Croft keeps mum on Tendulkar's retirement controversy

West Indies cricket legend Colin Croft today refused to get drawn into the raging controversy over Sachin Tendulkdar's retirement suggestion sparked off by Aussie great Ian Chappell.

Mike Atherthon, who is here as a commentator also added fuel to the fire, maintaining his stand that Sachin should not drag on for more time.

But Colin Croft, who is also here for the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation, played it safe, saying that he would not like to comment on the contentious issue.

Legendary West Indian cricketer Sir Vivian Richards has already expressed disappointment at the failure of his favourite player Sachin Tendulkar in the World Cup but stopped short of asking him to hang his boots.

''It's not up to me to ask him to retire. He's been one of my favourites and I'm more disappointed than anyone else at his failure to do well in this World Cup,'' said Sir Viv who, by Tendulkar's own admission, has been his childhood hero.

Tendulkar, arguably the greatest player-ever in one-day cricket, scored 7, 54 and 0 from his three innings in the World Cup, where the Indian team lost to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka to be thrown out of the competition in the preliminary stage itself.

But Sir Viv said instead of blaming any individual, it's the entire squad, which must take the blame for the debacle. He also believed it was wrong to blame coach Greg Chappell for India's dismal show.

Sir Viv, arguably one of the greatest batsman of all time, said India and other teams in world cricket needed to learn about mental aggression and toughness from the Aussies.

In the aftermath of his declining form in recent years, Tendulkar was on Friday advised by former Australian cricket captain Ian Chappell to retire.

Chappell had said Tendulkar had been a shadow of his former self in the last three or four years and has looked like a player trying to ''eke out a career... built on a glittering array of statistics.'' In his column in a Mumbai eveninger, Chappell suggested the batting icon to hang up his boots.

''If he really is playing for that reason and not to help win as many matches as he can for India then he is wasting his time and should retire immediately,'' Chappell wrote.

Chappell also drew comparison with Brian Lara, and felt both were ''worlds apart'' in effectiveness.

''Lara's quick-footed tip toe through a terrific innings against a good Australian bowling attack when the rest of the West Indies top order succumbed easily was in direct contrast to Tendulkar's stumbling effort in the crucial Sri Lanka match,'' Chappell said.

UNI MT SAM RK2035

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