“Leave the matters to him”
Image courtesy of: ESPNcricinfo
Iconic India batsman Sachin Tendulkar has said that captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni should not be forced into retirement as he will know when it is the right time for him to walk away from the sport.
Dhoni retired from Test cricket in December 2014, but his impact in the shorter formats of the game has been limited, which has led to some people calling for him to call it a day.
However, Tendulkar believes that as long as Dhoni feels he is fit both physically and mentally, then he shouldn’t be coerced into retiring.
“His performance shouldn’t be related to age,” Tendulkar told the Times of India. “I still remember that there were articles that T20 cricket is meant for youngsters, which is all wrong. I mean, Brad Hogg is playing at 44. It’s wrong to say that I scored a double hundred in ODIs at 38.
“Fitness is all that matters. If a player is physically fit, mentally in a state of mind to play for India, let that be his choice. He knows his mind and body better than anyone else. He’s the best judge. Leave the matters to him.”
Tendulkar also heaped praise on India head coach Anil Kumble, saying that the former leg-spinner constantly gave it his best on the field. Now that Kumble is coaching the national team, Tendulkar is confident he will instill the same mentality in the current crop of Indian players.
“Having played, practised, sharing the dressing room with Anil, I know that he’ll not leave a single stone unturned. He’ll give his best at all times,” Tendulkar said. “He’s played his game the hard way, so he’ll get the players to have the same attitude.”