Relations between Pakistan, India need to improve: Tendulkar

Batting legend says if govts of both countries approve, a cricket series should be held

Indian batting legend Sachin Tendulkar advocated on Tuesday the need for improved relations between Pakistan and India, saying if the governments of the two countries feel a bilateral cricket series is the ‘ideal way’ to move forward then it should be held.

Tendulkar, famously known as Little Master, said that the ball was in the court of the respective government for the resumption of cricket ties.

"Also I think that the relations [between India and Pakistan] need to improve. If the governments feel that this [cricket] is the ideal way to move forward and the [cricket] boards [(feel so], I do not see any reason why we should not play,” Tendulkar said, according to the Press Trust of India.



"(But) if they (governments) feel it is inappropriate then we have to abide by them," he added.

Further, while speaking to reporters in New York, Tendulkar said, "These are issues which the two countries' governments need to decide.”



Tendulkar is in the US along with Australian spin legend Shane Warne for the inaugural 'Cricket All Stars 2015', a three-city Twenty20 rubber involving retired stars of the game.

The tournament has brought together some big names of the game, including former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly, Virender Sehwag, Sri Lankan spin legend Muttaiah Muralitharan, former West Indian captain Brian Lara and former Pakistan pacers Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar.



Last year, the two countries signed an agreement to play six series in between 2015 and 2023, with Pakistan as nominal hosts four times.

However, the fate of the series in doldrums as a meeting between the the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) was cancelled following protests by Hindu right-wing party Shiv Sena.

The article originally appeared on One India