When will Sachin retire?

Tweet

Sachin Tendulkar is a wonderful cricketer. World has probably never seen a batting talent like him, and there's very little chance that it will ever see another of his calibre. He has the most number of runs in Tests & ODIs, most number of centuries in Tests & ODIs, the first man to score a double ton in ODIs, the distinction of being able to give nightmares to a certain Mr. Warne and the privilege of being able to show Sir Dolland Bradman a reflection of his own batting style through his own perfections of willow execution. Plus, he is currently in good Test form. Still, if you are a neutral observer of the game, you will surely agree that he needs to retire at the end of this Australia Tour. If his hundredth hundred doesn't come, so be it. He must retire now because of two reasons. First, the game has nothing more to offer to Mr. Tendulkar. He has done it all, he has got it all and he has seen it all. Miniscule imperfections like lack of a triple century is only going to highlight the Herculian achievements even more, and would probably add a touch of melancholic romanticism. The second reason, by all counts, is a more pressing one. He might be "God", but he is a aging one. There's no way his battered & bruised body will be battle-ready in the middle in 2013 at the age of forty. The mid 2013 is when the chin music starts all over again for India. After the ongoing & upcoming humiliations down under, India has a relatively calm period coming up when sub-continental heroics will be at display. We don't really need a Sachin (or Rahul or Laxman) for that. Our Virats and Rohits will suffice. Let them come in now and solidify their places in this period of calmness. That would give them at least a fighting chance of surviving when the chin music starts again in 2013. They will probably fail even after that. But they will definitely fail without that.