New Delhi, Apr 25: Sachin Tendulkar’s prolonged form slump may have raised questions on his retirement but West Indies batting legend Sir Vivian Richards reckons the veteran batsman is still a “class act” and should not be pressured into calling time on his career.
“When Sachin wants to retire is his call. It’s completely an individual call. He alone should decide. I would never dare to walk up to Sachin and tell him that ‘You go tomorow’,” Richards said.
“Everyone knows that I am a fan of Sachin. He is still a class-act and doesn’t look out of place even in T20’s which is a modern day game. Let him go to 50 and I will still like to watch him,” Richards, who is in an advisory role with Delhi Daredevils team, told reporters here today.
Richards felt that the meticulous approach with which Tendulkar prepares for a match is an indicator about his passion for the game and something that youngsters can learn from.
“Having Sachin is an wonderful indicator about how one prepares for a match,” he said.
The veteran of 121 Tests said that Virender Sehwag still has a lot to offer to Indian cricket and should take a cue from Chris Gayle’s batting approach.
“We all know that Sehwag is a magnificent player. What has happened to him can happen to the best players but I will always have him in my team,” he pointed out.
“Viru can take a cue from Gayle’s approach. When I mean you bluff the opposition, it’s about changing your approach a little bit. Gayle loves to hit sixes from the first ball but there are times when he waits for a certain period of time before attacking.
“I want Viru to do that. Take a few singles and stay there. Because when players like Gayle and Sehwag stay for a longer period of time, the bowling side starts sweating a little. They start apprehending as to when these guys will have a go,” Richards explained.
“It’s like driving. When you see the red light, you have got to stop and wait. Again when you see the green light, you set your foot on the pedal and accelerate”, Richards pointed out.
The Delhi Daredevils’ IPL has been disastrous but Richards said that he has come to “keep the hopes alive.”
“They (Daredevils) did very well last year and just because they have lost doesn’t make them a bad team overnight. If they work collectively, better days are sure to come,” he said.
The 61-year-old Antiguan believes that one needs to look at the bigger picture about how results can change in sports over a period of time.(PTI)
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