Disclaimer: The views I express here might be hated by a number of cricket-crazy Indians. But I feel that is the fact.
Granted that Sachin is the best batsman in the world. Granted that we’d prefer to see him score all day more than seeing India win. Style and technique is the best we’ve ever seen.
With all due respect for Sachin, I’d like to inform you all that he does not have only ne thing: The luck factor. After being in the WC squads for’92, ’96, ’99, ’03, ’07 all we remember is "Not enough".
Ok, his father died during’99. And when he came back he demolished Kenya. But the truth is he did not fire in any other matches. What abt the golden duck against Aus? And the lacklustre 40+ against Pak/Eng?’99 was a big flop.
’96 was ok, but the entire team needs to be shot down for a "hard fought" semifinal.
I agree that Sachin at 1998 was the best thing to happen to Indian cricket. With back-to-back centuries against Aus, he was touted as the world’s best. And he was. Even today, his pull is the most powerful, 2nd only to Ponting.
But the one thing that hampers the big 3 is: FEAR. May I ask you FEAR OF WHAT? During Sachin’s peak, there was a great bowler called Glenn McGrath. Only Sachin had the shots to quell him(as in the Champion’s trophy 2000). And look at the strategy he took. "Ok, he’s the best. Let me block him and score off the easier bowlers", when he should have taken the bull by the horns. The end result, McGrath taking all the others INCLUDING TENDULKAR.
And if that weren’t enough what abt the other bowlers!
Tendulkar has actually Flattered to deceive. He might be the best, but it is definitely time that this luckless trio retires, giving way for fresh blood and new life.