2, 2, 2, ..what is next for Tendulkar?

By John Cheeran
Sachin Tendulkar is a cricketer who can be, to a certain extent, measured by the numbers.
34 Test centuries, almost the last word in one-day cricket ever since he moved up to the opener’s slot, Tendulkar’s batting has been one of the redeeming features of global cricket. Even Brian Lara’s record of most number of runs in Test cricket, is bound to be overcome by the Indian master sooner or later.
Tendulkar has set high standards for himself. But in a long a career it is not a surprise that there comes a time when one struggles to live up to one’s own exalted norms.
No one is saying it loudly, but let’s come to the point. Tendulkar is under pressure.
Tendulkar celebrated his return to international cricket after a six-month interval against Sri Lanka in Nagpur with an uninhibited exhibition of batting, giving us huge slices of his salad days. An innings of 93 off 96 balls told the world that Tendulkar is approaching the game once again with gay abandon.
In Mohali, Tendulkar followed it up with another quick fire 67 off 69 balls. But after those two half-centuries, Tendulkar’s scoring sequence is this – 11 (19 balls vs Sri Lanka at Pune; he was rested from the Ahmedabad game, 19 (30 balls vs Sri Lanka at Rajkot, 39 (48 balls vs Sri Lanka ), 2 (9 balls vs South Africa at Hyderabad), 2 ( 22 balls vs South Africa at Bangalore), 2 (15 balls vs South Africa at Calcutta).
In the last three games against South Africa, the best batsman in India has not gone beyond two runs. On all three occasions he lost his wicket to Shaun Pollock, one of the finest fast bowlers in contemporary cricket. Above all, Tendulkar has not looked confident at the crease during these three games.
Can there be something wrong with the way Tendulkar is approaching his game now?
Tendulkar is hot property, rightfully so, and the mainstream media (MSM) is playing it ever so late in holding up the mirror to him.
Tendulkar of today is the victim of Tendulkar of yesterday. A mountain of runs in international cricket behind him, Tendulkar is finding it tough to strike gold at each dig.
Is it possible to meet the public demand every time he steps out to bat? It is not.
I can only wish for Tendulkar to regain his touch at his home ground as India host South Africa in the fifth and final one-dayer.