Really? Is Sriram Veera the conjurer of that other famous phrase "Endulkar"? "The Tendulkar shadow refuses to leave Mumbai." he writes.
But for his shadow what was the Indian team, Sriram? All through the 90s, but for him India were but a pack of cards, ready to be blown by the slightest breeze. He gave the team spine and he was its Atlas.
But for him, the nation would have completely lost faith in cricket in the aftermath of the match fixing scandal ( and your little raggedly website would still be housed in London and you would be a two bit beat reporter for some rag).
How old were you when the boy-man hit back to back to back hundreds - in his debut Ranji, Duleep and Irani Trophy outings? Where were you when he hit his first double hundred in first class cricket, the innings that propelled Mumbai to a first innings lead in the Ranji semi finals against Tamil Nadu? And did you know that but for his 96, Mumbai did not stand a chance in its failed run chase against Haryana in the 91 Ranji finals?
Between his debut in 1988/89 till date, we have won 8 Ranji Championships - thats 8 out of 21 Ranji's finals. No one comes remotely close.
What that man means to Mumbai, Mumbai knows. And Mumbai is proud of the fact that Sachin is ours.
The rest of the world be damned.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
The brittle master
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19 comments:
Homer I agree SRT is/has been the backbone of the team; but somehow he manages to get out at in appropriate times (remember Chennai Test against Pakis losing by 15 runs). Secondly he's too reactive a captain {changing batting orders, field positions} as opposed to active captains MSD & Warne. But he's better than indifferent captains(Viru, Yuvi) or inept/passive captains like Dravid & Gilchrist.
Unfortunately for Tendulkar, his genius has become the albatross around his neck.
Its like, he is so great, that if his team fails it must be because of him!
Homer
I haven't followed ST's career like you have, but didn't ST's first ever double ton come against the Aussies in Mumbai 1998? You say it came against TN - slip up or ?
Shaz,
I agree that Sachin has not been the best of captains, that he over thinks the game when in charge.Having said that, even if he falls at appropriate times, where is the rest of the team to rally around him?
It has been the case that Sachin out, India out and somehow that has been Sachin's fault.
Mumbai choked, the Royals held their nerve. Nothing Sachin did could alter that fact.
Thanks for your comments and welcome to the blog.
Cheers,
yes Leela.. well put!
Cheers,
TG,
Blame it on my age. And the fact that I have been OD'ing on cricket this past year.
You are right - SRT scored the double against Australia in 98. His double against TN was in 2000.
Cheers,
Don't know about his impact on Mumbai but India would have been lost without him as you say.
Its the same in SL. When we fail its either Sanaths or Muralis fault.
Its not easy being a genius I guess.
Damith,
Its not fair either. The team choked, he was part of the team. He did not ask them to.
And for the purpoted "home of cricket" to indulge in such pettiness, it is unbecoming of them.
Cheers,
Homer,
The same cricinfo will never write anything when Dhoni makes the wrongs moves and fails and brings his team down with him. Those are the ways of the cricinfo...
Prabu
Guy,
Tendulkar never belonged to mumbai alone. Day he played his first test and oDi in 1989 he crossed the Arabian Sea to become an all India property.
What would you like to say on the performance of the so called young lads and gen next of Mumbai ?
Sachin's first 200 came at Brabourne against Aussies which set the stage for epic dual/duel with Shane Keith Warne -- a bloody Australian vampire.
Prabu,
I am perfectly okay with being critical of his captaincy or his batsmanship ( though I doubt you could be really critical of his batsmanship), but "The Brittle Master"?
Cheers,
Anonymous,
Nayar did well.. Rahane not so much.Zak is on the bench.Dhawal did okay too.
The overall team performance was decent - the inability to close the deal hurt.
And I am not aware of Shane Warne's nocturnal avatars so I wouldnt know anything of him being a vampire :)
Cheers,
Putting this poop Veera aside, those three straight drives were marvellous. Maybe he should have gone for a fourth one on the ball that got him.
But more than that, after that really fantastic innings, why the F did Abhishek have to play that shot with 6 needed off 9 balls? Can't understand that. Bhajji should have had a word with him at that point to go easy (Yeah yaah - hindsight and all that).
Almost smashed my laptop at the end. Dang it.
Naresh,
The reactions here were pretty much similar. Was gutted for the rest of the day and cant say the mood is any better today :).
Thing is, they should have folded for like a 100 and lost by 45 runs, I could live with that. But having come so close, and to lose from there, is criminal.
Cheers,
Homer, become a Delhi fan before its too late! :)
But more seriously, it is Tendulkar's misfortune that for so long he played for a team (India) with a brittle batting line-up and a weak bowling attack. His reputation as a match-winner would be enhanced simply by him having played in a stronger team!
Samir,
Mumbai till I die ! :)
Cheers,
Hey Homer, this may be too late to call back on this post. But I got through the article and thought it (and its headline) was only criticising Tendulkar the captain and highlighting what you are saying - all teams that Tendulkar the batsman plays for have shown the common malady of not closing out the business done briskly by him till he leaves shop. I did not get why you were angry with Sriram for pretty much saying the same thing as your rant.
Angshu,
Because Sriram places the onus of the team non performance on SRT instead of placing it where it deserves to be - on the team.
Cheers,
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