Of Declines ...

I really did not mean to write this right now - but this comment by Om and the challenge posed by him forced me try to put forth some counter-arguement - on things that to me seem pretty obvious. He is disputing the claim that SRT has declined as an ODI batsman. How many people agree with him ?? Also, he is disputing the claim that Sehwag and Dravid are the 2 saviours of this batting lineup. OK - this is more debatable. But definitely, they were the saviours in the last Test series and are continuing in the ODI series that way. Let us see if India manage to win a single match in this series in which neither Sehwag nor Dravid contributes.

Now coming to thrashing out the arguement one point at a time. For some reason, Om goes on to make a list of series in which SRT played against those he didn't. Why I don't know. Perhaps he wishes to imply that SRT's presence has a morale-boosting effect on the team. This, I agree, was the case in the past, perhaps still is - but let's delve deeper in the arguement.

By all means, the WC 2003 is a fair place to start off. 2 years is an analysis period neither too short nor too long. SRT was fantastic in the World Cup - no 2 ways about that. In the TVS Cup that followed, he didn't play, so let's skip that. In another TVS Cup that followed, he was the Man Of The Series, with 2 match-winning hundreds, an 80+ and a fair effort in the finals. So far so good.

In the VB Series, he averaged 33.71 with 2 fifties. Poor definitely. In the 2 finals he averaged just 17.5. How typical !! Failing in the big games. But worse 193 runs at an average of 64.33 came in the first 3 innings of that series. 43 runs at an average of 10.75 came in the last 4 - shows what happens when the going gets tough, eh ?? This is a syndrome he has shown often recently - score big at the start so that the averages are fine and then flop on the big occasion. He has forgotten the art of "peaking at the correct time".

In Pakistan, he averaged 42.60. "Great !!!" - Om will cheer; but what about the fact that 144 of those runs came in 1 innings in a losing cause ?? What about the fact that he scored 69 at an average of 17.25 in the rest of the games ?? Again the "One big innings - job is done" syndrome. What about the fact that he scored 41 in the last 3 games at an average of 13.67 ?? Again the "Not being able to peak at the right time" syndrome.

Let's turn our attention to the darkest period in India's recent ODI history - the Asia Cup. Tendulkar averaged 56.20 - "Wonderful !!!" - No doubt Om will cheer. What about the fact that if you take out the 82* against Bangladesh, the average drops down to 39.8 ??? What about the fact the strike rate of 72.42 was a full 14 runs lower than his career strike rate ?? Again, Om will vehemently, no doubt argue, that in the finals, he put up a lone fight with 74 in 100 balls and that no one provided the necessary support. Statistically yes. But then does that change the fact that he stood there watching helplessly Sri Lankan part-timers run over the side ?? Where was that Tendulkar who had destroyed the Shoaib Akhtars and Shane Warnes ?? Why was he respectfully being bogged down by the Chandanas and the Dilshans of this World ?? OK. It's not possible to play a blazing innings all the time, and agreed, conditions at the Premadassa can be really difficult to bat on. But where was the intention that could be seen when faced with much tougher conditions in the Joburg final a year ago ?? Let me tell you this, Sachin, had you got out trying to destroy Vaas earlier in the innings like you did to McGrath on that day in Joburg, I would have honoured your effort that much more than the pathetic display of batsmanship (was it batsmanship at all ??) that terrible evening at the Premadassa. And who knows if you had hit a few off the middle of the bat and got a quick-fire 30-40, the middle order might not have capitulated so badly. Poor Kaif had to come and try to undo the damage done by you !! He stood no chance. It is you who has to set the tone of the innings and the rest have to respond. You failed us badly that night - an effort so hideous that it made another pathetic effort a couple of nights earlier against Pakistan seem glorious by comparison.

And then Om goes on to point out the losses when SRT wasn't there in 2 less-than-trivial series in Europe and the Champions Trophy. Well as far as the Holland match is concerned, I'm pretty sure SRT would have made a big difference - we lost by 80 odd runs - we would have lost by 40 odd - with SRT scoring another "glorious fighting innings of 70 in 100 balls" - and I doubt he would have done too much in th Champions Trophy either (except maybe he could have won us the match with his bowling) - well here we enter the realms of hypothesis. Well, whatever the case, seriously 6 matches (5 if you exclude the one against Kenya) is too short a period to say that we failed "due to the abscence of the SRT factor". As for the match against Bangladesh, all and sundry agree that Sachin's presence would have made no difference to the result WHILE DRAVID'S MIGHT HAVE. I watched that match in the company of a few ex-Ranji Trophy players and while experts are not always correct, especially on TV where they have to follow the politically correct line (ie. SRT and Ganguly are Gods and that anything that even hints at a suggestion of not showing them in the most glorious light is a sacrilege that needs to be ruthlessly punished and crushed) I'm pretty sure discussing with friends these pros know what they are talking about. Besides, I would like Om to put forth a list of signatures of persons who believe that SRT would have saved us on Tsunami Day in Dacca.

And note here that I have taken all the performances of SRT in isolation. Not even compared them to anyone else. After all, people have said that he would be the benchmark by which generations of batsmen in the future would be judged. In the last 1 year or so he has clearly failed to live up to his own benchmark.

And if Om wants to argue that SRT is going through a "bad patch", hasn't that "bad patch" been "a bit too long" this time ?? And if he wants to argue that SRT was plagued by injuries during this period, isn't "being plagued by injuries" at this time of one's career a patent indication that a decline is very much on and that the end is drawing nearer ??