Advising the media to stop harping
constantly on the retirement plans of Sachin Tendulkar, Cricket Board's senior
employee Prof. Ratnakar Shetty today said here that the senior India cricketer
is the best person to decide on the matter.
"There have been so many
debates on this. I have always said that no one else is better than him to talk
about his retirement. So please stop worrying about that. He has been playing
international cricket for the last 20-21 years," Shetty said on the sidelines
of the event to announce the new season of Coca-Cola Cricket Cup U-16.
"This debate has been going on
since 2007....When will he retire, Sachin will retire or not... We don't have
to discuss on this. We should respect the decision of such a great player. I
think till the time he can play cricket and give his service to India, let us
all enjoy that and let us not discuss on when he retires," said the BCCI
general manager for game development.
Shetty said there was no truth in
reports that chief selector Sandeep Patil had met Tendulkar and asked for his
future plans after the BCCI penciled
in an unscheduled tour against the West Indies at home in November, comprising
a two-Test series and a three-game ODI rubber.
"The chairman has disclosed
that he hasn't spoken to Sachin in 10 months. If the media wants to speculate,
then it is not important for the selector to issue any clarification. You
(media) are doing your work and we do ours. Every time, we cannot satisfy you.
We cannot take your stories forward. This is how it will keep going on,"
he said.
Patil had denied speaking to
Tendulkar and said, "It's always a pleasure to meet Sachin, but I have not
met him for the last 10 months. I have not called him, neither has he called
me. We have not discussed anything, It's all non-sense," when reacting to
the report.
Queried if the 40-year olds
reputation is prevailing over his form, Shetty said, "I don't think the
media has got a right to discuss this. BCCI has got selectors to decide that. I
don't think you are the right person to decide whether his status is taking
over or he is greater than his form." National selector, Saba Karim, who
was also present at the event as chief mentor, said grass root cricket is very
important.
"When the Indian team does
well, many don't realize that it is the result of hard work that has taken
place at the grass root level with the youngsters. That is why there is a
strong churning of players from the junior level to the senior level," the
former India stumper said.
Asked how youngsters can cope up
with the off-field distractions, Karim said, "The best tip is something I
learnt from Sachin Tendulkar. The only advice he gave was don't chase money,
chase your ambition. If you chase your ambition, you will always remain focused
and no distraction can come your way whether it is fame or glamour. You remain
unaffected by that."
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