It was so heartbreaking for every Indian to watch Sachin Tendulkar miss his century by two runs, but the Commonwealth Games organisers, quite selfishly, might have heaved a silent sigh of relief at that.
In a country completely obsessed with the willow game, there is nothing bigger or more important than a Tendulkar century. And, it wouldn’t have been just another ton off the blade of their favourite son. It would have been is 49th.
Had the Little Master got those two runs at Mohali’s PCA Stadium on Saturday, the focus on this series would have been lifted to just another level. For most of his countrymen, it would have been all about the landmark of their cricket god’s half-century of centuries.
The two India-Australia Tests overlap with the CWG and, foreseeing and
fearing exactly this kind of effect, CWG chief Suresh Kalmadi had made an advanced request to the Indian board to avoid the clash of dates.
Despite the threat of him stealing CWG’s thunder, Tendulkar was most deserving of the three-figure mark and his team needed his presence at the crease for much longer in their first innings.
On Day Three of the game, Tendulkar showed the required patience and his shot selection was almost faultless. As destiny would have had it, he faltered at the most decisive moment when on 98 he played the most casual stroke of his innings. Trying to work an innocuous looking delivery from part-time off-spinner Marcus North to the legside, he missed the line to be trapped in front.
His departure triggered a sensational collapse. From a healthy 354 for four, the home team crashed to 405 all out to leave the Test intriguingly balanced. It was the result of a combination of fine bowling by left-arm pacer Mitchell Johnson and reckless shots played by the lower order.
Australia have taken a 23-run lead, and have the advantage as India will bat last on a fifth day wicket. Johnson turned on the magic in the final session by claiming three quick wickets to finish with a five-wicket haul.
Suresh Raina and Rahul Dravid were the other Indian batsmen to flourish but, the two also failed to make it count with a big one and it hurt India. Dravid batted his best in some time now, playing with all the certainty and patience that befits a batsman nicknamed The Wall while scoring 77. Raina lived a charmed life but displayed a positive intent throughout his knock of 86.
VVS Laxman had a bad back and couldn’t come out to play at his regular position and batted with a runner at No 10.
