Sachin Tendulkar calls for patience with Team India after loss to SA

The batting icon Sachin Tendulkar has urged the critics to show more balance in their approach. "We have a very good team. Each team will go through phases," he said

Team India losing the Twenty20 (2-0) and ODI series (3-2) to South Africa has raised several questions regarding the team's ability to do well against quality opposition.


Sachin Tendulkar at the Mumbai Cricket Association ground in BKC yesterday. Pic/Nimesh Dave

Sunday's massive 214-run loss to the Proteas in the deciding ODI match at the Wankhede was India's worst ever loss at home. The visitors have also gained a psychological advantage going into the four-Test series, starting next month.

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However, batting icon Sachin Tendulkar urged the critics to show more balance in their approach. "We have a very good team. Each team will go through phases.

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There will be patches where you will play well and there will be tough phases where things will get really difficult and things won't go according to plan but that doesn't mean that every weekend you pass a judgment on your team.


Rohit Sharma walks back to the pavilion after being dismissed for 21 at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai last week. Pic/PTI

When they do well you say, 'wow, they have done really well' and the following week, if they don't do well, you start criticising them. I think we need to show more balance. We all are passionate about cricket and we need to patient too," Tendulkar told reporters at the Bandra Kurla Complex ground.

Sunday's game at the Wankhede Stadium witnessed the sixth 400-plus score in an ODI this year. Twelve games this year saw 350-plus totals.

Tendulkar felt high totals are largely due to changes in rules. He refused to get drawn into the Ravi Shastri-Sudhir Naik (Wankhede curator) saga.

"I don't know what Ravi said to the curator. I felt that South Africa batted really well. I wouldn't want to take away the credit away from Quinton de Kock, Faf du Plessis and AB de Villiers. I thought De Villiers batted really well," said Tendulkar.

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