumbai batsman Rohit Sharma, who is under criticism after he failed to make use of the opportunities given to him.
