A night before Roger Federer won his 17th Grand Slam title, a friend of mine - in a freewheeling conversation about his favourite tennis player - said, "after winning this final, he should retire gracefully."
There are two arguments against this, I told him. One, he is perhaps enjoying his tennis more than ever at the moment. He isn't winning like he used to because Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic have come forth so well. But he loves the challenge to go up against them and see if he can do better, despite his obvious down-curve in age and form. And two, he is still good enough to reach the semi-finals of every Grand Slam without breaking a sweat. Who are we to tell him when he wants to bid adieu to the only thing he has ever known?
The difference between Federer and Sachin Tendulkar is that the Swiss champion is part of a sport that is largely individualistic. Tendulkar, on the other hand, is part of a group of 11 to 16 players at any given time. Personal glory is a small spec on the grand scale of things, and that is to get a team across the victory line. That team belongs to a nation, it can be said.
Perhaps that explains the hue and cry over Tendulkar's availability every time an ODI series comes along. As is the trend nowadays, pun unintended, fans do not think twice about venting their opinions on social media such as Facebook and Twitter. It makes for an interesting observation, for often the same jibe is hit at India's favourite cricketer, albeit with two (or more) different reasoning at the same time.
Here's a small example. When it was announced that he would be giving the upcoming Sri Lankan ODI series a miss, it was alleged that he plays ODIs only when he is nearing a personal record. If he would have played this said series, it would then have been pointed out that he is nearing a milestone of 50 ODI hundreds, and thus the implication again being that he plays ODIs only when he is nearing a personal record.
Imagine yourself to be a 39-year-old cricketer/sportsman with a 23-year long international career. It leaves little time for family and friends, for achieving such continuous excellence requires more than just gifted talent. The number of days you are away from home, even whilst playing/practicing in your own country, is countless. Today Tendulkar has two grown-up kids and he wants to spend his summers with them, the only time when they are actually free, as with most parents and their children. This was the reason given in 2011 when he missed the tour to West Indies as also this year.
But beyond this simple reason is also the desire of an ageing cricketer to go the extra-mile, to keep playing as long as possible, doing what he loves most. That requires him to shed some of the load and he did that first with Twenty20 internationals, and now by picking his ODI battles. Passionate fans who believe that he has an ulterior motive forget that he missed the ODIs versus West Indies at home in November-December. Wasn't it an easy enough opportunity to get that 100th hundred?
He played the CB Series because it was an important, and tough, ODI tournament. Just like the ODIs in England prior, which he would have played but for injury. And who did the selectors pick in his place, to lend some experience to the side? Another old-hand, Rahul Dravid! The Asia Cup was as much a challenge particularly with Virender Sehwag missing out due to back spasms (a reason revealed only now!).
However, the point is not to argue whether a series provides enough of a challenge to his personal desires, no. Instead, it is to question whether his return to the side on occasion helps them more. And the answer to this question is yes.
While Tendulkar is on holiday, his absence provides two young cricketers Ajinkya Rahane and Manoj Tiwary an opportunity to go out and get some match experience under their belts. This is important because they have just had a poor tour with West Indies A, and despite that, are in running for the Test spots that currently lie vacant or will be so in the very-near future. It will also be an important outing because India do not play any more ODIs in the calendar year 2012, nor do they have any vital run-in before the Tests against New Zealand.
When he does return to the ODI fold - and it probably will be in the Champions Trophy in England in July 2013, if at all - Tendulkar will again be a useful batsman. To say that he will hurt the batting order because he only wants to open is a pathetic excuse for criticism. He is the world's leading ODI run-getter at that spot and well, don't the young players themselves harp that they are willing to bat at any position?
He will be fit enough because he would have been playing Tests as well as the IPL. So the only argument is whether his form will merit selection. That is a call for the selectors and we - both his critics and fans - know that Sachin Tendulkar, on his worst days, is better than most batsmen.
Let us then, on this final leg of his career, just let him be. If only as gratitude for whatever he has done for Indian cricket!