In cricket, there are moments when a batsman, despite the age showing on his back, continues to dominate the field with timing, precision, and an instinct that younger players can only dream of. The selectors often face a dilemma—should the player be retired because the calendar says so, or should he be allowed to play until his performance, not his age, decides the exit?
India today faces a similar dilemma with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has internally set an unofficial retirement age of 75 for its leaders. Several senior stalwarts—LK Advani, Murli Manohar Joshi—were asked to gracefully step aside once they reached that threshold. If applied universally, the same principle could see Modi being “retired” by the system in 2025, when he turns 75.
But here lies the question: Should India retire its best batsman when he is still at the crease scoring runs, steering the innings, and showing no sign of slowing down?
Globally, leadership has never been dictated solely by the number of candles on a birthday cake. Winston Churchill returned as Prime Minister of the UK at the age of 77. Mahathir Mohamad of Malaysia came back to power at 92, proving that experience can trump youthful ambition. In the United States, Joe Biden took oath at 78, and Donald Trump, at 78, is again the US President. Age has never been a disqualification for leadership in mature democracies.
In India, however, the 75 rule was introduced by the BJP more as a political instrument than as a principle of governance. It was a way to retire an old guard and usher in a new order. But rules meant for a political restructuring of a party cannot be blindly applied to a leader who is, by all measurable accounts, still the driving force of national politics.
If ability, energy, and popular mandate are the true criteria of leadership, then Narendra Modi stands unmatched in the political landscape of India today.
Let us not forget, Modi is not just a BJP leader. He is a national figure who has thrice been elected by a resounding mandate and led the BJP to its highest ever electoral success. In 2014, the BJP won 282 seats, a majority unseen in three decades. In 2019, that number rose to 303—a rare feat for any incumbent in Indian democracy.
Even in 2024, despite not hitting the absolute majority mark, Modi remains the towering figure around whom the BJP-led NDA has been formed. According to post-poll surveys over 35% of voters said they voted directly because of Modi, not just the BJP or its candidates. This is political charisma of a kind India has not seen since Indira Gandhi. Modi’s chutzpah goes far beyond Indira Gandhi too.
Can a party afford to tell the Indian voter: “Thank you for your mandate, but our best batsman is now retired because he turned 75”? That would be a betrayal of democracy itself.
Critics may argue that age should matter because governance is demanding. Yet, if we were to objectively measure Modi’s performance, he remains one of the most energetic prime ministers in independent India’s history. His travel schedules, domestic rallies, international diplomacy, and direct citizen engagements leave even younger ministers gasping for breath.
Economic reforms, despite challenges, remain central to his governance. India’s GDP, which contracted during the pandemic, has bounced back as one of the fastest-growing large economies in the world—registering 7.2% growth in FY 2022-23 and expected to hover above 6% in the coming years. Foreign direct investment continues to flow in, with India attracting $70 billion in FY 2023, making it a preferred global investment destination.
On infrastructure, Modi’s government has built 55,000 km of highways in the last decade, doubled the pace of electrification of railways, and rolled out the world’s largest renewable energy expansion program. The digital public infrastructure—from UPI to Aadhaar-enabled services—has positioned India as a model for emerging economies.
This is not the record of a leader past his prime. This is the record of a leader still rewriting the rule book.
India’s relationship with leadership is often similar to its relationship with cricket. We revere our greats but are quick to demand their retirement when they show the faintest dip in form. Yet, cricket history teaches us that great batsmen often defy the age factor. Sachin Tendulkar retired at 40 not because he was forced to, but because he chose to. Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble prolonged their careers because their form justified it.
Should a political batsman like Modi who continues to score, be retired because of a number on his birth certificate? Should selectors of the nation—the Indian voter—not be the ones to decide when his innings ends? But more importantly should Modi retire at this crucial juncture of global geopolitics with India establishing its formidable mark,
Some in BJP may argue that consistency in rules maintains discipline. But governance democracy and India being formidable at this point of time is bigger than party well-intended guidelines. Modi is not merely a BJP leader; he has become the face of India globally. At international forums—from G20 to COP summits—he is seen as the leader of a rising India. His personal branding as a strong, decisive, and visionary statesman has become synonymous with India’s image.
Asking him to retire at 75 would be like forcing a batsman to walk back to the pavilion while he’s still middling every ball—just because the scoreboard says he’s crossed a certain age mark, even though the crowd still backs his form and trusts him to carry the innings.
There is also a strategic risk. In 2029, India will again face a national election. If Modi continues to command the faith of the people, artificially cutting his innings in this term, short could weaken the BJP’s chances. Leadership transitions must be organic, not forced. A rushed retirement could create power vacuums, internal factionalism, and a weakening of the BJP’s electoral edge.
India should not retire its best batsman when he is still at the crease, still timing the shots, and still carrying the innings. Narendra Modi at 75 is not a fading force—he is still the fulcrum of Indian politics and the most recognized Indian leader globally.
In cricket, you retire a batsman when the form deserts him, not when the calendar changes. India must apply the same principle to its politics. Modi has not slowed down; if anything, his hunger to perform for India is sharper than ever.
The scoreboard says it all—Modi is still India’s best batsman. To retire him at 75 would not only be unfair, it would be a disservice to India rising as Bharat itself.
