Leave the decision to master blaster: Srikkanth, Waqar

New Delhi, Apr1 (UNI) Contradicting former Australian captain Ian Chapel's recent statement about Sachin Tendulkar's retirement, former India opener Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Pakistani pacer Waqar Younis said the decision to 'call it a day' should be left to the maestro himself.

The debate over Tendulkar's future gained momentum following his flop show in the group matches of the ongoing World Cup in West Indies, where he scored just 64 runs in his three innings.

Ian Chappell, the elder brother of Indian team coach, stirred a hornest's nest by suggessting that the 'master-blaster' was trying to eke out an illustrious career built on an array of statistics and hence should retire.

While the issue brought up polarised opinion from within the country, former fast bowler Waqar Younis and India skipper Krishnamachari Srikkanth were of the view that the decision about Tendulkar's retirement should be left entirely upto him considering the stature of the player.

While participating on CNN-IBN's special show, 'Love of Calypso', Srikkanth said, ''I still feel that Sachin has got one or two years in one-day as well as five-day cricket, but he himself is the best person to judge it.'' Echoing similar views, Waqar said, ''I think he (Sachin) can play another two years. But after two years, when he will retire or gets dropped from the one-dayers to give some youngster a chance, by that time the next World Cup will be knocking the door, and then again people might start voicing for an experienced side. So, I think the matter should be left to him.'' However, Srikkanth was furious on the talks of Uttar Pradesh batsman Suresh Raina replacing Sachin in the shorter version of the game.

''People like Suresh Raina replacing Sachin Tendulkar straight away? No way. There is a huge gap. Okay, if somebody young, who is hugely talented comes up, but I think in all fairness, last year the guy's (Sachin's) average has been more than 40 runs in one-day cricket. Moreover, he is not too old, he is just 33. One thinks of a youngster replacing Sachin just because he has been playing since the age of 16 is not fair at all,'' Srikkanth added.

UNI