The focus on Twenty20 and One-Day Internationals at the expense of Test cricket has created an imbalance in the cricketing calendar, according to Sachin Tendulkar, who feels that the longest version of the game should not be neglected.
Tendulkar said the advent of T20 cricket has made it necessary for cricket administrators to balance the schedule properly.
"I think to a certain extent the focus is certainly more on T20 and One-day cricket. T20 matches being played are not that many in number but One-day matches are quite frequent.
We sometimes play almost 45-50 One Day matches in a year, while Test matches are fewer, so there I do feel lies an imbalance," he said.
The batting maestro said that he was enjoying his cricket and was not contemplating retirement at the moment.
Asked to comment on Dhoni's statement that he wants him to play till 2015, Tendulkar said "2015 seems a little far off. I have said earlier too that I do not know when I will stop. I will play till I enjoy myself."
"...I will think about it when the time comes. I don't think that time has come yet." Tendulkar told News24 channel.
"My entire focus is on the game now but who knows maybe a time comes when I develop another passion apart from cricket.
"But now is not the time, no need to think about it right now. I think it's early, it will be early till I feel that I have played the last ball of my life and I have come in and I have fulfilled my dream", he said.
Asked whether he faced problems in adjusting with younger players or did they fear him, he said "forget about them fearing me, they sometimes even pull my leg. This kind of relationship is important and everyone has a free hand in the dressing room. If I crack jokes at someone they too have a right to crack jokes at me."
On whether he missed his old team-mates Anil Kumble and Sourav Ganguly, he said "Yes, I have played with these players and particularly with those two I have many memories. They gave such a good performance for the country that it is impossible to forget."
Tendulkar revealed that he had tried to persuade Kumble against retiring from international cricket.
"I had spoken to Anil and told him that you should play a while longer. The phase of injuries will pass and in the good phase you will always be a match winner for India and you are needed for India. But at that time he was coping with many physical problems and he decided he didn't want to play anymore", he said.
