Wasim slams India selectors over Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar's international career may be prolonged because India’s selectors lack the courage to drop him, according to Pakistan fast-bowling great Wasim Akram.

Tendulkar (above) will be remembered as one of the finest batsmen of his era but his poor form in the current series against England suggests his powers are waning.

“Who will ask the question?” said Wasim. “Today, former cricketers are openly asking for captain MS Dhoni’s head. Can you do the same with Tendulkar? It boils down to your own assessment — as was the case with Ricky Ponting when he chose to retire from Australia’s Test team.

“Somebody needs to ask Sachin how long he wants to continue? I would have stepped down, because there is nothing left to achieve,” Wasim told espnstar.com.

Meanwhile, New Zealand Cricket have apologised to Ross Taylor for their poor handling of his sacking as captain. Taylor disputed claims that he had been asked to stay on as Test skipper but hand the one-day and T20 roles to Brendon McCullum.

“The board has reviewed the issue and wishes to publicly place on record its apologies to Ross Taylor and his family for the manner in which events have unfolded,” chairman Chris Moller said.