New Delhi: Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar feels that that no one could replace Rahul Dravid in the team and his retirement from the game has created a huge void to fill.
Talking to CNN-IBN, Sachin said, “Rahul has been an incredible player for India and for world cricket. Nobody is going to be able to replace Rahul in that position.”
Dravid who has been nicknamed ‘The Wall’ has scored more runs at the number three positions than any player in the history of the game.
“The entire country will miss him because we are all used to see him padding up batting at number 3.You need someone to be dedicated, be committed and disciplined. However, these things will continue to happen because that's how the game goes around for years. All great players retire one day,” he added.
Dravid called it a day on his 16 years career after India’s disastrous show in England and Australia where they lost eight Tests in a row.
Sachin who was also part of the tours said that there is no need to press the panic button and it is one instance that they have failed and one should not point fingers at the system.
“I don't think we can point our fingers at our structure, because with that same structure we achieved the number one spot. So, if there was something wrong with the structure, we would have never reached that spot,” added the maestro.
India has been away from test cricket for quite some time now but then would get back to playing the longer version of the game starting with a three match test series against New Zealand followed by series against England and Australia. India would be hosting all the three nations and Sachin thinks that it is going to be a big season from India’s point of view.
“It is going to be a big season. Every season is important, but this one, I am sure everyone is looking for because it is England followed by Australia. It is going to be a competitive season. All I can say is we need all the backing, all the support for the entire team to put up a good performance and produce that kind of cricket that everyone is expecting us to, and entertain everyone,” said Sachin.
“We are playing a Test series after a long time in India and it is against the top two Test sides, England and Australia. The series against New Zealand, I feel, is going to set a good platform and will be important. We are looking forward to it.”
Shunning the speculations that youngsters nowadays are not concerned about Test cricket saying, “I don't think so. Younger players do care about Test cricket, and when it comes to playing at the top level, I am sure everyone wants to be part of it. I mean I haven't followed much of what happened in the West Indies, but we definitely need to lift our performance and standard of playing.”
Indian Sports News Network
