Former India skipper Anil Kumble lashed out at critics of batting star Sachin Tendulkar, saying that the veteran must be given the “emotional space” and respect he deserved. The spinner also said that instead of pointing fingers at Tendulkar when he was in the midst of a lean patch, people must support him.

“There have been instances when he has been the sole reason for India’s wins, but he has never been the sole reason for India’s losses. It’s best to leave it to him to deal with what is in front of him now, because no one else has been in his position. No one else has played 192 Tests, made 34,000 runs, or scored 100 centuries. Let’s not jump the gun, let’s give the man the respect he deserves,” Kumble wrote in a column for the ‘Week’ magazine.