Published: Nov 30, 2012, 10:31 AM (IST)
Edited: Nov 30, 2012, 10:31 AM (IST)
The UPA coalition will be wishing for Sachin Tendulkar’s presence © PTI
New Delhi: Nov 30, 2012
The Congress strategists will be dearly hoping that Sachin Tendulkar sits out of the third Test against England in Kolkata, so that he could be present in the Rajya Sabha and bail them out in the vote over Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).
The strategists are aware that the UPA government will have to pull off a surprise to beat the Opposition, and for doing the same, they will be hoping that somehow the Little Master turns up.
The Times of India reported that the government will be banking on the 10 nominated MPs to vote in their favour, and at the same time, they will be looking towards Tendulkar’s seat number 103, wishing for his presence.
Meanwhile, the debate over the future of Tendulkar is getting intense by the day. The news of master blaster’s discussion with chief selector Sandeep Patil on his retirement flew thick and fast Friday, followed by equally quick denials, IANS reported.
While a media report claimed that Tendulkar had told Patil to decide his fate as he was out of form, a television channel labelled the conversation as a ‘pep talk’ by Patil to the 39-year-old. An unchanged side for the third Test against England at Eden Gardens was picked Tuesday.
Earlier in the day, BCCI official Rajiv Shukla said that Tendulkar’s focus was “very much on the third Test”, beginning Dec 5.
