Should Sachin follow in the footsteps of Ponting?

New Delhi: India's greatest batsman Sachin Tendulkar was practising at the MCA Academy at BKC, Mumbai, as news came in about Australian player Ricky Ponting announcing his retirement from international cricket, with Michael Clarke finding it difficult to hold back his tears at a press conference. Sachin was practising with Team India players Zaheer Khand and Ajinkya Rahane. Sachin played against four pacers - Zaheer, Paras Mhambre, Jagdish Chavan and a local player. Only one left arm spinner was there at the nets, and while playing against the spinner it was being noticed that Sachin's arm opened and he was being bowled out. The 64,000-dollar question is: Should Sachin follow Ponting's footsteps and retire? As speculations are gaining momentum about the Indian legend's career, experts point out to several unnerving facts. His last Test century came against South Africa in Cape Town in January 2011 and after that he scored 80 against Australia in Sydney. And since then his scores read: 15, 8, 25, 13, 19, 17, 27, 13, 8 and 8. Sachin has been having a string of failures recently, particularly in the first two cricket Tests against England at home. He is set to play the third Test against England starting in Kolkata from December 5 as the BCCI pins hope on the master blaster coming good definitely this time. The champion batsman may bounce back as in his good old days for sure, the Indian Cricket Board asserts. For all purpose, for him too the third Test is going to be now or never. A few months ago, there was a raging debate about Tendulkar's technique and reflexes when he was repeatedly getting bowled off the seamers. It was argued that age was finally catching up with the cricketing icon. His performance somewhere down the lane is bound to create about his ability to be the same potent force that he used to be. It is ironical that one of Tendulkar's most illustrious contemporaries, Ricky Ponting, is also going through a similar phase, and probably that is why he called it a day. The 38-year-old batsman has played with dignity and his aura as a cricketer can hardly be matched by anyone. He is one of the few players who are respected by fans of the opposing team. For a man who had played cricket for so long with his head held high, he should not give anyone a chance to point fingers at him and hold him responsible should India meet the same fate as the last season in England and Australia. Sachin singlehandedly changed the face of Indian cricket and players like him come once in a lifetime. But then his slump in form does indicate that the time has come to draw curtains on his illustrious career.