‘This little man is the nearest things to Bradman‘ Tony Greig, “I have seen a God of Cricket and he bats at no 4 for India in Test matches”. Mathew Hayden and infinite number of such column Every cricket fan read and feel proud if any one writes or told about the great Sachin Tendulkar. You can find Live Score on LiveSoccer24.com
If question is asked and surveyed from the cricket followers all over the world, Almost every kid whose ambition of become a cricketter desire to be next Sachin Tendulkar. It posses how imense dedication, commitment requires to a man of that stature. But still darkest picture of the maestro still rankles in Cricket prospector are “Is Sachin a real Match winner?”
How in the world it can be debated for a man who had more than 33000 International runs 99 International centuries in his name can’t be firmly declares as real match winner for his team. Its wide spread messages that many of his great knock came under dead rubber or league phases, and the little master fails to deliver the goods in matches which has been matter most
Throughout the 90s every team meetings between the coach, captain and players in the opposition dressing room, The top agenda of playing against India were to get Sachin early and almost 95% of the game would be in the pocket. These has been proved in many games during the mid-90 when the team collapsed from winning position after Sachin’s dismissal and even the television were switched off in many quarters of India after Sachin wicket.
This can be vastly highlighted during the 1996 world cup were apart from the quarter final match against Pakistan which India won by 38 runs, Every Indian game were dominated by Sachin performance. Similarly in semi final match against Sri lanka when Sachin playing at 65 with teams winning position total at 98-1 in chasing 252, No one in the world could have anticipated that India collapsed to 120-8 and crash out of the world cup after Sachin’s dismissal.
Cricket has been often regarded as a team game rather than individual brilliance and its crystal clear the individual wins you matches but combined team work gonna win tournament and India lacked that on those days, batsman plays the crucial knock but its always requires vital contribution from other makes great innings into match winning efforts.
During 1999, First test match against Pakistan in Chennai, Tendulkar played brilliantly for his 136 against the world class attack containning Wasim, Waqar, Saqlain, Afridi on difficult pitch while chasing 272. Taking India from 82-5 he change the possible defeat to door of victory by carrying severe back problem, When he got out still 17 were required and Sunil Joshi who can be called as Allrounder and Anil Kumble, Srinath who were no Bucks with the bat to followed failed to knock out the remaining runs which eventualy lost by India, Had those run has been score India would have won the game and Sachin painful knock can be regarded as match winning contributuion.
Similarly during the 2003 world cup in league games at Centurion, India were chasing 273 against same Pakistani attack including that time Pace demon Shoaib Akhtar, Sachin blasted the most potent attack on the planet into pieces for his magnificent 97. But when he depart India still required almost 100 runs with Rahul Dravid and than young relatively inexperience Yuvraj Singh with Struggling Dinesh Mongia and the tail Followed next, The stage was well set for yet another Indian collapse from the winning position and Pakistan come from behind victory.
However the Wall have another idea and with no pressure of required run rate he guided Yuvraj Singh and India to one of the faomous victory over Pakistan.
Hence 100 run Partnership between Yuvraj and Rahul made Sachin knock as match winning knock. Every one remember Sachin Desert storm hundred where he single handed taken India into final against Australia at Sharjah Coca Cola cup 1998. If we carefully analysis that game he is playing for the victory first when he dismissed after confirming India placed in final India required 32 off 19 deliveries with 5 Wkts in hand which was possible.
But unfortunately batting pair of Laxman and Hrishikesh Kanitkar surrender and only score 6 runs without making any efforts to win. Hence throughout the 90s The problems for Indian cricket is that they don’t have the players who can compliment Sachin regularly even though there has been Individual brilliance. The team lack team work and the country always struggle to produce quality express fast bowlers.
Sir Vivian Richards, Brian Lara, Waugh Brothers, Ponting, Gilchrist, Hayden, Inzamam, Miandad etc were all regarded as the real match winner but they has been a part of troop which contains some of the all time Great Bowlers.
Bolwer like Anti Roberst, Joel Garner, Micheal Holding, Malcom Marshall, Ambrose, Walsh, Wasim Akram, Waqar, Shoaib, McGrath, Warne, Lee have made life of any batting line up miserable its a hidden truth that the team which posses fearsome bowling attack are always tough to beat and it also makes their batsman much more confident and without any serious pressure.
Sachin however deprive of that luxury where he always companionship in bowling attack that has been clobbered with exception of Anil Kumble to certain extend. Its the bowler who makes the batsman in the side job pretty easier. That is the reason why West Indies and Australia ruled an era of cricket because being the best bowling attack of their time.
In the World cup 2011, Sachin played really well throughout the tournament. Howeve his two centuries against England and South Africa went on to wain as the Indian bowler fails to defend the mammoth total which ended in a tie and defeat respectively. In the quarter final against Australia his gallant 50 set a launching platform for Yuvraj Singh to win the match.
Similarly in the semi final against Pakistan it was his scratchy, lucky 85 runs help India to set challenging total that turn out substantial against Pakistan. Remember he was the Top runs scorer in 1996 and 2003 World Cup Similarly his magnificent hundred against England in the dusty turning Chepauk track at Chennai help India to chase epic 387 runs.
Now the on going series in Australia which was followed by disastrous tour of England where India hammered 0-4 in test series and at the moment waiting for the Australia vs Sri lanka clash for their place in the final, Demons were backed just during 2005-07 in chapel regime for the retirement of the little master who were struggling form and in hidden words place in the side.
Its really unfair to treat or behave to man who has given so much not only the Indian Cricket but to the World Cricket. He is Best Batsman, Genius, A real Master piece. He had achieved every thing as a Batsman and as cricketer in life but much more than that He is a Human being and sad part is that human being has it limitations which the critics and fans should understand.
The law of nature suggest that every great thing has to be end and more painfully majority of its end came on a sad note. Lets hope he will be retires with the grand farewell as its a universal thought that there wouldn’t be next Sachin Tendulkar atleast for a century.