Test cricket is not dying, great rivalries are, says Sachin Tendulkar

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 3

“Test cricket is not dying. It’s about the big rivalries. There was a time when everyone wanted to beat West Indies. Then came Australia. These rivalries are dying,” Sachin Tendulkar, regarded by some as the greatest to have played the game, said in a session at the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit in New Delhi on Saturday.

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Not getting angry on a cricket field was a strategy, he said. “The battle against McGrath was great. We fought on the field, but off it, we were great friends,” he said.

Commenting on Test cricket, he said, “To engage the crowd, there must be even contest between bat and ball. The Wahab Riaz spell against Shane Watson makes cricket special.

Tendulkar suggested playing a Test series on a home and away basis to make it more exciting.

“It will be a good idea to play back-to-back Test matches on a home-and-away basis. It will make the matches more exciting. Let India host two Tests at home and then let England host India in the next two. Don’t know if that ever will be possible,” he said.

Commenting on the current Indian team, he said, “Virat Kohli’s team has the right balance. The batting line is very strong and there is great balance in batting and bowling. More importantly, you have the best man in the dressing room, Anil Kumble.”

On the Rio Olympics, Tendulkar said we cannot pull down our athletes for not winning medals and we need to appreciate the work they have put in.

Urging the nation to be more participative in fitness activities, he said, “As a nation we are less participant. We comment by watching TV. I would want everyone to be more participative. This will help their lifestyle. Fitness is key and as a nation we tend to spend more time on the dining table. We love our parathas. But the day we learn to balance food and fitness, we will become a great sporting nation.”

Tendulkar said he feared Hansie Cronje as a bowler and when asked about his favourite non-cricket hero, he answered Roger Federer.

He also praised Virender Sehwag’s batting saying it was exciting as one never knew what was coming next.

Having made it clear that it would be “unwise” to comment on Lodha Committee recommendation as the Supreme Court verdict is still pending, Tendulkar came out in support of BCCI stating that the parent body has “done a lot for the game in the country”.

 “My personal feeling is that when I was growing up, I got a lot of support from the BCCI. The BCCI and the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) arranged a lot of camps,” he said.

Tendulkar said that how his suggestion of having all 14 squad members in a team play in school cricket last year meant that 1800 more children got to play competitive cricket. —With PTI inputs