Sachin's Tendulkar 100th International Century

A lot will depend on Sachin Tendulkar’s team mates as well to decide if he will have a further say in Indian cricket history, particularly in the ICC Cricket World Cup as the tournament reaches the final battles for glory.

Sachin Tendulkar would certainly like to think he has a role to play not only in the India v Australia ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 quarterfinals but also, in the next two matches that follow this in the form of the semi final and final.

For that India will need to overcome Australia first, a feat that India are capable of achieving on paper but which history has not supported in the past. What makes this match even more crucial is perhaps because Tendulkar is playing the World Cup format in limited overs cricket for the final time in his illustrious cricket career. And while he would personally want to crown it with the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 trophy, the reality is that it will not just depend on Tendulkar alone but the performance of the entire team.

Several members of the Indian cricket team have expressed prior to the World Cup the desire to win the World Cup for Sachin Tendulkar in a manner of tribute to the great man and his contributions. However, that is easier said than done because team India have been brought down to earth through their own exposed chinks in the armour, which India will have to fortify because this is the point no return from this stage onwards.

For Tendulkar, individual glory beckons as well although he would be more than happy to take a back seat and let India take glory first. Tendulkar stands on the cusp of 100 international centuries and one more in the contest would do nicely to add to that milestone. To do it against Australia would perhaps be even more special. But nothing could top the fact that scoring it at this stage of the tournament would get India closer to laying their hands on that trophy, only won once before in 1983 under Kapil Dev. On the contrary, Sachin Tendulkar often relives the joy he experienced in that Indian victory as a young boy and has often cherished the idea of emulating it again. So, perhaps while personal and team milestones beckon, he would want to choose both in collusion rather than one over the other, particularly being the team man that he is.

Tendulkar has been written as walking into the sunset several times in the past. That he would even play this World Cup was unimaginable to many. While he has been in terrific form in the last couple of years, it is yet again hard to imagine Tendulkar would want to return to the one day cricket format in four years’ time for another crack at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 trophy.

For the likes of Sachin Tendulkar, every match from here on holds the possibility of finality. But perhaps given Tendulkar’s demeanour, that thought will not even crossed his mind except to execute the best plans to beat Australia because he will know he will be on top on the priority list as Australia bank on their pace bowlers to get them across the line, if they can get past Tendulkar.

Posted in: sachin tendulkar