Sachin Tendulkar may never again be the dominant player he once was, according to former Test batsman Arun Lal. Tendulkar is hoping to be named in the squad for the forthcoming Test series in the West Indies. But that may depend on the outcome of a check-up in London, where he underwent shoulder surgery two months ago.
"The writing is on the wall. He's been performing to expectation for the last 16 years and it's taken its toll, physically and mentally," said Lal.
He thinks Tendulkar may only have a couple of years left in international cricket but for the time being remains a key member of the Indian side.
"He represents a generation of cricketers who have done phenomenally well for India. With Sourav Ganguly not in the side, you really need Sachin there to provide stability. "I believe for the next year, year and a half, he is essential to the Indian cause," Lal told BBC.
Tendulkar, who has scored more than 24,000 runs in 132 Tests and 362 limited overs internationals, has suffered a series of injury problems in the past couple of years.
But it is a similar situation to that affecting a number of players because of the hectic international schedule. "Undoubtedly the stress level has increased over time. Most cricketers are now suffering from severe strain.