To negate the Negativity on Sachin

I will not start with positives of Sachin, we all know. So rather I will start from the negative points people say (even mature cricketers like the fellow commentator who sits beside Lakshman Shivram Krishnan on Neo cricket during India-South Africa series) .

1. Match winner : People say Sachin has not won as many matches as Ricky or other so called match winners who have won for their respective countries. Ok, my friends it is not that Ricky or so called match winners have won those matches just on their own, it is the support from other team mates which has won them matches. Just count the number of occasions when Sachin has scored a very good score and still India was on the losing side, and if it has happened, Is it really Sachin's fault?

So how can we compare Ricky as match winner who played with the team mates like Hayden, Gilcrist, Symonds, Baven, Steve Waugh, Shane Warne, McGrawth, Brete Lee, etc on the contrary with Sachin and his team mates the like of Prabhakar, Mongia, Azahar, Ajay Jadeja, Sanjay Manjerekar, Venkatesh Prasad, Srinath, etc, need not to mention more names (no offence please). Now let's take example of Brian Lara, in accord with the same logic then again he should not be considered great, as he has not won as many matches as Ricky (credit again goes to his fellow mates). Are you kidding guys, come on grow up people.

Cricket is a team game not individual, as a individual Sachin's contribution is on the record books, just need to open your hearts to accept that.

Sachin was carrying the weight of the whole team (better to say expectation of the whole nation) when he was not even 20 years of age, it is not because he likes to carry so much of burden but because of the kind of fellow mates he had for most of the time except recent times and was left with no choice (sorry for offending but that's the truth).

Can anyone tell why India is winning so many matches now days??? Sachin as a individual is still the same.

Any argument is most welcome.

2. Best combination of Class and Aggression, Can you think of any one better?: Class is evident and if someone knows the cricket and the basics will know the level Sachin possess. I think one attribute of the class is how delicately and effortlessly someone bats with least chance of error. Aggression is not just throwing the bat around with power but is something I see as economy (run per ball) of the batsmen with consistency over a long period (that is what creates terror in opposition team).

I think you know what I am talking here.

3. Why more number of matches he has played and scored at lesser rate (again the fellow commentator compares him with Ricky, saying if Ricky would have played those extra matches JUST IMAGINE where he would have been now).

This is interesting one, lets go back to the time when Sachin started playing for the country, he was mere what 16 or so. Ok fine, so what with that, dude, a guy at that age what do you expect to score centuries in every match, it takes some time for even greats to get maturity and realize what they are capable of doing. I think it is those approx 100 matches which he played at that age (not even 19 then) are given as logic that if Ricky would have played those many matches then think where Ricky would have been, I say he would still have been at the same place - chasing Sachin.

When Ganguly came to international cricket he was pretty mature at his age, scored some 22 or more centuries in a very quick time, will you compare him with Sachin as a technician (same is case with Mike Hussey, will you compare him with Sachin on the same logic, if he would have come 15 years back had he been bigger than the biggest).

Try to understand the difference between consistency and class, do not mix them. Likes of Dhoni , Hussey, Bevan etc are no doubt consistent but do they really have class, class is a technique, the skill, the art - which someone possess. Consistency can be gained by strong mental health which aforesaid people definitely have.
So just give a thought before comparing people, it is not just the consistency which is everything but when we talk of the bigger than BIGGEST then it should be the technique, the magic, the way one softly handles those nasty balls, the way one uncurve the turn, have shots to cover all 360 degrees of the ground and then still be among the all time consistents. Truely speaking it is natural, gifted by god (instinct) . Whatever you do, if it is there in you - it is there, if it is not - it is not. I am talking of something which can not be induced by practice or by guidance.

4. Why more number of runs in sub-continent: Pretty simple one, played more number of matches in sub-continent, so more runs in sub-continent :-).
(Average of overseas vs sub-continent can be compared).

Only logic which stands here is with the records of triple centuries of Lara, Sir Bradman, and Sehwag in test cricket, Guys I am not saying he will definitely break all these but there is no one better than him who deserves it to break.

I would have loved if these answers were given on spot on the channel by Lakshman Shivram Krishnan to his fellow commentator, but sadly I have to write it and in the hope that people (especially Lakshman) read it and put across the rational behind what we say is why we say than just saying that Sachin is the Best.