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He has just played his 400th one day international only the second
player to figure in this many games after Sanath Jayasuriya who crossed
the landmark last week. He is way ahead at the top – most runs,
centuries and half centuries - and takes his place as arguably the
greatest batsman in ODI history. And to think that Sachin Tendulkar’s
sparkling career started with two ducks!
Yes, the first was his debut game at a nondescript venue – the
Municipal stadium in Gujranwala way back in December 1989. A
sixteen-year-old Tendulkar was a member of the Indian team touring
Pakistan. He made his debut in the first Test and played throughout the
four-match series impressing with his precocious talent, mental
strength and batting skills. But now it was time for him to display his
wares in the shorter version of the game. All he could do was to get a
second ball duck. About 2-1/2 months later Tendulkar played in his
second ODI this time against New Zealand at Dunedin. And what did he do
but get a second ball duck again. It wasn’t until his third game
against New Zealand at Wellington a few days later that Tendulkar
scored his first runs in ODIs. He finished with a modest 36 and was on
his way.
It’s been a long journey these past 18 years marked by glittering
moments and very few troughs. Initially Tendulkar firmly slotted in the
middle order played an array of brilliant knocks for a little over four
years. By this time he was freely acknowledged as the best batsman in
the game and his stature grew in the early 90s so did the run getting.
And yet after 77 matches he did not have a single century against his
name. This aberration stood out like a sore thumb. At the Premadasa
stadium in Colombo on September 9 1994 during a Singer Cup match he
finally broke through that barrier scoring 110 from 130 balls against
an Australian attack that included Craig McDermott, Glenn McGrath and
Shane Warne.
That jinx breaking knock was made at the top of the order and there is
a little story as to how Tendulkar came to open the innings. When the
Indians made a short tour of New Zealand early in 1994 Tendulkar was as
usual slotted in the middle order. But with regular opener Navjot Sidhu
suffering from a neck strain Tendulkar offered to open the innings in
the second ODI at Auckland. Such was his brilliance that India reached
their modest target of 143 in the 24th over. Tendulkar just sailed into
an attack that included Danny Morrison, Gavin Larsen, Chris Harris and
Chris Pringle and hit 82 off just 49 balls. He put on 61 runs with Ajay
Jadeja in nine overs and 56 in six overs with Vinod Kambli. He smashed
three fours and a six off Larsen’s first over and by the time he was
second out at 117 the match was as good as over.
That match at Auckland certainly deserves a footnote in ODI history for
Tendulkar has stayed at the top of the order and gone from strength to
strength. Only for very brief periods thereafter has he gone lower down
the order and after taking 78 games for his first hundred Tendulkar
made up for lost time. Centuries were notched up at regular intervals
and the larger the stage the better he performed. He was the leading
run getter in the 1996 and 2003 World Cup tournaments and in the 1999
competition in England he set the stage for one of the most emotional
scenes at a cricket match. India’s campaign had just got underway when
his father passed away in Bombay. Tendulkar rushed back for the funeral
and even as speculation was rife as to whether he would play again in
the World Cup Tendulkar after missing one match was back for the next
game against Kenya. Here is what Wisden has recorded: ``A passionate,
awe inspiring display by Tendulkar kept India in the hunt for the Super
Six. He had returned from his father’s funeral the day before and when
he came in at 92 for two Bristol heard a roar from the crowd that
probably startled the lions in the zoo.’’ Tendulkar notched up his then
highest World Cup score of 140 not out and dedicated it to his father’s
memory.
The fact that Tendulkar has hit seven centuries against Australia is
testimony of his ability to pulverize even the best attacks. The
apotheosis certainly was his back to back hundreds against the Aussies
in the Coca Cola Cup at Sharjah in 1998 when against all expectations
he first steered India into the final and then helped his team to
clinch the title - a feat that saw Shane Warne in a touching gesture
seek Tendulkar’s autograph on his shirt. ``I was hit by the best
batsman in the world’’ said the record breaking bowler.
And so the amazing success story has continued through the years.
Tendulkar’s tally of runs and centuries is well ahead of the second
placed Jayasuriya even as there has been no perceptible change in the
average or the strike rate - a truly remarkable feat. He holds with
Rahul Dravid the second and third wicket partnership records and is the
leading run getter in the World Cup. With Sourav Ganguly he has formed
perhaps the most successful opening partnership in limited overs
cricket. Yes, there have been debates in recent times whether he should
retire from ODIs and concentrate on Tests. But every time there have
been such speculative stories Tendulkar has scotched them with another
sublime knock. He will pick the time and the stage to make a graceful
and momentous exit even as he marches on to fresher pastures his
enthusiasm for the game undiminished even after 18 years. Long may the
king of cricket regale his willing and joyful subjects!
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More Views by Partab Ramchand
