NEW DELHI, 31 January 2003 — Sachin Tendulkar’s dramatic slump in the year gone by has acquired such serious proportions that many have even begun to joke about it.
At the awards ceremony after the recent Test series between Sri Lanka and England, former West Indian legend Michael Holding complimented Muttiah Muralitharan for scoring more Test runs than Tendulkar in 2003.
A startled Muralitharan, who at that stage had 113 runs from nine innings this year as compared to Tendulkar’s 109 from seven, hoped he could do the same again in 2004.
The Sri Lankan off-spinner unwittingly touched a raw nerve among millions of cricket lovers in India and around the world who are puzzled and disconsolate at Tendulkar’s poor run.
The most prolific batsman in modern cricket has failed to reach double figures in eight of his last 13 Test innings and ended the year with only 153 runs in five Tests at an average of 17.
It’s not that the whole year had gone horribly wrong for the little champion. But amidst the Test failures, the record 673 runs he compiled at the World Cup in South Africa in February-March was forgotten.
The 30-year-old clearly makes as much news not scoring runs as he did when he kept piling them on.
It’s not just scores of 0, one, 37, 0 and 44 in the current series against world champions Australia that has critics worried. The manner of his dismissals has alarmed them more.
A horrific umpiring error apart, he was twice out misjudging the line of the ball and twice went edging expansive drives outside the off-stump.
Doubts may have arisen among Tendulkar’s legion of fans, but teammates and former internationals are certain the master’s fortunes will turn in the New Year.
