Indian Sport's S-achi(n)lles Heel

Now that Sachin has crawled over Lara's world record, India celebrates another individual achievement.A player, who I would have loved to love, but absolutely hate when on the field for his penchant for records, and his struggle to even achieve them, beginning with the world record number of centuries (his 35th way back in 2005).Unlike the most simple batsman the world has seen in Virender Sehwag, who believes a ball has to be hit, even if the batsman is on 199 or 299, Sachin always watched and crawled his way to his milestones.

Just look at his record in the past 3 years :

Since and including his record breaking matches (record no. of centuries, and record runs)

Matches : 28*
Innings : 49
Runs* : 1850
Average in this period : 41.11

Without including his record breaking matches (record no. of centuries, and record runs)

Matches : 26
Innings : 46
Runs* : 1637
Average in this period : 38.96

Sachin's average during this period has fallen from 57.06 to 54.02. Clearly, an average of around 40, with 5 centuries in 3 years does put him in the company of fab four and not the elite list of a Ponting or Lara. No wonder, questions over his retirements have been coming from all corners and will continue to do so until he hangs up his boots.


Sachin may have achieved his highest milestone, but he can never ever dispute his miserable record at winning games for India, even after India had Dravid, Laxman, Ganguly and Sehwag in the ranks in the past decade.19 years of great batsmanship, but with only 2 centuries worthy of being called match winning ones (155 in 1998 against Australia, 126 against Australia in 2001) in his entire career of 39 centuries. In this moment of cheer which many in India would be celebrating, I find it difficult to be part of this. Sorry Sachin. This record, was just another milestone for another ad spree, eh ?

With his subtle outburst of stones into milestones, he has admitted what many critics were always thinking. Sachin is a man for records. And that's what he has played for through his life. So, will the media now start calling the fab four as fab 3? BECAUSE Sachin has something which the others don't hold? Well, whatever I say, India still remains hype driven and Sachin's milestone is all over the press.

Does the media or the rest of the nation know that there is a Commonwealth Youth Games (CYG) going on in India? How many know that India is way ahead in the medals tally in the CYG currently underway in Pune? No mean feat this, with other giants like Britain behind India in medals tally. Does India realise what this means to Indian Sport and the Commonwealth Games in 2010? Indian media should grow up and not just complain about the IOC and its bureaucracy. Instead the media should highlight the CYG, just like they did the Olympics, and urge India, the IOC, SAI to look forward to the Commonwealth Games in 2010, and make India a sporting superpower. If India and its media do not grab this CYG moment of glory, 3 medals at an Olympics may remain as India's best medal haul for many more Olympics to come.

Note : All the above cricketing details are pertaining to Test Matches Alone.

Stats Courtesy : HowSTAT!