From Colombo with cup

It was as though the country rediscovered a lost passion on Tuesday. Feasting on a French cuisine of football at its most delicious, it had almost forgotten the flavour of its unmistakable favourite among all games. Cricket came back to India that night, with televiewers turning their attention to Colombo from the current World Cup, and not just because we won a nearly washed-out tournament. The wonder was wrought by Sachin Tendulkar8217;s willow. It is not the first time the master blaster has revived flagging national interest in the game. He has done it not solely by his match-winning performances, but significantly more by the manner in which he has performed. By his style and spirit, even more than by his admirable and, in some respects, awe-inspiring statistics. His boundary-oriented bat lifts the morale of not only his side but the spectators cutting across all sectarian divides, and with every one of his sixes soars the spirit of a people who have often cause enough to remain depressed. As is his wont, hehas set a new record in the Sri Lankan capital as well, while equalling Desmond Hayne8217;s and emerging as the youngest player to score 17 ODI centuries. No less notable, however, was new evidence of his capacity toexecute an impatience-free innings.

Which should bring one to the fact that it was not Sachin8217;s feat alone that merited note in the recent triumph. An innings of such a description cannot be considered independently of the doggedness of the man at the other end. Not a whit less remarkable than the superstar8217;s record was the unsurpassed quality of the opening partnership, with Saurav Ganguly helping Tendulkar to a ton before helping himself to one. Equally important is it to see and stress that it took eleven and not two to win the match and the tournament. The batting paradise that witnessed the pair8217;s brilliance would have turned into a purgatory for the side and its supporters but for the will to win that the Indian boys as a team displayed. The trophy won in Colombo has come, of course, as theculmination of a season of considerable cricketing success for India. There is no doubt, either, of Sachin8217;s singular contribution to it, in view of the hard statistical fact of his record total for the season, including the series against unofficial Test champs Australia and one-day kings Sri Lanka. More satisfying, however, to well-wishers of Indian cricket should be the signs that a solution may have at last been found to the vexed problem of openers, at least in the one-day version of the game. The right-hand-left-hand combination of Tendulkar-Ganguly has more than coped with some of the most competent bowling attacks currently in operation.

Even more so is evidence that the experimentation of building a new team by boldly providing opportunities for younger talent is paying off. Important lessons need to be drawn from all this, particularly in the context of this country8217;s preparations for the cricket World Cup, now barely a year away. Every avid cricket-watcher here will, of course, wish Sachin moreand more world records. But no true well-wisher will rejoice over the emergence of a national squad that relies excessively on the individual genius of a single player. Great cricket requires exemplary team spirit.