BCCI Wanted To Replace Sachin Tendulkar, Left Him In Shock: Stunning Details Emerge On India Legend’s Retirement

Tendulkar’s retirement came in 2013 amidst much fanfare. However, it has now been revealed that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had been looking to replace him from the Indian team a year before his eventual retirement. Former BCCI chief selector Sandeep Patil revealed a striking conversation he had had with Tendulkar regarding this matter.

2012 was a lean year for Tendulkar. He averaged just 23.80 in nine Tests, without a single hundred. His ODI average wasn’t much better either at 31.50 in 10 games.

In a recent interview, Patil, who was the chairman of the BCCI selection committee at the time, revealed that he had left Tendulkar in shock with the suggestion of replacing him from the Indian team.

“What are your plans?” Patil had asked Tendulkar.

“He said, ‘Why?’ I told him the committee was looking for a replacement. He was shocked. He called me again – are you serious? I said yes,” revealed Patil in an interview with Vickey Lalwani.

Patil then shared that the selection committee do not have the power to force a player into retiring. He revealed that Tendulkar had himself informed him when he had decided to retire.

“Selectors can drop a player. Selectors cannot tell a player his career is over. We asked his plans. He said he wanted to continue. We said okay,” Patil said.

Patil stated that his tenure is often remembered for the departure of Tendulkar rather than the introduction of future India stalwarts like Jasprit Bumrah, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Ajinkya Rahane or Mohammed Shami.

“I understand why people were angry. He is Sachin Tendulkar. But Shami came in. Bumrah came in. Ashwin, Jadeja, Rahane. Nobody talks about those picks. They only remember that we dropped Sachin,” Patil said.

Tendulkar played his final Test in November 2013 against West Indies in front of his home crowd at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.