Three years ago, a cheerful yet vociferous audience around the chilly and windswept Ferozshah Kotla, watched Sachin Tendulkar regale their Saturday afternoon with a record-making effort that earned him a world record.
In what was a highly competent performance against Sri Lanka, he scored his thirty-fifth Test century, historically surpassing Sunil Gavaskar’s record of thirty-four three-figure innings. On the way, he curbed the spin threat of Muttiah Muralitharan as India took control on day one. Unfortunately the headline writers and some scribes sounded off in certain jingoistic terms.
It was fascinating to hear the chatter of how the little man from Mumbai had 'Vaulted the Final Frontier' as one suggested, and others adopted similar views. All of which suggested that he had been in some space capsule shot to the moon and performed a spacewalk.
Unbelievably, it was all so far-fetched. Final frontier...? Give over, Bhai. But that is how the analysts and headline writers were viewing that century against Sri Lanka in New Delhi.
There was no logic at all in the comments as it presumed he was going to quit the game as soon as the Test was over and do something else with his life.
It was in reflection, when writing a Test tour diary for the Indian Express (December 14, 2005), my story posed the question after Tendulkar had eclipsed Gavaskar’s record, if others did not also think the Mumbaikar icon had other landmarks to set for others to chase.
It would make sense, would it not how other landmarks beckoned and goals to achieve blinked with enticing illumination on the game’s landscaped horizon. Brian Lara’s most Test runs for a start, and setting targets for others to chase.
Over the years though, there has long been the argument, based on evidence, of how the Mumbai Magician has rarely performed in the fourth innings of a Test. But let us ignore such disputed set of statistics as the wealth of his and India's performances this year explains how they have come through a tough, trying twelve months.
From the Test victory in Perth back in mid-January to the one against England in Chennai a few days ago, the success level shows varying degrees of how all members of the side have performed.
The side has gone through a change in captains and a new coaching system led by South African Gary Kirsten.
While Tendulkar’s near perfect touch game in Chennai, where he read the conditions and the pace of the pitch and outfield that transcended the so-called conditions some such as Geoff Boycott said were playing tricks, it is remarkable where the motivation lies in making history yet again.
It showed again how each step within the team is monitored with a focus on the importance of being competitive. To achieve this, the players who have contributed to the success would be the first to agree that it has been a lot of hard work involved. Yet winning outside India, as in Perth as opposed to Galle in Sri Lanka, has been based on determination as well as constructive implementation of the team ethic of quality as well as gameplans.
There have though been low points. Colombo and Saravanamuttu Oval, where Ajantha Mendis and Muralitharan controlled the game after Anil Kumble, winning the toss gave his batsmen a chance to show what they could do. This wasn't the only time in the series on the island where they failed to master the bowlers as opposed to the conditions.
It showed how the so-called 'Fab Four' were seriously exposed by the bowlers and in part the ubiquitous referral system, which heavily favoured Sri Lanka as they used it well with two brilliant bowlers creating serious doubts in the minds of the batsmen. Yet the flaws in the referral format, highlighted in these columns some time ago, are now being questioned by New Zealand (Daniel Vettori) and West Indies (Chris Gayle).
While questions of the 'Fab Four's' future along with Sourav Ganguly's retirement in the Australia series, highlighted not only a need to find replacements but also to build for the future.
While the Sri Lanka tour will be a smudged mark on their performance record sheet, it was the sort of learning pattern where some youngsters were given a chance to show their capabilities. It needs to be remembered, the bowlers are those who win Tests through their ability to take twenty wickets.
Yet a check of the scorecards show how India came back strongly from the rancorous Sydney New Year's Test where they could have won to Perth, where they did win, and including that victory there have since been five victories in nine games. That is a good percentage.
In is not by any coincidence either that of all the teams this decade to challenge Australia Down Under it has been India. Reasons are not hard to uncover either, as there have been quality individual efforts that have built on the focus instilled in the side along with leadership and the need to be competitive.
It is a team that has travelled well and one that took time to build with a core of players who can carry that image forward.
Hopefully, the energising fluctuations that the Chennai Test produced over fourteen sessions will not be lost on Lalit Modi and the value of Tests to the microwaveable fad that is the tasteless and dysfunctional Indian Premier League and other off-spring that he wants to foist on the public.
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