SACHIN - Where art thou?

[The Outsider]

^ Not only Holding, read Lloyd and Shastri's columns on cricinfo.

[novpj]

Indian cricket fans.... they can never be happy. Guys get over it, forget the aethetics and worry about the end result only.

[varun]

Indian cricket fans.... they can never be happy. Guys get over it' date=' forget the aethetics and worry about the end result only.[/quote'] Everyone complaining about Sachin is surely pretty happy with the state of the match. I think they're just perfectionists and want everything to have a happy ending (too buch bollywood :P)

[Donny]

Where is the real Sachin? What is wrong with him?

I like him Gambit but man was it boring today. You have got to admit this was a batting paradise yet he was playing like as if he was on a minefield. Number 8, 9, 10 and 11 showed him how to play. I think he has lost that mindset of being the best batter in the world - I think he just doesn't believe in himself to be better then all the rest. This performance was probably the lowest of the low really.

From today morning ' date=' all i have been thinking was - Why would Sachin score his slowest test 50 on a pitch in which the last wicket pair added 72 in 12 overs ?[/quote'] As quite a few of you have decided I'm a Sachin hater, you'll probably find this post to be out of character but a fair perusal of my posts will show otherwise. He has probably never had a "mindset of being the best batter in the world". That's something you, his fans, have burdened him with. He seems a very humble man and a gentleman of the game. His innings, in this Test, was exactly what India needed from its #4 to ensure a huge total. If you could just take the blinkers off and see him for what he is these days - a steady #4 batsman and not some kind of god who will be seen to have failed if he bats slowly or doesn't score a century - you would not criticise him for such a fine, disciplined innings. Why were 7,8,9,10 & 11 able to bat the way they did ? Two words. Sachin Tendulkar. At this point, I must also speak up for VVS. His 79 ball 51 out of their 78 partnership was a delight. Sach took the back seat and so he should have. SRT has been through too many disappointments with this team to blaze away when it simply wasn't needed. Full points to you, Sach. Well played. :regular_smile:

The only reason I can come up with is - The man has undergone a transformational change in his batting. He is no longer the batsman he once was. We better align our expectations accordingly.

Well said, mm.

[varun]

He is no longer the batsman he once was. We better align our expectations accordingly.

I saw this cool fortune cookie message today : Happiness = Reality - Expectation

[Ram]

Outstanding post Donny ! You couldnt have put it better. Personally , I am VERY happy with Sachin's performance in this match. His presence in the middle was vital to India crossing 450. If Anil and the tail hadnt wagged the way it did and we had got bowled out for 450 ( which was what i had initially expected) , there wouldnt be anyone complaining about his batting today. In fact , he would have gotten praises for shepherding the scores from 190/3 to 420/6. Nobody can question his role in India's good performance in this tour so far. That much i am pretty sure. The above part of the post was written as an Indian cricket fan. Now to the other dimension , the one of Sachin Tendulkar fan. Having literally grown up watching his batting over the years ,the way he dominated the attacks , the pure joy of his attacking stroke play , the mind still doesnt accept his watchful ways of the recent past. I know that sachin can never come up with sublime innings like the 155 not out against Aus in chennai or the 169 against S.Africa , but at one corner of the heart , there is this small bit of hope/expectation every time he walks out . Hope that , somehow , he could pull one out of the hat , a masterpiece worth gloating about. Unfortunately , the probability of that happening is fading fast. But , the fact that, despite his much reduced batting prowess , he is still able to contribute handsomely to the team's performance and that is testimony to the man's genius. Even if Sachin didnt make a single run for the rest of his career , he is still the greatest Indian cricketer for me. I simply dont care what other people have to say about that claim.

[Holysmoke]

Well said Donny. Sriram, I can understand what you're going thru. I went through the same thing. I have accepted the way he's been batting. Before the WC, he was playing poorly, and was unlucky too. The injury took its toll on him, but now its off. After the WC, he's looked a different batsman. I have accepted the way he bats, and if I ever get to watch him like the way he did against SA in Ireland, its just a bonus. (As long as he scores runs :D). We're seeing a different Sachin now. This reminds me of Steve Waugh, and how he used to play in the latter part of his career, after he cut out a lot of shots. BTW, lurker, pred, cc, gator etc. Now that the England series is over(well, in relation to Sachins batting, and the question atleast), do you think Sachin deserves his place in the Indian middle order. A simple "Yes" or "No" would do.

[ludhianvi]

When Tendulkar came in, we were 3 down and the new ball to come in a few overs. Tendulkar prevented a collapse from happening and saw us through the new ball. Furthermore, he ate time. England were the ones that had to do the chasing in this game by winning it. Even a draw would grant India its test series. Perhaps, he saw it this way.

[the_samrat]

Sachin is all well and fine. Many experts including Holding, Bishop, David Llyod and Artherton were commending him for playing that anchor role. It was important because Dravid got out early yesterday and Tendulkar played for nearly three sessions providing the foundation required. He did play his shots, just like any day Sachin would. He's doing good for the team and thats what matters. If he's not entertaining you, 1) too bad 2) you don't know cricket very well.

[bigdhoni7]

That hookshot six off Sidebottom by Sachin was incredible. I don't why people still think Sachin is not his old self when he does remarkable hitting like that.

[Anakin]

The best shot was the backfoot straight drive/punch

[bigdhoni7]

yeah that was a good one too. although it looked better on replay how he balance himself.

[gator]

Like it has been thrashed out multiple times in this thread and forum, obviously Sachin has changed since the 2003/04 oz series... he was the most dominant batter in the history of all World cups just a few months before.... tht aussie series which was really good for us, changed his style and thinking forever... then the injuries, some bad luck.... loss of confidence in some shots and style became permanent.... he still whips them out now and then, but the difference is, he considers the same strokes which were his bread and butter as risky now..... he needs a shrink....

[The Outsider]

Gets Bumper's hero's wicket now, who departs after scratching around at a SR in the 30s and then slashing at a part timer.:hysterical:

[yoda]

dooks, would you have been happy if he had scored a blazing century and we were 300 all out? i couldn't care less if he or anyone else for that matter was at 0 after facing 100 balls if we ended up with a score of 600+.

[Guest BossBhai]

-- Removed on request of the user --

[Mandrake]

Can we put a value on that wicket of KP ... ? Invaluable IMO

Sachin did half the job there...

[Ram]

Sriram, I can understand what you're going thru. I went through the same thing. I have accepted the way he's been batting. Before the WC, he was playing poorly, and was unlucky too. The injury took its toll on him, but now its off. After the WC, he's looked a different batsman. I have accepted the way he bats, and if I ever get to watch him like the way he did against SA in Ireland, its just a bonus. (As long as he scores runs :D). We're seeing a different Sachin now. This reminds me of Steve Waugh, and how he used to play in the latter part of his career, after he cut out a lot of shots.

Yes Holy. I guess we have all have lower expectations nowadays. If he does anything special , its just a bonus. P.S - Next time , be a little circumspect about using words like " I can understand what you're going thru. I went through the same thing". Some random person reading that might just be tempted to think there is some depression counseling going on out here. :D

[Holysmoke]

Yes Holy. I guess we have all have lower expectations nowadays. If he does anything special , its just a bonus. P.S - Next time , be a little circumspect about using words like " I can understand what you're going thru. I went through the same thing". Some random person reading that might just be tempted to think there is some depression counseling going on out here. :D

:hysterical:

[King Tendulkar]

This is test cricket so he played accordingly. All talk of him having lost footwork blah blah. We will see the other Sachin in the odis! He will go through the gears and repitore then. Just like when he took SA apart and Ntini in particular in Belfast a few months ago. I hate to say this to the anti Sachin mob but Mr Tendulkar aint going no where for at least another 4 years:D