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Get Tendulkar back to where he belongs

By S. Dinakar

HOPE OF THE WHOLE NATION: A lot depended on Sachin Tendulkar to change India's fortunes in the one-day series, after a disappointing Test series in the on-going New Zealand tour. But an ankle injury laid him low and the agony prolonged for the visitors. The Indian camp is optimistic that he would be fit for the fifth one-dayer on Wednesday. The master batsman having some batting practice at the nets on Monday only strengthened the hope. — Photo: N. Balaji

Wellington Jan. 6. The bold brush strokes of Sachin Tendulkar's genius with the willow could have blended wonderfully well with the natural splendour of this country, but then, the brilliantly laid up canvas was left without an artist.

The Indians have desperately missed Tendulkar, and he's missed being in the thick of things, an ankle injury keeping him out of the first four ODIs. A cruel blow for a struggling side.

A campaign has gone haywire, a series has been lost, yet, with the World Cup around the corner, the last three one-dayers will have their own significance, so will Tendulkar's return to the side, if his right heel mends.

At this moment, there are some crucial questions that need to be addressed. With New Zealand taking a winning lead in the series, will it be worth risking Tendulkar, quite the most crucial player in the Indian scheme of things, in the remaining games.

In this context, coach John Wright was right when he told The Hindu, "He needs to get some batting before he goes there (to South Africa), doesn't he'' And then, a fully fit Tendulkar, striking the ball around the park, could do much to lift the morale of the side.

``It means more runs,'' said Wright on Tendulkar coming back for the fifth day-night ODI here on January 8. Yes, the indications are that the Master Batsman could figure in Wednesday's match.

''We are hopeful to get him ready,'' said Wright.

Tendulkar batted and bowled at the nets, here, on Monday, and appeared in good spirits, although, whether he finally makes it for the Wellington duel, will depend on how he actually feels on the day of the match, how well his ankle is able to withstand the strain when he runs hard.

In any case, the importance of Tendulkar to this line-up can be gleamed from India's woeful performance in his absence.

In fact, with the master batsman not figuring in the seven home ODIs against the West Indians due to a pulled hamstring, India has been without Tendulkar in the last eleven one-dayers, losing eight of them.

His presence in the line-up is vital, especially on wickets that are doing a bit, where he and Rahul Dravid are the best-equipped technically to cope with the conditions. It is here that you need cricketers with genuine class.

It was sad that Tendulkar got hurt just when he was beginning to find his timing and range in New Zealand, his second innings 32 at Hamilton, where he essayed some thundering cover-drives and delicate flicks, reflective of this.

He could have been in cracking form in the one-dayers.

The big question is - Where should he bat in the ODIs? Tendulkar himself has expressed his desire to open, yet when India had that stirring run in the NatWest Trophy, he added weight to the middle-order, making runs, and gathering them well.

There are two ways of looking at this.

Tendulkar in the opening slot could so easily seize the initiative from the bowlers, take the match away from the opposition, fuelling the innings, providing it the thrust and the momentum.

And on seaming pitches, he is more qualified for the role than either Virender Sehwag or Sourav Ganguly.

Tendulkar walking in at No. 4, could be a daunting sight for the bowlers and the fielders, and if the side has lost early wickets, he has the opportunity of bailing it out of trouble, with correct defence and faultless strokeplay.

Deciding on his batting slot is a tough call for the team-management, since there is a question mark over Sehwag's abilty to deliver when there is sideways movement and bounce. The Delhi batsmen can be destructive on his day, but is being found out in the international arena.

Reading the pitch, and changing the line-up, according to the nature of the games, the kind of wickets, and the quality of the opposition could be an answer, but in a competition as important as the World Cup, India would do well to have a settled line-up - tinkering with it could be suicidal.

It is here that the team-management has to be firm, not wavering. Wright insisted that Ganguly would be back opening the innings in Wellington, revealed India could revert to seven specialist batsmen with `to-be-used-for-all-purposes' Dravid donning the big gloves again, which begs one to ask - Why are we moving in circles?

The time has come for us to be decisive about Tendulkar's batting slot in the ODIs. Take a look at India's performance in New Zealand and this much becomes clear - he must open.

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