If Sachin Tendulkar retires, Test cricket will die, says Arjuna Ranatunga

"If players like him (Sachin Tendulkar) don't play the longer version of the game, Test cricket will die. I pray to God he continues to play Test cricket. I was very happy to know he has retried from ODIs. For me Test is education and the shorter versions are entertainment," Ranatunga said.


Ranatunga, who guided Sri Lanka to their first and only World Cup title in 1996, said Tendulkar still has a lot of cricket left in him.


Asked whether Sachin was on a comeback trail after scoring two centuries in domestic matches, Ranatunga said the Mumbaikar, despite being 39, is a much better player than some of the younger Indians.

"If Sachin Tendulkar plays one good knock, I am sure he will play two-three years more without a problem," he said.

On to issues facing international cricket and Ranatunga came down heavily on the ICC, calling the sport's world governing body "toothless".

Instead of blaming the BCCI for the non-implementation of the controversial Decision Review System to avoid umpiring mistakes, Ranatunga turned his ire on the ICC.

"I am not blaming BCCI, but blaming ICC for not making DRS compulsory. They should not allow home countries to take decisions on the matter," he said on the sidelines of Sri Lanka Tourism promotion event here.
"They (the ICC) shout, but hardly bite. I have always said that they haven't changed. ICC should protect the game not individual countries