SAST Wingees

New Goals for Sachin Tendulkar

 I know that Sachin Tendulkar will never ask me to set his goals and that Greg Chappel will never visit this Blog to be enlightened by this piece on Sachin.   But it is great joy to set targets   for super achievers and even greater happiness when the targets are achieved.  And who knows, may be, just may be he will stumble onto this piece and will take it seriously. Stranger things have happened!!!

A lot has been said about Sachin ending his career as the highest run getter in the history of test and one day cricket. A lot has also been written about his crossing the 40 centuries mark.  If he decides to play a few more games for India both these landmarks will fall by the way side.  Ergo, these goals are unworthy of the champion. 

If Sachin truly wants be remembered as the greatest of the greats (head and shoulder above SMG and Kapil Dev) he should deliver the following: Starting next season (guess it will have to begin with the India vs. England fixture, once he returns from injury) he should:

1. Score at least 35% of the teams’ runs in   test wins (5 wins at home and 5 wins abroad. Considering India ‘s record of wins, it   will be a 3-4 yr project and will last him till retirement).
2. Take 5 wickets in an innings at least 3 times by bowling right arm leg spin. Apart from Shane Warne, I have not seen a current leg spinner who gives the ball such a solid rip while maintaining a decent line and length. But by attempting to live up to his reputation of being a “versatile   genius”, he is trying far too many things with the ball. A lot of this is plain rubbish – seam up at 60mph, off spin to left-handers, etc. Consequently, leg spin, which is his most potent weapon, is not used often enough.  If he can bowl balls like the one he did to Moin Khan (bowled round the legs) at Karachi, why would he want to try anything else? Greg Chappel should drive this into his head.  Stick to leg spin and take 5 wickets 3 times.
3.  Carry his bat through a test innings 3 more times.
4.  Bat at no 4 in the one dayers. When India bat first, play  till the  last ball of the  50th over,  5 times , AND  when India bat second, bat till the last ball is bowled to see India through  to victory,  5 times .
5. Be the Player  of the Tournament in the 2007 World cup . But more importantly ensure that  India  finish 1 or 2.
6.  Win the Ranji Trophy for Mumbai 2 more times.

These, hopefully  are worthy goals  for the great player  and  will satisfy /challenge him.

A  few  more centuries  and /or a few 1000 runs will  change nothing   – neither his life nor the lives  of   Indian cricket lovers.