Sachin Tendulkar

[Arthur Crabtree]

It looks like the BCCI has added an extra series against the WI, and now are telling SA that they have to cut the games against them in order not to overwork their players!

Which is a bit of a shame as SAvInd is a series cricket fans have been anticipating.

[shankycricket]

It looks like the BCCI has added an extra series against the WI, and now are telling SA that they have to cut the games against them in order not to overwork their players!

Which is a bit of a shame as SAvInd is a series cricket fans have been anticipating.

Aniticipating, yes. Not really too optimistic about it though to be honest. But the England series next summer should be fairly well contested or so I hope.

[shankycricket]

I hope they won't cut down the SA Tests. Scrap the ODI series for all I care. Although I'm not sure whats the point of an ODI series against WI at home to follow the Tests. WI have a full tour to India in 14/15 anyway. Surely this tour should just have been a farewell series for Sachin to let him get to 200? Why the ODIs?

[shankycricket]

Well, well, well..... http://cricket.yahoo.com/news/-tendulka ... 51638.html

Would not want him to end his career by being dropped but no other choice I guess

[Arthur Crabtree]

I thought I read that one of the reasons for adding some Tests v WI was because India don't have many Tests on their schedule around that time. But then it looks like they will drop Tests against SA, making it a two Test series.

The question that might be asked is, in giving these Tests to SRT, are India snubbing SA?

[Arthur Crabtree]

Well, well, well..... http://cricket.yahoo.com/news/-tendulka ... 51638.html

Would not want him to end his career by being dropped but no other choice I guess :no

In a way, that's good. Arguably, if Tendulkar isn't going to SA, his replacement might like some games v WI to get used to batting in Tests.

[shankycricket]

Also interesting that now that the WI tour has been brought forward, England could replace them as our opponents in 2014/15. Won't be a total shock as India have been playing Aus at home in 2 year cycles in recent times (08/09, 10/11 and 12/13). Could do the same with England if ECB agrees especially as they don't have Tests in 2014/15, which may not go down well with the Test loving public. So possibly a short (although not shorter than 3 Tests) in India would fill the void and also ensure players won't experience the sort of burnout an Ashes series would bring in a World Cup especially as the prospective Test series would end two months earlier than the normal finish date of an Ashes series. So England would be able to play Test cricket and yet at the same time, remain reasonably fresh (certainly fresher than India and Australia, who play 4 Tests in Dec/Jan) for the World Cup.

[shankycricket]

Well, well, well..... http://cricket.yahoo.com/news/-tendulka ... 51638.html

Would not want him to end his career by being dropped but no other choice I guess

In a way, that's good. Arguably, if Tendulkar isn't going to SA, his replacement might like some games v WI to get used to batting in Tests.

What? Tendulkar going to SA is good? I know the replacement will be inexperienced but hard to see how he can do any worse than SRT now. He really should've gone after the England home debacle last year (should never have played vs Aus) but now that he has, lets give him 2 more Tests, get to that milestone and drop him if he doesn't retire unless he comes up with something special against WI, which is as likely as Bangladesh winning a Test series in South Africa.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Obviously it's complicated. There's the logic for what's good for Sachin, and the logic of what's good for India.

[shankycricket]

Obviously it's complicated. There's the logic for what's good for Sachin, and the logic of what's good for India.

The logic of whats good for India is that he's dropped immediately.

[Arthur Crabtree]

Doesn't look as if it will be that straightforward...

[Alviro Patterson]

Also interesting that now that the WI tour has been brought forward, England could replace them as our opponents in 2014/15. Won't be a total shock as India have been playing Aus at home in 2 year cycles in recent times (08/09, 10/11 and 12/13). Could do the same with England if ECB agrees especially as they don't have Tests in 2014/15, which may not go down well with the Test loving public. So possibly a short (although not shorter than 3 Tests) in India would fill the void and also ensure players won't experience the sort of burnout an Ashes series would bring in a World Cup especially as the prospective Test series would end two months earlier than the normal finish date of an Ashes series. So England would be able to play Test cricket and yet at the same time, remain reasonably fresh (certainly fresher than India and Australia, who play 4 Tests in Dec/Jan) for the World Cup.

England play 5 ODIs and 2 T20s against Sri Lanka in November 2014. If anything the ECB should be persuading West Indies to move forward the 3 test series in March 2015 to October 2014.

[shankycricket]

Didn't know that, AP. I thought the SL ODIs were scheduled in December. Anyways, the BCCI may ask them to tour in October 2014 for only 2 tests. So it won't clash even if the SL ODIs are in Nov.

[Alviro Patterson]

Think England would be glad of a months rest after a full Australian tour, Windies ODI/T20 tour, World T20 and two home series against Sri Lanka and India inside 12 months.

[greyblazer]

I don't believe SRT will retire after the Windies series either