India's senior cricketers get Donald backing

NEW DELHI: Former South African fast bowler Allan Donald has come to the support of India's under-fire senior cricketers, saying players like Sachin Tendulkar know when their time is up and one bad tournament did not make them bad.

"India's shock exit from the World Cup was very disappointing but that does not mean that seniors like Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid or some other player should retire," Donald said.

"They have a lot of cricket left and are the best judge as to when they should retire from the game.

"I know, fans had a lot of expectations from the team but failure in one big tournament does not make the team or the players bad."

Citing his own scenario and contrasted with that of his teammate Shaun Pollock, Donald said the move to blood youngsters should not be at the cost of experience.

"In my case it was the disappointment of the 2003 World Cup that prompted me to hang my boots. I had given all that I could to the game and felt that it was the right time to move ahead," Donald said.

"Even when we see the present South African team, Shaun Pollock is one man who is nearing the end of career but he is still in prime form. Only when you carry on for too long that people start criticising you."

So a player must know when is the right time to hang the boots. He should go when there is not much cricket left in him. I believe that Tendulkar and other seniors of the Indian team know when they have to leave the game. After all they have made the Indian team that it is today," he said.