'Tendulkar still has hunger for cricket'

Amid speculation on Sachin Tendulkar’s retirement, former Test opener Chetan Chauhan says the batting icon does not need to be told when to call it a day.

"Tendulkar still has hunger to play cricket," said Chauhan, who partnered the legendary Sunil Gavaskar for a long time before retiring from the game in 1982.

"Though he (Tendulkar) has not scored a century in Test matches for the last two years, he still has a lot of potential and hunger to keep playing the game," he added.

Chauhan, who was in Patna in connection with a run organised by BJP's sports wing, was also of the view that Gautam Gambhir can regain his place in the Test squad while Virat Kohli has tremendous potential to lead India.

"Kohli proved himself as a good captain in the recent West Indies Tri-series, which India won, and also the Zimbabwe tour," the cricketer-turned BJP leader, who visited a cricket academy run by Amikar Dayal at St Xavier’s school, said.

"His (Kohli) aggressive attitude and cool head even in trying times makes him a fit candidate to lead Team India in future," he added.

Reflecting on cricket in Bihar, Chauhan said the state has produced some good players, like Saba Karim, Amikar Dayal and Avinash Kumar.     He urged the two bodies in the state fighting for affiliation to the Board of Control for Cricket in India, to bury their difference and come on one platform under former India cricketer and BJP MP Kirti Azad.