Tendulkar not a fan of BCCIs neutral-venue system

He might have just ended the day on a high,having scored a breathtaking 122 before retiring hurt...

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He might have just ended the day on a high,having scored a breathtaking 122 before retiring hurt,and his appearance in a Ranji Trophy contest may be limited to once in two years,but Sachin Tendulkar insisted that home advantage was still a very important factor for any team,especially during the knock-out phase of the tournament,and revealed that he wasnt a fan of the neutral-venue system that the BCCI has adopted over the last two seasons.

Playing in front of your home crowd and receiving their support is a great boost for any team. And I also believe that the pitches for these games should be monitored,which would be the case if a team is playing on its home ground, said Tendulkar. He added that the whole range of reactions that a player receives from the home crowd,be it adulation for a good performance or criticism for an unsatisfactory one,make for a completely different feeling.

Tendulkar insisted that he always enjoyed playing in front of the Chepauk crowd,but admitted that it still couldnt compare with the feeling of scoring a century at home.

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He also revealed that he enjoyed being part of the Mumbai team whenever he could,as he had grown up with most of the players,who were presently in the setup. I have been playing with the likes of Amol (Muzumdar),Sairaj (Bahutule),and Ajit (Agarkar) from the time we were kids. So our discussions in the dressing room are always mutual,and it is not like they simply sit and listen to me talk, he said.

Stress buster

He believed that playing a Ranji game could act as a stress reliever at times,as the pressure on him wasnt the same as it was in international cricket.

And to add to that,I walked in when we were in a very comfortable position at 300-odd for two,and I just started going for my shots from the word go, he said.

Tendulkar revealed that he was suffering from a headache during his innings,and by the time he reached his 100-landmark,his situation had worsened. I had taken a few Crocins during the day,and I wasnt feeling too great,so I just decided to retire, he said.

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As he kept clearing the ropes during his blistering knock,it would hardly be surprising if the Saurashtra players ended the day with a few headaches,and sprained necks,of their own.