Master Blaster Quits

Finally, the living legend of the cricketing world has announced his retirement (“Salaam Sachin”, October 21). Since 1989, when he made his debut against Pakistan at the age of 16, Sachin Tendulkar has remained India’s batting mainstay and the darling of the media and the fans, worldwide. Despite his stupendous success and popularity, he has always been grounded and humble. Hats off to this incredible sportsman of the millennium. KESHAV P., Nagchala Mandi, HP Sachin Tendulkar leaves a rich legacy behind where he, along with some other great cricketers, have raised the standard of Indian cricket in the world. Such a cricketer comes rarely in a lifetime and it was a privilege to have seen him play for over two decades. If Donald Bradman’s Test average is difficult to conquer, many of Tendulkar’s luminous records will be a dream for any cricketer to achieve. One assumes he will maintain close ties with the game in a meaningful manner after retirement. The greatest tribute to him would be to ensure that India maintains its cricketing standards in the post-Tendulkar era. SANJIV GUPTA, Perth, Australia Of course, Tendulkar is one of the greatest cricketers in the world but the amount of recognition he got is phenomenal and often, unprecedented. Many other great Indian cricketers did not get the recognition they deserved as they were overshadowed by Tendulkar’s overwhelming popularity. In fact, even other sporting greats such as Vishwanathan Anand and Leader Paes were not given as much of attention as Tendulkar. It is also surprising how, over the years, some experts and journalists have questioned the right of selectors to drop him from the team, despite his lean patches. So while Tendulkar’s talent can’t be questioned, it can be safely said that he has been the

luckiest sportsman of this nation who got special treatment even when his performance didn’t merit it. V. S. GANESHAN, Bangalore