Feb 13, 2006 10:37 PM
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(Updated Feb 13, 2006 10:37 PM)
Sachin ENDULKAR screamed a Pakistani daily.
''Sachin is afraid of fast bowlers'' Opined Moin Khan
Many peopled back home suspected Sachin no longer has it in him to keep playing for the country. They felt he is no longer the little master he used to be. They even contemplated a resignation from the all time great.
BUT NOW COMES A FITTING REPLY TO ALL THOSE CRITICS
Just as Naser Hussain said in the post match programme today, ' All those who were critisising th Little master should find a big pit and jump into it'. I go a step futher to add tha people like me should then close off that pit with a huge heavy lid so that they never come out again.
It is amazing how such a great batsman like Sachin has to keep on proving himselves again and again. He keeps doing it and now he has proved that he still has that hunger in him to play for the country. He clearly was not at ease in the beginning today and this innings of his may not be the usual fambouyant innings that we are so used to watch from Tendulkar. But in the context of the game it was perhaps the most important one. He was clearly my man of the match. How many batsmen are there in world cricket who despite not being in the best of their form go on to make scores of 100, 42 and 95 in three consequtive matches? This shows Sachin's grit and determination as a player and his will to succeed.
He may no longer be playing those swashbuckling innings but now there is no need for it. India has ample stroke players like Sehwag and Dhoni who can take any attack by the scruff of the neck. When we did nt have such players, Sachin stepped in and played that role. Now the team requires a more responsible approach from the maestro and he is performing that to perfection. That indeed is the mark of a great player who performs as per requirements.
To all those out there who were contemplating early retire ment for Sachin I would just like to say that Sachin is a great player and a team man. The day he feels that he can no longer perform in this league , he himself will step down from the team. Till then let the best sportsman produced by our country do his job.
