IPL will overcome current crisis, believes Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar believes the hurdles confronting Indian cricket will be overcome and the sport is strong enough to survive the rough patch.

"Life is not a smooth journey always, there are sometimes rough patches in between and you overcome all those hurdles. I'm sure cricket will help to overcome all those hurdles," Tendulkar said.

Reacting to the controversy that so far has cost Union minister Shashi Tharoor his job, invited income-tax raids and allegations of corruption, nepotism, and rigged bidding against IPL commissioner Lalit Modi, Tendulkar said, "I think when that competitiveness is witnessed by millions, you leave all those things behind."

According to Tendulkar, what matters to a common fan is a competitive match between two sides.

"People are waiting to see [IPL matches]. Every evening they are switching on their television to see a competitive match. Any form of competitive sport is fantastic to watch and it's not only cricket. It could be any sport, that is what even I love.

"I personally feel all these obstacles and hurdles will be [overcome]," the Mumbai Indians skipper told Times Now.

Tendulkar said incidents like this do not distract the players, who forget everything else when they enter the playing field.

"There are lot of things happening off the field, outside the boundary line, but once you cross the line, whatever you planned you want to go out and execute those plans. Switching off and switching on are important for a player," Tendulkar explained.

The master batsman, who sustained a finger injury in last night's semifinal against Royal Challengers Bangalore, may have to skip Sunday's IPL final.

He said there were five stitches on one hand and swelling in the little finger of the other and "the stitches will not come off for the next eight days".

On new IPL rules coming into effect from next year, when two more teams will join the fray, Tendulkar said four Indians and as many foreigners should be retained.

He said it takes a lot of time to build a team and players are identified with a particular team and enjoy a huge fan following.

On India's prospects in the Twenty20 World Cup starting on April 30 in the West Indies, he said the chances were very good.

"We got a terrific team and a well-balanced side. Just look at the batting order and the bowling side. There are batters who can roll their arm as well. I really rate our chances very highly," he said.