New Delhi: India’s batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar on Saturday said the mentality of people had changed due to the popularity of Twenty20 cricket and technology.
Tendulkar, who retired from Test cricket in 2013, said the longest format now needs some rivalries to get back the interest of the spectators.
“The mindset of the people is changing. Twenty20s and technology has changed that mindset. When I was growing up, we were watching Tests and now kids watch T20,” Tendulkar was quoted as saying by a TV channel.
“When I was growing up, I watched Imran Khan bowling to Sunil Gavaskar and their rivalry was really engaging. We saw how to defend on backfoot among many other things.”
“The competitive rivalries of Viv Richards-Jeff Thompson, Curtly Ambrose-Steve Waugh, Brian Lara-Glenn McGrath generated a lot of interest among the fans,” he added.
The 43-year-old also said that he does not miss cricket much because the retirement has given him the opportunity to live life on his terms.
“I did not miss playing cricket after I retired but it is nice to play an exhibition game once in a while. I played three games in America with retired cricketers and the response was magnificent. But yes, I do miss the love and affection of the fans,” said Tendulkar.
“It is nice that I get to do the things that I could not do while playing. Overall it has given me the opportunity to live life on my terms and mingle around,” he added.
Hinting that it would be “unwise” to comment on Lodha Committee recommendation as the Supreme Court verdict is still pending, Sachin Tendulkar came out in support of BCCI, stating that the parent body has “done a lot for the game in the country”.
“My personal feeling is that when I was growing up, I got a lot of support from the BCCI. The BCCI and the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) arranged a lot of camps,” he said.
Tendulkar said that how his suggestion of having all 14 squad members in a team play in school cricket last year meant that 1800 more children got to play competitive cricket.
“I gave a suggestion to MCA on school cricket and they implemented. BCCI has supported and taken care of the players and given us ample opportunity to grow. But it doesn’t stop at this. Not everything is perfect but things can improve,” said Tendulkar as BCCI president Anurag Thakur was among the audiences.
