| Font Size |
When Sachin Tendulkar flicked Ben Hilfenhaus through mid-wicket for three runs, he became the first batsman in the history of one-day cricket to reach 17,000 runs. It was the moment that the people of Hyderabad had waited for with fingers crossed, and when it arrived, the celebration was absolutely no-holds-barred.
After all, with India chasing an improbable 351 against a fired-up Aussie outfit, it seemed like the only real hurrah up for grabs as far as the 30,000 spectators at Uppal went. Little did they know that Tendulkar had a special surprise up his sleeve to celebrate the milestone.
Australia, batting first after winning the toss on a good pitch that offered consistent bounce, showed that they were up for the challenge here. Shane Watson was the early aggressor, his 89-ball 93 setting the pace for Australia. Ricky Ponting scored a run-a-ball 45 while Michael Hussey and Cameron White came out all guns blazing. All this time, Shaun Marsh held one end up, starting slowly and opening up towards the end, as his 112 and the late charge took Australia to 350. The last time the two teams met on a pitch with even bounce was during the second one-dayer in Nagpur, and led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India went on to post a mammoth 354 for seven. Ponting & Co had returned the favour.
In Nagpur, Australia’s chase had almost crumbled before it began. In Hyderabad, even as wickets fell at one end, Tendulkar seemed determined to do it alone.
The much talked-about seven runs behind him, Tendulkar broke the shackles and began marshalling India towards their gargantuan task. The boundaries seemed to flow that much easier and his 92nd half-century came off 47 deliveries. The well-set Virender Sehwag had once again failed to convert his start, while Gautam Gambhir, Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh soon followed suit.
Memories from the ’90s came floating back as Tendulkar fought a lone battle. The cover-drives, the slashes over point and the flicks through mid-wicket kept flowing from Tendulkar’s blade and he even danced down the track to deposit Nathan Hauritz over the sightscreen twice on the trot.
Suresh Raina walked in and, after being dropped off the first ball he faced, decided to put his head down. For the hour or so he spent in the middle, he had the best view of a masterpiece being constructed. Tendulkar brought up his 45th century off 81 balls with 10 boundaries and three sixes. He wasn’t finished though, and as the runs kept coming, it suddenly seemed as if the magical night would have a fairy-tale ending after all.
But with India needing 19 off their last three overs, the dream was over. Tendulkar, who had by then scored a scintillating 175, attempted an uncharacteristic scoop off Clint McKay and this time it ballooned to short fine-leg. The equation was still achievable, but the belief seemed to have walked off the field with Tendulkar. Some helter-skelter running, a few mindless heaves, three more wickets, and India had lost by three runs.
For years now, Tendulkar — despite the unparalleled achievements — has been forced to bear the criticism for not leading India to victory on enough occasions while chasing. But last night, even the harshest of cynics would’ve appreciated what was one of the greatest innings played in ODI history.
Discuss this story on expressindia forums
|
|
It is very unfortunate that Sachin gets blamed if India looses. when sachin was out we needed 19 runs of 17 balls and the power play was on. The last 3 wickets could not get these runs. I am immediately recollect the same kind of situation Australia were in the round robin against Pakistan in the Champions Trophy. At that time it was Brett Lee and Haurtiz were at the crease and by taking singles they reached the target and qualified for the Semis. They had the desire to win.Why couldnt Jadeja, Praveen, Nehra and Munaf do the same. It was shoking to find Nehra trying to loft the ball. It did not have enough power to cross the fence for a six because the fielder came runing half way to take the catch. What was needed at that time was to give Praveen the strike. jadeja is fit for Ipl and should stay there or we consider him only a bowler.SA chased 424 agst OZ was built on Gibbs innings but the tail enders did it.We came close to winning because of Sachin. Chasing 350 is no joke.
It is unfair to criticise Sachin whenever India looses a match despite his huge scores in those matches. It takes 11 other players to contribute to win matches. No doubt Kapil's knock against Zimbabwe in 1983 WC helped us to qualify for the semi finals. But the same Kapil's unwarrented shot in the semi final against England at Mumbai in the 1986 WC prevented us from reaching the finals. Sometimes a player is lucky with a shot and sometimes not. Had we won the 5th ODI everyone would have praised Sachin but since lost all the criticisms. Sachin and Lara are 2 great players who could have won more matches for their countries had they got support from the other end. Win or loss one should be able to appreciate a good performance by a player. The very fact that he is playing for 2 decades prove that he is able to handle the pressure of playing at the international level.
Sachin tendulkar at 36 years of age played as if his life is on the line and made a mockery of the aussie attack. But what rubbish by other bastmen like Dhoni, Yuvraj & 4 last bastmen. They couldnt even manage to keep Sachin's head high leave aside India's.
I cannot fathom Raina getting out when the aussies where at the mercy of Sachin
I feel very sorry for Dhoni. Some day if he wins a one day series against Soth Africa then he will be the first Indian captain to win a one day series atleast once against every test cricket playing nation. I wish good luck for Dhoni since this series is still not over.
Eastward Wind always tends to criticise any and everything that Sachin does or achieve by terming them as selfish goals. This is nothing short of saying "If I cannot achieve, I will condemn you". It was amazing to learn from a famous cricketeer-turned-commentator covering the ongoing Pakistan-New Zealand ODI series, that India has won 71% of the matches in which Sachin Tendulkar has scored centuries and in majority of the rest he has helped India not to be put to shame.
I do not know why a lot of people comment irresponsibly needs to learn from seniors (be it Sachin,Sourava(rememeber the brisbane test century and how india played well against australia in that series,kumble's never die spirit) Younger players need to learn good qualities from senior players ,age is just a number as long as you are physically fit ,mentally strong and doing good ..you are good as well. Emotions are only good where they are needed ,it need not be everywhere and everytime
I need to respond. Amitabh had stated that his most favourite moveies are Dilip Kumar's Ganga Jamuna and Devadas. Let me ask the Quality experts. How many movies Robert De Nero or Marlin Barndo or Clint Eastwood had acted? no more than 30 to 40. Dilip Kumar has not acted in more than 40 to 50. He is not required to. He has created an institutions from which the students like Amitabh, Shah Rukh, Rajesh Khanna and Rajender came out. Manoj Kumar got his name from Manoj of Shaheed. Dilip Kumar's each movie is a history and philosophy by itself. By the way, do not lie that 32 centuries got us wins of Sachin. Non-sense. Do not lie please. Sachin has lost this match for us because he cannot win the match under pressure, except once in a while. The greatness of any batsman is to pull the matches out of the jaws of defeats. Unfortunately, only Kapil barely qualify those qualities. Nobody is biased here. We need to debate with civility.
yes, we need a civil debate. And already too much criticising Sachin. Just a question.. what has happened to cricket in the nations which has produced scores of match winners like Viv Richards, and Lara. Even, The game is not used for passtime there by 90% population. But, the game is still penetrating to continents, just because of such matches as the last one in Hyd. Here may be your team has lost, but eventually the GAME has WON. That matters.
Match was lost because of Sachin.The shot he played is justified if the required run rate was above eight per over ,but when it was only run a ball it becomes a irrespomsibile shot.As an experienced campaigner we expected him to play through the innings and make sure that india won the match.
Sound similar again. Sachin scored big and India lost. We are used to such lines since Gavaskar days. Gavaskar scored century and India lost the match. The best is draw. It is like another Amitabh movie. Amitabh may have acted over 200 movies already. He is also like a Tendulker of movies. We need Vivian Richards. Richards is like Dilip Kumar. Quality. Quality and Quality.
You r probably a paki who suffer from inborn mental deficit to do any reasoning.Dilip Kumar ( your Yusaf mian) was good for nothing.Sachin is best batsman better than vivian richards who played under patronage of all time great fast bowlers while sachin wages his war alone.
You hardly seem to understand the meaning of Quality as far as cricket goes. Man, try understand the difference between a match winner, and Play Maker. A match winner wins and brings cheer for his team/country only, but a play maker makes the game popular through giving a life to a dead/forgone match. That's what SACHIN is and has been doing since his debut at a tender age as young as 16. To analyse quality, one necessarily requires quality observation..
Dilip Kumar was quality but only once in a blue moon that his movie did well at box office. You either do not know history or do not understand it. Dilip Kumar had a 20 to 30% success rate at box office, unlike Amithabh who had a time of 100% success. Your commnets about Sachin are abhorable when 32 of his 45 centuries won the game for India. You are just a very biased person. You seem to write because the God gave you hands. He gave you a brain too. Please use it for a change.
bidya, you seem to understand neither cricket nor history nor statistics. Bitiya, better move over to Gilly Danda.
When frogs shout cuckoos will be silent.Gilly Danda is already having a GREAT plyer in terms of you, what's the need of others?
Sachin tendulkar at 36 years of age played as if his life is on the line and made a mockery of the aussie attack. But what rubbish by other bastmen like Dhoni, Yuvraj & 4 last bastmen. They couldnt even manage to keep Sachin's head high leave aside India's.
want to criticise sachine. Yesterday if u have seen the match then u will understand no single match we win without good partnership. And because of sachin only atleast we touch 300 mark otherwise its big run defeat.
i thought india had got it unfortunately sachin got out it was sachins best knock i think india will bounce back in the next game
4 batsmen between them could not get the last 15 runs...a real shame. A class innings by sachin, and just the other day someone was trying to critisize him for his age etc...once again he has proved his worth by his bat
sachin should be rolemodel for every youngstair.he play like genuine crickter. long live sachin
What a shame. one man scored 175 runs in 141 balls while the rest of the indian team could not score the balance 176 runs from 159 plus balls(leaving wides and no balls aside of which there were 17). As a matter of fact no batsmen other than Sehwag, raina and Jadeja crossed into double figures. Does the Indian team want its tail to win matches??
...Darling of the whole nation....gives something to smile/ celebrate every now and then...17,168 runs he has scored so far...his innings yesterday reminded me...a senior citizen, of tendulkar of yester years...absolute mastery.Runs were just flowing from his bat...wagon wheel of his batting proves his class...shots all around and all cricketing shots. GOD BLESS SACHIN...KEEP THE NATION SMILING EVERY NOW AND THEN
The coincidence of Indian wining and Sachin performing rarely happen because the other batsman rarely show the aggressiveness more than Sachin while playing with Sachin
THE INDIAN CRICKET TEAM MESSED UP THEY SHOULD HAVE LED THE SERIES 5-0 BY NOW. IT IS HIGH TIME THAT NEHRA AND JADEJA ARE REPLACED WITH GOOD PERFORMING YOUNGSTERS.
who are the good performing younsters please????
Sachin is always a match-winner, but team India doesn't deserve a win. U might remember match against Pak when Sachin played 141 knock but then also India lost. Even his master innings of 136 against Pak in 2nd innings of test was unforgettable. But all waste n shameless critics say that, he cant win matches. He had n he will, but somebody should stand with him. and for the people who say Sachin is not fit for T20. Had they have a look at the storm yesterday. 175 in 141 balls. Isn't it a innings in T20 way? What to say else? Hats off for the master again.
Nice effort but bad finisher.Like a replay of Chennai 99 against Pakistan when the great sachin though the match against Pakistan when there is only 20 odd runs required and 4 wickets left. Great teams only required the sneaks of a chance as Australia capitalized yesterday and Pakistan did in 99 [Pakistan did won 2-1 in that test matches tour] Truth speak louder
another 31 runs and Sachin will have 30000 runs in international cricket, a record of far more significance so watch out for that
Our players doesn't know how to run between wickets when they have only one wicket in their hand but only few runs to chase the target. Dhoni shows his captaincy only in giving interviews to Media and he talks well and blames well. He will blame batsmen when we fail to score and bowlers when they to control runs.
While everyone keeps harping about how Sachin doesnt win India enough matches, has anyone cared to find out or put forward in numbers, how many times flat track bully (which most Indian batsman are)Indian batsman have failed the great man when he has put the team in a strong position ! If you call yourself a top international team, you should be able to score 19 runs off almost as many deliveries with 3 wickets standing. SRT´s score 179 next highest 59. And there will still be shameless Indians who will say Sachin does not win India matches. Sachin, Indian people do not deserve to have a champion like you playing for them. And yes this is coming from an Indian !