shadow of his former self

[user_gary]

Chappell said Tendulkar had been a shadow of his former self in the last three or four years and has looked like a player trying to "eke out a career".

In his column for Mid-Day newspaper, Chappell said now that India was knocked out of the World Cup, one of the major decision would be about Tendulkar's fate and he suggested the batting icon to hang up his boots

Please explain the highlighted group of words.

[svartnik]

Chappell said Tendulkar had been a shadow of his former self in the last three or four years and has looked like a player trying to "eke out a career".

In his column for Mid-Day newspaper, Chappell said now that India was knocked out of the World Cup, one of the major decision would be about Tendulkar's fate and he suggested the batting icon to hang up his boots

Please explain the highlighted group of words.

To eke out a career means to put in a lot of effort to make a name for yourself.
Someone, who is shadow of their former self, are less good at doing something than they used to be.
To hang up one's boots means to give up pursuing an activity.