Mumbai: Andrew Flintoff, on Monday, said Sachin Tendulkar’s longevity should not blind India of the fact that they would be facing a similar situation like Australia when their best players called it a day around the same time.
“Sachin (Tendulkar) is still scoring runs. He could carry on forever. But Sachin, (Rahul) Dravid and (VVS) Laxman would all go one day and that could leave a hole, like it happened with Australia when Hayden, Langer, Gilchrist, McGrath, all finished around the same time,” said Flintoff, who’s on a promotional visit to the city.
The last few months have been a bit surreal for the former England all-rounder. Whether it’s bull racing in Texas, or doing TV shows on U.S. prime time television, Flintoff is living it up in the real sense.
“It’s just 10-12 weeks since I retired, although I stopped playing Tests a year ago. It feels a little strange. I am doing all kind of things that I couldn’t do in my playing days,” Flintoff said.
From being over-weight and criticised for attitude at the start of his career to becoming world’s best all-rounder at his peak and leading England to victory in the 2005 Ashes series, Freddie has lived up to the early promise as the successor to Ian Botham.
The former England all-rounder was thrilled by his team’s strong comeback in the drawn first Test at Brisbane.
“England have been fantastic this week. The first day of an Ashes series is always a bit nervy. From being bowled out for 260, they have improved and improved,” he said.
“Alastair Cook (who scored a double hundred in the second innings) made a hundred on debut here (in India). But one of the pleasing things about this team is character. To come back in a Test is a testimony to that,” he said.
But Flintoff was tad careful in predicting the winner for the 2011 World Cup.
“With the tournament being held in the subcontinent, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka would be the favourites. England have got a chance, too, and you can’t leave out Australia. Handling pressure will be the key, and India always expects India to win,” he said.
Flintoff, who has set up an academy back home, ruled out becoming a coach. Speaking on Tendulkar, Flintoff said: “I never played against Bradman. He wasn’t a good player, was he? I don’t know ... In modern day cricket, Sachin is the best,” he said.
“The last time I played against Sachin was the Chennai Test after the (terrorist) attack in Mumbai. England were in a great position. And we thought we are going to win the match. But Sachin had other ideas.
“The best thing was after the game he thanked every one of us for coming back to India. That was quite a poignant moment for me and rest of the boys.”
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment