Ahead of his 50th Birthday on 24th April, Sachin Tendulkar got in an exclusive interview with News 18. He talked about the current scenario and flaws in the game that have occurred due to changes in the rules of the sport over the years. Sachin spoke about amended and new rules such as umpire’s call, shining the ball etc.
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Sachin Tendulkar on Cricket Getting Complicated
The master blaster says that the game is unnecessarily getting more complicated with each passing day due to a change of rules. Sachin Tendulkar also talks about the three formats of Cricket.
“It’s (cricket) only becoming complicated because we continue to change rules, if we have a set of rules and if we stick to those rules, if they’re working well, then it won’t be that complicated. To be fair, we also have three different formats, there are not many sports where you have different formats, I can’t think of anything else, very few if at all,”
Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar on Umpire’s Call Decision
Sachin claims that he fails to understand the necessity of the Umpire’s call decision in Cricket. When the on-field batsman or bowling team is dissatisfied with the on-field umpire’s decision, it becomes the basis of their appeal against his decision. If the third umpire’s decision calls for the on-field Umpire’s decision, then the procedure doesn’t make much sense.
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“I fail to understand honestly what they’re thinking. I feel if a ball is hitting any part of the stump, it’s out. That is for both teams, it’s not like for ‘team A’ you’re using technology and for ‘team B’, you’re leaving it to the on-field umpire. Once we go to the third umpire, it’s a clear-cut indication to me that somebody on the field is unhappy with that decision and doesn’t agree with the decision. That’s why they want to go upstairs, so why come back to the person whom they don’t trust?”
Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar compares the decision with mixing tea and coffee in a cup which seems like a controversial decision of the umpire.
“That’s why they’ve gone up, they’ve taken the risk of challenging his decision and if they don’t get it right they lose their review. So why do we come back again, we don’t need to come back. Right now what’s happening is in the same cup ‘Thoda chai daal do and thoda coffee bhi daal do‘. For me, it doesn’t work,”
Sachin Tendulkar
Sachin Tendulkar on New batsman takes Strike Rule
While giving the example of Kieron Pollard, Sachin elaborates on his approval for the no change of strikes rule during a catch.
“Yeah, I agree with that. I agree with that because if a number 10 is batting and I’ve got a big hitter at the non-striker’s end. I’m just naming Pollard. If Pollard is there at the non-striker’s end, why should Pollard go and face the next ball despite a bowler picking a wicket? So that is a good introduction,”
Sachin Tendulkar
The former legendary Indian batsman hits a new half-century today by turning 50. We wish him luck in his future endeavours.