Sachin Tendulkar: New Mumbai coach should get longer rope

Sachin Tendulkar

With the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) still in the process of appointing the head coach for its senior team, batting legend Sachin Tendulkar wants the new coach to have an extended run.

"I think the coach should get a longer rope. If you give any coach only a few matches and suddenly ask him to go and make a change then it is not going to happen. It takes time. It takes time for the coach and team to understand each other.

"By the time you understand each other, the season is about to end. But, to have the right coach also becomes [important]. His capability should also be considered," Tendulkar said in response to a question from mid-day on the Mumbai coach's tenure during a press conference at the Wankhede Stadium yesterday where Tendulkar witnessed the T20 Mumbai League final as the event's ambassador.

'Impossible to win every year'

When asked about Mumbai's disappointing performance in the Ranji Trophy for the last couple of seasons, Tendulkar said: "We have the talent. It is not possible to win [Ranji Trophy] every year, but you have to accept that the current facilities across the country are better than earlier. The infrastructure and mindsets are changing everywhere which is good for Indian cricket. To take Mumbai cricket ahead, we will have to build a solid foundation. Results are not going to come overnight. There has to be a system to get results. Maybe five or 10 years down the line you will get results, but I don't think Mumbai cricket will be fine starting tomorrow.

"At the same time, I do not think Mumbai cricket is in so much trouble. If you judge on a yearly basis, it becomes difficult, but if you look at the last 10-12 years, we have won the championships; it's not that we haven't won. The batch between 1984-85 and 1993-94 didn't win too. We had good team in the '80s, but we did not win.

"Not just Mumbai. If you look around the world, there is always a cycle. The West Indian and Australian teams in the '70s and '80s, or even '90s for that matter… they had done well. The same West Indies are not the same anymore and Australia suffered a similar fate in between. There is always a cycle."

Dad Sachin's advice to Arjun

Tendulkar's son Arjun was part of Aakash Tigers in the T20 Mumbai League. He claimed five wickets from six games for the losing semi-finalists and scored 104 runs. "Like other parents, I too expect him to perform well. He [Arjun] needs to do what he and his team want to do.

It's [T20 Mumbai League] a very good platform and the ups and downs provide a real-life experience. It is important to learn and develop; it's a process. 'Once a student of this game, a student for rest of your life.' That's what I told him. Results will be in God's hand, but to make the effort is in our hands," remarked Tendulkar.

Also Read: Sachin Tendulkar: Dhoni's role behind the stumps critical for skipper Kohli

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