Sachin Tendulkar has always been critical of Twenty 20 cricket matches, he has earlier stated that the shortest form of the game spoils the rhythm of the players, who have been trained to play Tests and ODIs.
Tendulkar on Friday said that T20 matches have been shoddily placed on the cricket calender, leading to an imbalance in the thought process of the players. India and Sri Lanka play two T20 matches as soon as the third Test ends. The maestro voiced his concern, saying that the ICC is focusing more on the T20 matches rather than on Tests and One Dayers. He also said that there are far too few Tests in a year, compared to the 40+ ODI mates and 15+ T20 matches, apart from the yearly IPL.
"I think to a certain extent the focus is certainly more on T-20 and one-day cricket. T-20 matches being played are not that many in number but one-day matches are quite frequent. We sometimes play almost 45-50 One Day matches in a year, while Test matches are fewer, so there I do feel is an imbalance," he said.
Sachin has not yet retired from T20, he continues to open the batting for the Mumbai Indians along with Sanath Jayasuriya. The third edition of the IPL may well be Sachin's final foray into the shortest version of the game. However the master blaster is by no means contemplating retirement from Tests and ODIs. Mahendra Singh Dhoni also stated earlier that Sachin would play till 2015. " 2015 seems a little far off. I have said earlier too that I do not know when I will stop. I will play till I enjoy myself. I will think about it when the time comes. I don’t think that time has come yet." Tendulkar said.
"My entire focus is on the game now but who knows maybe a time comes when I develop another passion apart from cricket. But now is not the time, no need to think about it right now. I think its early, it will be early till I feel that I have played the last ball of my life and I have come in and I have fulfilled my dream", he added.
T20 and especially the IPL has helped selectors take notice of budding new talent in India. In the IPL teenage rookies get to play with the international team members. So do the younger players fear playing alongside Sachin? "forget about them fearing me, they sometimes even pull my leg. This kind of relationship is important and everyone has a free hand in the dressing room. If I crack jokes at someone they too have a right to crack jokes at me." he admitted.
Sachin said that he misses playing with Anil Kumble and Sourav Ganguly, both the heavyweights retired last year after playing for more than a decade with the Maestro. "I have played with these players and particularly with those two I have many memories. They gave such a good performance for the country that it is impossible to forget." Sachin said, "I had spoken to Anil and told him that you should play a while longer. The phase of injuries will pass and in the good phase you will always be a match winner for India and you are needed for India. But at that time he was coping with many physical problems and he decided he didn't want to play anymore", he added.
Tendulkar on Friday said that T20 matches have been shoddily placed on the cricket calender, leading to an imbalance in the thought process of the players. India and Sri Lanka play two T20 matches as soon as the third Test ends. The maestro voiced his concern, saying that the ICC is focusing more on the T20 matches rather than on Tests and One Dayers. He also said that there are far too few Tests in a year, compared to the 40+ ODI mates and 15+ T20 matches, apart from the yearly IPL.
"I think to a certain extent the focus is certainly more on T-20 and one-day cricket. T-20 matches being played are not that many in number but one-day matches are quite frequent. We sometimes play almost 45-50 One Day matches in a year, while Test matches are fewer, so there I do feel is an imbalance," he said.
Sachin has not yet retired from T20, he continues to open the batting for the Mumbai Indians along with Sanath Jayasuriya. The third edition of the IPL may well be Sachin's final foray into the shortest version of the game. However the master blaster is by no means contemplating retirement from Tests and ODIs. Mahendra Singh Dhoni also stated earlier that Sachin would play till 2015. " 2015 seems a little far off. I have said earlier too that I do not know when I will stop. I will play till I enjoy myself. I will think about it when the time comes. I don’t think that time has come yet." Tendulkar said.
"My entire focus is on the game now but who knows maybe a time comes when I develop another passion apart from cricket. But now is not the time, no need to think about it right now. I think its early, it will be early till I feel that I have played the last ball of my life and I have come in and I have fulfilled my dream", he added.
T20 and especially the IPL has helped selectors take notice of budding new talent in India. In the IPL teenage rookies get to play with the international team members. So do the younger players fear playing alongside Sachin? "forget about them fearing me, they sometimes even pull my leg. This kind of relationship is important and everyone has a free hand in the dressing room. If I crack jokes at someone they too have a right to crack jokes at me." he admitted.
Sachin said that he misses playing with Anil Kumble and Sourav Ganguly, both the heavyweights retired last year after playing for more than a decade with the Maestro. "I have played with these players and particularly with those two I have many memories. They gave such a good performance for the country that it is impossible to forget." Sachin said, "I had spoken to Anil and told him that you should play a while longer. The phase of injuries will pass and in the good phase you will always be a match winner for India and you are needed for India. But at that time he was coping with many physical problems and he decided he didn't want to play anymore", he added.
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