‘Wouldn’t Judge Team India After Every Game in WC’, Says Tendulkar

Sachin said the World Cup’s format would allow teams to come back even if they get a bad start to the tournament.

Tendulkar said the team should be backed irrespective of conditions in England.

(Photo: PTI/BCCI)

Retired cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has refused to read too much into Team India’s loss to New Zealand in a warm-up match, in the lead up to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019.

“I wouldn’t judge the team after very game. These things happen in a long tournament and this tournament hasn’t even started yet. So I wouldn’t read too much into it,” Tendulkar said at a press conference at a press conference on the sidelines of the Mumbai T20 League.

Asked if the team will be challenged by the conditions in England, Tendulkar said that the supporters should back the team irrespective of the conditions, reminding that India emerged as the winners and runners-up in the two last ICC events held in England.

He also said that the team management and supporters should back whoever plays at the No 4 position and not judge him on a game-to-game basis as that would create pressure on the player.

Commenting on the format of this edition, Tendulkar said that the round-robin league would allow teams to come back even if they get off to a bad start to the tournament. He also advocated for the inclusion of more number of teams in the World Cup, stressing however that the level of the tournament should not be compromised with.