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[cricinfo]

ADELAIDE: Rahul Dravid's glorious international career may have come to an end on Friday, with the veteran batsman likely to announce his retirement shortly.

The 39-year-old Dravid, one of the game's greatest batsmen, is believed to have told some of his teammates after another failure against Australia in the final Test that he had decided to hang his boots.

He could not be reached for his comments. Dravid, like most other Indian batsmen, has had a poor run in the current four-Test series which will conclude on Saturday with India likely to suffer another defeat to give Australia a clean sweep.

He made 194 runs at an average of 24.25 in this series. Dravid has already announced his retirement from one-day cricket and Twenty20.

The elegant right hander, nicknamed 'The Wall' for his dour defence, is the second highest run getter in Test history with 13,288 runs, behind only Sachin Tendulkar who has 15,470 runs. He has 36 Test centuries with a highest score of 270 and an average of 52.31.

Dravid has also taken more catches (210) than anyone else in Test history during his 164 Test matches since he made his debut against England at Lord's in 1996. He captained India from December 2005 to August 2007. There is a question mark over another Indian veteran VVS Laxman who too had a miserable run against Australia in the current series. There was no word yet about his future plans.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/sports/cricket/series-tournaments/india-in-australia/top-stories/Rahul-Dravid-likely-to-announce-retirement-shortly/articleshow/11652132.cms

[poondu]

Thank you.

[LosingNow]

Smart move .. next up, Laxman... and hopefully, SRT too

[feverpitch]

SRT too

No way. He has Skymiles to go and millions to reap.

[LosingNow]

This should follow the post WC 2007 roadmap.

[GreenHorn]

Yes. It was time for the gentleman who overstayed.

Before the start of the series Indians were overconfident and even advising Australians what to do. RD pitching for RP. 

RD should also take some blame for the Management failure because the current coach DF was his recommendation.
During the course of the tour when he himself needed the technical help found out the worth of his choice and realized that the perception can be very deceptive. One may say it was JK who suggested DF but who said JK has best interest of Indian cricket at heart?

[Cover Point]

Good move by Dravid. He was going to do this anyway after this series ... it would have been nice if he could have gone after a century. Laxman should immediately announce his retirement too. Really what is he hanging around for?

SRT will (and should) play through 2015 world cup but will (and should) pick and choose the games he plays. Ofcourse the criteria (Priority)has to be
1) IPL
2) Meaningful ODI's (Champions trophy, WC etc)
3) Meaningful tests (Poms, SA, Aussies)
4) Meaningless tests (rest)
5) Meaningless ODI's

[cricinfo]

Good move by Dravid. He was going to do this anyway after this series ... it would have been nice if he could have gone after a century. Laxman should immediately announce his retirement too. Really what is he hanging around for?

SRT will (and should) play through 2015 world cup but will (and should) pick and choose the games he plays. Ofcourse the criteria (Priority)has to be
1) IPL
2) Meaningful ODI's (Champions trophy, WC etc)
3) Meaningful tests (Poms, SA, Aussies)
4) Meaningless tests (rest)
5) Meaningless ODI's

CP is making sense , i guess the he didnt have his daily quota of pot

SRT  should eliminate 4,5 altogether from his list of negotiation.

[k-slice]

SRT is fit and if you take away the non-issue or the gavaskar created issue of this 100th 100, he has not performed too badly in this series. I wonder what series he playe din last where he did not score a 100? VVS should leave on his own. I am glad RD is going but sad that he couldnt go out with a bang.

[Cernunnos]

SRT is fit and if you take away the non-issue or the gavaskar created issue of this 100th 100, he has not performed too badly in this series. I wonder what series he playe din last where he did not score a 100?

LOL. One useless 80 in a hopelessly lost cause after Clarke declared on 329* out of charity to the Indian bowlers. His scores in potentially salvageable situations this series are 73, 32, 41, 15, 8, 25, 13 - that's 29.57 avg. with 6 failures out of 7. 

VVS should leave on his own. I am glad RD is going but sad that he couldnt go out with a bang.

Leadfoot will go kicking and screaming. He has managed to downgrade his batting average into the 45's.

 

[cricinfo]

Also who can  kick the fu**ers Shrikanth,Srinivasa,Pawar out of the BCCI - time to bring back people like Dalmiya,Kumble,Ganguly,Kapil at the helm of the things to clean up this mess. (I will not even look at idiots like Gavaskar and Shastry).

[vincent]

These have been the sad 12 months for Indian Cricket, worse than ever before. In those 12 Months Dravid has been the best batsman despite his performance in this series. Still I agree that he should retire and make his detractors happy. Right now we are worse than Bangladesh in Test Cricket Perhaps we should do like Zimbabwe and declare a sabatical from Test Cricket until we are fit again to play on green pitches.

[Cover Point]

These have been the sad 12 months for Indian Cricket, worse than ever before. In those 12 Months Dravid has been the best batsman despite his performance in this series. Still I agree that he should retire and make his detractors happy. Right now we are worse than Bangladesh in Test Cricket Perhaps we should do like Zimbabwe and declare a sabatical from Test Cricket until we are fit again to play on green pitches.

You mean sad 12 months for TEST cricket! In the same 12 months we did win the small thing called the World Cup which we had not done since 1983!!!

[vincent]

These have been the sad 12 months for Indian Cricket, worse than ever before. In those 12 Months Dravid has been the best batsman despite his performance in this series. Still I agree that he should retire and make his detractors happy. Right now we are worse than Bangladesh in Test Cricket Perhaps we should do like Zimbabwe and declare a sabatical from Test Cricket until we are fit again to play on green pitches.

You mean sad 12 months for TEST cricket! In the same 12 months we did win the small thing called the World Cup which we had not done since 1983!!!

Yes and that is why I talked about taking a sabatical from Test Cricket and start again one day just like Zimbabwe is trying to do now. It is better now than later when we end up in the last place like Zimbabwe when they did it.

[Cover Point]

These have been the sad 12 months for Indian Cricket, worse than ever before. In those 12 Months Dravid has been the best batsman despite his performance in this series. Still I agree that he should retire and make his detractors happy. Right now we are worse than Bangladesh in Test Cricket Perhaps we should do like Zimbabwe and declare a sabatical from Test Cricket until we are fit again to play on green pitches.

You mean sad 12 months for TEST cricket! In the same 12 months we did win the small thing called the World Cup which we had not done since 1983!!!

Yes and that is why I talked about taking a sabatical from Test Cricket and start again one day just like Zimbabwe is trying to do now. It is better now than later when we end up in the last place like Zimbabwe when they did it.

I think we are now acting as typical indian fans and exaggerating to no end. We are still among the top 4 test teams around. With or without Lakhan and Dravid we are still better than NZ, Zim and BD and possibly lanka and Pak. Yes we do have a problem playing away from home but we will see later this year that Poms will have the same problems in India too!

We are not Zimbabwe!

[WicketView]

A number of fairly sane posts from CP!

I think the one thing that did come out Kohli getting some runs under his belt. We will have to see how things continue,
but he has earned something.

I agree largely that SRT should play on, but I think he should also be flexible about his batting position.

[GreenHorn]

A number of fairly sane posts from CP!

I think the one thing that did come out Kohli getting some runs under his belt. We will have to see how things continue,
but he has earned something.

I agree largely that SRT should play on, but I think he should also be flexible about his batting position.

VK should get  No 4 in Tests. There are reports that SMG & SM wants him at No 3 but  IMO.. VK is more suited for No 4. He is good player of spin and can place the ball well scores quickly more like SRT of the past.

If Mumbai lobby thinks that dropping SRT to No 5 is an insult then SRT should bat higher No.3.  Anyway RD is gone or is he? Test match is over what is he waiting for?

[cricinfo]

A number of fairly sane posts from CP!

I think the one thing that did come out Kohli getting some runs under his belt. We will have to see how things continue,
but he has earned something.

I agree largely that SRT should play on, but I think he should also be flexible about his batting position.

VK should get  No 4 in Tests. There are reports that SMG & SM wants him at No 3 but  IMO.. VK is more suited for No 4. He is good player of spin and can place the ball well scores quickly more like SRT of the past.

If Mumbai lobby thinks that dropping SRT to No 5 is an insult then SRT should bat higher No.3. Anyway RD is gone or is he? Test match is over what is he waiting for?

The budding writer in him is working overtime to come up with  a moving farewell speech

[WicketView]

A number of fairly sane posts from CP!

I think the one thing that did come out Kohli getting some runs under his belt. We will have to see how things continue,
but he has earned something.

I agree largely that SRT should play on, but I think he should also be flexible about his batting position.

VK should get  No 4 in Tests. There are reports that SMG & SM wants him at No 3 but  IMO.. VK is more suited for No 4. He is good player of spin and can place the ball well scores quickly more like SRT of the past.

If Mumbai lobby thinks that dropping SRT to No 5 is an insult then SRT should bat higher No.3.  Anyway RD is gone or is he? Test match is over what is he waiting for?

I don't know who should finally take number 4.

So, how do you and other people see the middle order finally turning out? Who are the shoo ins at this point, and who would fit in where?

I note that Pujara is back to cricket

[poondu]

Also who can  kick the fu**ers Shrikanth,Srinivasa,Pawar out of the BCCI - time to bring back people like Dalmiya,Kumble,Ganguly,Kapil at the helm of the things to clean up this mess. (I will not even look at idiots like Gavaskar and Shastry).

I don't understand the fury against the selectors. Isn't this the best squad on paper ? Bhajji would have made no difference. It is the batsmen who sucked big time..

[poondu]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia-v-india-2011/content/current/story/551320.html

No need for anyone to retire - Sehwag


None of the senior players is retiring as of now, the India team has said. There have been reports during the series that VVS Laxman (during Perth) and Rahul Dravid (during Adelaide) might have played their last Test match. After India's 0-4 whitewash, though, the team spokesperson read out a statement saying the reports were rumour and incorrect.

"The team takes note of the stories in the media suggesting the imminent retirement of a member of the Indian team," the spokesperson said. "We would like to clarify the situation by stating categorically that these are not correct and are baseless." The statement didn't name any of the players. "No players from the Indian team will be retiring. It is a rumour. Baseless. Incorrect."

Virender Sehwag, the stand-in captain, said, "I clarify that there is no need for retirement from anybody in this team. And they will take their call when they need it and when they think that their time is up."

The speculation, though, remains rife, especially because India don't play an away Test for the next two years, and it doesn't make sense to carry any player further unless he will be fit and ready for those overseas tours. When asked if he felt the seniors should be phased out, Sehwag said it wasn't his decision. "That's the team management and selectors who will decide," he said. "It is not me or anyone else who will decide. If they think we need something to change, they will do that. If they think we should carry on with the same, and just wait for other players to perform, and if you perform, they will take the call."

Sehwag also supported coach Duncan Fletcher, under whom India have lost eight away Tests in a row. Fletcher's record as a coach in Australia now reads one Test win and 13 losses. "He is a good coach," Sehwag said. "He is talking to a lot of the batsmen and giving his input and making a lot of strategy. When you can't execute your strategy, nothing happens.

"Why should I blame him [Fletcher]? It's the players who let the team down, not the support staff. They are very good. They are giving everything the players ask for. They were throwing to a lot of the batsmen. Thanks to the support staff. They are working hard to make sure the players perform. Make sure they give a good atmosphere for the players to perform."
-----

        

[feverpitch]

Good move by Dravid. He was going to do this anyway after this series ... it would have been nice if he could have gone after a century. Laxman should immediately announce his retirement too. Really what is he hanging around for?
SRT will (and should) play through 2015 world cup but will (and should) pick and choose the games he plays. Ofcourse the criteria (Priority)has to be
1) IPL
2) Meaningful ODI's (Champions trophy, WC etc)
3) Meaningful tests (Poms, SA, Aussies)
4) Meaningless tests (rest)
5) Meaningless ODI's

CP is making sense , i guess the he didnt have his daily quota of pot
SRT  should eliminate 4,5 altogether from his list of negotiation.

SRT should go only after:

1. Ponting, Kallis, Pietersen, Jayawardene and any other pretender to the max century, max runs, max this, max that records have retired and stopped threatening SRT's preeminence in the records category.
2. He should have established his son in the team by then.
3. He should have eliminated Big B from the adv stakes for Manikchand Guthka and Rangjaba Kesh Kala Tel.
4. In all this, he'll have managed to overtake WG Grace for longevity (and maybe will grow a bigger beard to boot).
5. By then, he may even end up with some sort of record in bowling and fielding stats (much like Rahul Dravid's max test catches)
6. He could then think of growing a ponytail and steal the thunder fro Kaps in the sartorial stakes as well.

Now we're talking...

[ganavk]

Yes. It was time for the gentleman who overstayed.

Before the start of the series Indians were overconfident and even advising Australians what to do. RD pitching for RP. 

RD should also take some blame for the Management failure because the current coach DF was his recommendation.
During the course of the tour when he himself needed the technical help found out the worth of his choice and realized that the perception can be very deceptive. One may say it was JK who suggested DF but who said JK has best interest of Indian cricket at heart?

lol..gentleman who overstayed ? are you talking about the same person who just had his best year in test cricket.
Again ...our bad batting is just masking the worse bowling. Just bowling all over the place and then expect batsmen to save your is not going to get you anywhere!

[Cernunnos]

RD's failure this series is more the norm than the aberration when it comes to bouncy pithes away from home.

Averages in AUS

'99/00 - 15.5
'03/04 - 123.8 (aberration)
'07/08 - 33.8
'11/12 - 24.2

Averages in SA

'96/97 - 55.4
'01/02 - 25.5
'06/07 - 20.8
'10/11 - 20.0

[Cernunnos]

All-time away averages in Eng, SA and Aus (played in all three):

SRT 51.6 
RD  45.8
Ganguly 44.1
Laxman 40.4


 

[GreenHorn]

Yes. It was time for the gentleman who overstayed.

Before the start of the series Indians were overconfident and even advising Australians what to do. RD pitching for RP. 

RD should also take some blame for the Management failure because the current coach DF was his recommendation.
During the course of the tour when he himself needed the technical help found out the worth of his choice and realized that the perception can be very deceptive. One may say it was JK who suggested DF but who said JK has best interest of Indian cricket at heart?

lol..gentleman who overstayed ? are you talking about the same person who just had his best year in test cricket.
Again ...our bad batting is just masking the worse bowling. Just bowling all over the place and then expect batsmen to save your is not going to get you anywhere!

GK...You want your favorite cricketers to leave when they are high or Low?

[GreenHorn]

A number of fairly sane posts from CP!

I think the one thing that did come out Kohli getting some runs under his belt. We will have to see how things continue,
but he has earned something.

I agree largely that SRT should play on, but I think he should also be flexible about his batting position.

VK should get  No 4 in Tests. There are reports that SMG & SM wants him at No 3 but  IMO.. VK is more suited for No 4. He is good player of spin and can place the ball well scores quickly more like SRT of the past.

If Mumbai lobby thinks that dropping SRT to No 5 is an insult then SRT should bat higher No.3.  Anyway RD is gone or is he? Test match is over what is he waiting for?

I don't know who should finally take number 4.

So, how do you and other people see the middle order finally turning out? Who are the shoo ins at this point, and who would fit in where?

I note that Pujara is back to cricket

Here we go ..RD denying the retirement rumors. So there is no point we are discussing the Indian batting order.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia-v-india-2011/content/current/story/551427.html

I still believe there is some amount of truth in that RD told his teammates that this would be his last test. In Adelaide 2nd innings he didn’t look as if he was there. RD being RD must have told his teammates after his dismissal. But it is not easy for RD to quit on his own. IPL5 just 2 months away.. he is the captain of the  RR.VM has a stake in that.Moreover RD has endorsement contacts So the people concerned must have changed his mind.

Just look at the reaction in India.

http://cricketnext.in.com/news/former-players-call-for-wholesale-changes/63422-13.html

RD should have quit after the match  he still would have gone with some respect.

[vincent]

These have been the sad 12 months for Indian Cricket, worse than ever before. In those 12 Months Dravid has been the best batsman despite his performance in this series. Still I agree that he should retire and make his detractors happy. Right now we are worse than Bangladesh in Test Cricket Perhaps we should do like Zimbabwe and declare a sabatical from Test Cricket until we are fit again to play on green pitches.

You mean sad 12 months for TEST cricket! In the same 12 months we did win the small thing called the World Cup which we had not done since 1983!!!

Yes and that is why I talked about taking a sabatical from Test Cricket and start again one day just like Zimbabwe is trying to do now. It is better now than later when we end up in the last place like Zimbabwe when they did it.

I think we are now acting as typical indian fans and exaggerating to no end. We are still among the top 4 test teams around. With or without Lakhan and Dravid we are still better than NZ, Zim and BD and possibly lanka and Pak. Yes we do have a problem playing away from home but we will see later this year that Poms will have the same problems in India too!

We are not Zimbabwe!

I agree, but look at the other results today : Pakistan trouncing England again on a spinning pitch and Zimbabwe being massacred on a green pitch. The two results are brilliant examples of the difference that pitches make. How can one determine who is the best in Test Cricket if it is the pitches that decide - at least for the ones who are not well prepared.

And talking about the pitches,since you mentioned the1983 and 2011 WC victories of India,let us not forget that in 2011 we played at home on our dead pitches against some usual competition where as in 1983 we won the World Cup on the green pitches of England playing against the most formidable Team in history in both ODI and Test.

[Cover Point]

These have been the sad 12 months for Indian Cricket, worse than ever before. In those 12 Months Dravid has been the best batsman despite his performance in this series. Still I agree that he should retire and make his detractors happy. Right now we are worse than Bangladesh in Test Cricket Perhaps we should do like Zimbabwe and declare a sabatical from Test Cricket until we are fit again to play on green pitches.

You mean sad 12 months for TEST cricket! In the same 12 months we did win the small thing called the World Cup which we had not done since 1983!!!

Yes and that is why I talked about taking a sabatical from Test Cricket and start again one day just like Zimbabwe is trying to do now. It is better now than later when we end up in the last place like Zimbabwe when they did it.

I think we are now acting as typical indian fans and exaggerating to no end. We are still among the top 4 test teams around. With or without Lakhan and Dravid we are still better than NZ, Zim and BD and possibly lanka and Pak. Yes we do have a problem playing away from home but we will see later this year that Poms will have the same problems in India too!

We are not Zimbabwe!

I agree, but look at the other results today : Pakistan trouncing England again on a spinning pitch and Zimbabwe being massacred on a green pitch. The two results are brilliant examples of the difference that pitches make. How can one determine who is the best in Test Cricket if it is the pitches that decide - at least for the ones who are not well prepared.

And talking about the pitches,since you mentioned the1983 and 2011 WC victories of India,let us not forget that in 2011 we played at home on our dead pitches against some usual competition where as in 1983 we won the World Cup on the green pitches of England playing against the most formidable Team in history in both ODI and Test.

So you are the one who talks about starting over aka Zimbabwe. Basically england, the number 1 team in the world got swept by the number 6  team in the world. So how is  india getting beaten in unfamiliar places worse than the poms or the Aussies getting beaten in unfamiliar conditions.

If india should start from scratch so should the poms and Aussies etc. poms should drop cook/Strauss/trott etc. they are doing as bad or worse. Atleast we lost to #1 team and a recent #1. The poms lost to a number 6 team.

[WicketView]

A number of fairly sane posts from CP!

I think the one thing that did come out Kohli getting some runs under his belt. We will have to see how things continue,
but he has earned something.

I agree largely that SRT should play on, but I think he should also be flexible about his batting position.

VK should get  No 4 in Tests. There are reports that SMG & SM wants him at No 3 but  IMO.. VK is more suited for No 4. He is good player of spin and can place the ball well scores quickly more like SRT of the past.

If Mumbai lobby thinks that dropping SRT to No 5 is an insult then SRT should bat higher No.3.  Anyway RD is gone or is he? Test match is over what is he waiting for?

I don't know who should finally take number 4.

So, how do you and other people see the middle order finally turning out? Who are the shoo ins at this point, and who would fit in where?

I note that Pujara is back to cricket

Here we go ..RD denying the retirement rumors. So there is no point we are discussing the Indian batting order.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/australia-v-india-2011/content/current/story/551427.html

I still believe there is some amount of truth in that RD told his teammates that this would be his last test. In Adelaide 2nd innings he didn’t look as if he was there. RD being RD must have told his teammates after his dismissal. But it is not easy for RD to quit on his own. IPL5 just 2 months away.. he is the captain of the  RR.VM has a stake in that.Moreover RD has endorsement contacts So the people concerned must have changed his mind.

Just look at the reaction in India.

http://cricketnext.in.com/news/former-players-call-for-wholesale-changes/63422-13.html

RD should have quit after the match  he still would have gone with some respect.

Actually I don't have any issues with him not retiring. What he is saying makes some sense in terms of the next series being far away. I am not sure what metric they can use to evaluate whether they are out of the current dump. Finally, I have always believed that it is the responsibility of players to retire in time, but for selectors to drop players.

[GreenHorn]

Not this selection committee headed by KS.. According to reports there were 2 selectors present during the Test matches. They could not even influence the team think tank to change the batting order forget about dropping anyone. Certain players become very powerful. We saw statements from GG & VS supporting the players. Has it happened in Indian cricket before? 2 players who themselves can be called as failures in the tour saying they make the calls not the selectors. 


There are rumors that  VS into some real estate and financial deals and  got other teammates (not SRT & RD) also involved in that. We have seen in the past  how some of these financial deals  screwed up the reputation of the celebrities & cricketers in India if it turns out shady. It’s a disaster waiting to happen unless checked.

[ramshorns]

Actually I don't have any issues with him not retiring. What he is saying makes some sense in terms of the next series being far away. I am not sure what metric they can use to evaluate whether they are out of the current dump. Finally, I have always believed that it is the responsibility of players to retire in time, but for selectors to drop players.

Exactly.  Apart from being great players RD and VVS are very smart and will not embarrass themselves.  There is no need for them to announce the retirement when the media and bitter and fickle fans want them to.  The next series is in late August early September.  So there is plenty of time for them to think through this and do what is best for the team and themselves.  Plus the selectors are always there to drop them if the need be as you observed as well in the event of disagreements.

[poondu]

Lost by 298 runs, innings and 37, innings and 68 , 122 runs. Something to be proud off. No embarassment

[ramshorns]

Lost by 298 runs, innings and 37, innings and 68 , 122 runs. Something to be proud off. No embarassment

Well this is not an individual sport and a team game.  Though each player should take blame for it no one or two players failures can be the reason for the debacle and from that point of view I do not see a particular player or two to feel embarrassed and retire as a knee jerk reaction when there are no matches scheduled for 7 months in the same format.  They can if they choose to but there is no reason to do it now just because some fickle fans and media wants it.  That should not be the reason to quit.

Also see what happened with England skittled out for 72 playing in sub-continental like conditions after being elevated to No.1 team just 4 months back and losing the series that too to a Paki. team that has no great players of note in comparison.  Australia lost 0-2(both Tests lost) in India in 2010 and people were asking for Ponting's head then and after the Ashes rout immediately at home.  Look at where he is now. 

Not saying RD and VVS should continue given they are both 37 plus but sometimes in sports even the best of teams with great players can fail badly and changes should be made where warranted after analyzing the whole situation.  Remember up until the WI 2011 series for 11 Test series India remained unbeaten(Winning 8 of those series)with the same set of players before the England debacle which was plagued by injuries might I add.

[dextrous]

Actually I don't have any issues with him not retiring. What he is saying makes some sense in terms of the next series being far away. I am not sure what metric they can use to evaluate whether they are out of the current dump. Finally, I have always believed that it is the responsibility of players to retire in time, but for selectors to drop players.

Exactly.  Apart from being great players RD and VVS are very smart and will not embarrass themselves. 

Will not? This is quite possibly the worst performances put up by India since I started watching cricket, which ironically was India's humiliating tour of Australia in 1991.  The embarrassment ship has sailed.

[dhruvdeepak]

Actually I don't have any issues with him not retiring. What he is saying makes some sense in terms of the next series being far away. I am not sure what metric they can use to evaluate whether they are out of the current dump. Finally, I have always believed that it is the responsibility of players to retire in time, but for selectors to drop players.

Exactly.  Apart from being great players RD and VVS are very smart and will not embarrass themselves. 

Will not? This is quite possibly the worst performances put up by India since I started watching cricket, which ironically was India's humiliating tour of Australia in 1991.  The embarrassment ship has sailed.

there is no doubt that this has been the most embarrassing run in probably 40-50 years. it is a stain that will never go away.

at least in 91/92 people were scoring centuries and we drew a match (i think).

[dave_dj]

Actually I don't have any issues with him not retiring. What he is saying makes some sense in terms of the next series being far away. I am not sure what metric they can use to evaluate whether they are out of the current dump. Finally, I have always believed that it is the responsibility of players to retire in time, but for selectors to drop players.

Exactly.  Apart from being great players RD and VVS are very smart and will not embarrass themselves. 

Will not? This is quite possibly the worst performances put up by India since I started watching cricket, which ironically was India's humiliating tour of Australia in 1991.  The embarrassment ship has sailed.

there is no doubt that this has been the most embarrassing run in probably 40-50 years. it is a stain that will never go away.

at least in 91/92 people were scoring centuries and we drew a match (i think).

This is undoubtedly the worst.  Not that they lost 8 straight games, the margins are unbelievable.  Has Bangladesh lost this bad in any series?  Even teams in the 70's with lowly-paid Sudhir Nayak and Suru Nayak with Gavaskar as opening bowler gave us better results.  Going by what the players are reported to be saying, none seems to be having much of self-respect.

[ramshorns]

Actually I don't have any issues with him not retiring. What he is saying makes some sense in terms of the next series being far away. I am not sure what metric they can use to evaluate whether they are out of the current dump. Finally, I have always believed that it is the responsibility of players to retire in time, but for selectors to drop players.

Exactly.  Apart from being great players RD and VVS are very smart and will not embarrass themselves. 

Will not? This is quite possibly the worst performances put up by India since I started watching cricket, which ironically was India's humiliating tour of Australia in 1991.  The embarrassment ship has sailed.

On the same token never in the history of Indian cricket has an Indian team went on a streak that remained unbeaten in 11 straight Test series winning 8 of those series that saw them rise to No.1 in rankings for 16 months for the 1st time.  Yes the last two abroad series were lopsided and for that changes need to be made(with possible retirements) but that does not take away what they accomplished over the prior 3 years in Tests.

[WicketView]

To suggest that this loss was not embarrassing enough is obviously wrong. To counter this embarrassment with the 8/11 win/unbeaten series is also misleading, because we had an unusual number of home series during the last few years, combined with our good performance in SAF, NZ.

However, the fact of the matter is a retirement right now does not make a big difference since the team will not be playing. We can see for ourselves what they do before the next series, or whether the selectors drop them. If they do play and play badly (good would require extraordinary scores in home series), I will blame the selectors more than the players. It goes without saying, that if the selectors decide to drop them, I will not blame the selectors at all.

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Not this selection committee headed by KS..

Well it is their job to select the squad, not the 11 and certainly not be the captain.
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According to reports there were 2 selectors present during the Test matches. They could not even influence the team think tank to change the batting order forget about dropping anyone. Certain players become very powerful. We saw statements from GG & VS supporting the players. Has it happened in Indian cricket before? 2 players who themselves can be called as failures in the tour saying they make the calls not the selectors. 
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Would it be nicer if GG and VS came out saying that RD and VVS are too old to play cricket, before the Indian team went into the field to play Australia?

There are rumors that  VS into some real estate and financial deals and  got other teammates (not SRT & RD) also involved in that. We have seen in the past  how some of these financial deals  screwed up the reputation of the celebrities & cricketers in India if it turns out shady. It’s a disaster waiting to happen unless checked.

I am not sure what this has to do with cricket. If deals can affect cricket, you seem to be saying they would affect all the players except SRT and RD?