Stop criticising Sachin Tendulkar, says Sourav Ganguly

Post Ricky Ponting's retirement, there has been talks that Sachin Tendulkar should also follow suit, but Sourav Ganguly thinks otherwise.

"The retirement of Ricky Ponting does not mean that Sachin Tendulkar should also quit. We all hope he goes with his with his head held high. The problem with Sachin Tendulkar is that people always look at his negative sides. Nobody talks about his centuries and the wins he has given us," Sourav Ganguly told during a promotional event.

Wishing Sachin Tendulkar luck ahead of his probable last Test at Eden, Sourav Ganguly said it's important for him to get past 30-mark.

"It will be important for him to cross the 30-mark. If he gets past the mark, I'm sure he will go on to make it big at the Eden Gardens. Yes, he is 39 plus and is going through a slump in form but we all hope he gets back to runs soon." Sharing the same platform, Navjot Singh Sidhu criticised media for talking too much about Sachin Tendulkar as he cited example of the Australian side supporting Mark Taylor during the former skipper's bad form.

Navjot Sidhu said: "Media should stop criticising Sachin Tendulkar. Nobody has achieved what Sachin Tendulkar has. He is our pride (shaan)."

"We should need to respect our heroes. He is an institution in himself. But there are some legless men who are trying to teach him how to run. I remember Australia skipper Mark Taylor going a poor run and did not have a 50 for one and half years but Australia stuck to him. Taylor later went on to score a triple century."

Navjot Sidhu said change is not always the progress and the likes of Virat Kohli and Cheteshwar Pujara need a Sachin Tendulkar in the dressing room.

"We have no Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman... We cannot make wholesale changes, it has to be a

mixture. The likes of Kohlis and Pujaras need one Sachin Tendulkar and a solid captain in the dressing room."

Harbhajan Singh hasn't been in the best of form but Sourav Ganguly feels that the senior off-spinner is going through a learning curve.

"Harbhajan Singh is only 31 and has time left in him. He has to be patient. No player goes on improving, such lows do come..."

"I had gone through for five-six months. For Bhajji, it's for a bit longer. More than 15 months or so. But he has to see it as a learning curve. To be patient is important. It would only brings the best out of you."

There were also talks about Mahendra Singh Dhoni's defensive captaincy and his string of poor shows in the longer version, as Kapil Dev said: "He is still the best wicketkeeper we have seen. His records speak for himself.

"Like Sachin Tendulkar, we should give some more chance. He has the ability to make it big."

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