Two-time Olympic medallist wrestler Sushil Kumar today joined the bandwagon of sportspersons who wanted retiring champion batsman Sachin Tendulkar to become India's sports minister, saying that it would be beneficial to sports in the country.
"He should become the Sports minister, only then sports will benefit. He treats all the athletes equally. He is our supporter and he can understand. He has given 24 years to the country and worked hard. He knows what sportsmen need and what they should get," Sushil said here at the India Today event 'Salaam Sachin'.
"I consider him to be God... The reason I am asking him to be a sports minister is that he will understand. Our Chief Minister of Haryana Bhupinder Hooda is a tennis player. He has changed the sporting culture of Haryana. It is the only way sports will be elevated," he added.
Ace tennis player Sania Mirza said the choice should be entirely left to Tendulkar on what he wants to pursue after retirement.
"If Sachin decides to do that, whether it is politics or just administration for grassroots sports. Because, cricket already has that push, but other sports need that. He has inspired people for many years and is the best at what he does. People automatically would listen (to him).
"I think we need to let him chill out for a year and let him relax. We need to let him decide what he wants to do. If he does want to help and he does, so he will. I don't think we should give him that kind of pressure. Let him be pressure-free for six months at least," she said.
Sania added that game of cricket will not be the same again after Tendulkar retires.
"I think that we as a country would miss him. I think somebody in the form of a Virat Kohli or a Rohit Sharma keep the legacy going forward but it will never be the same without Sachin," she said.
