Tension Over

Now if you trace Tendulkar8217;s footsteps during his injury-forced six-month hiatus, one can understand the mind of a man who was desperate to change opinions. But before that you have to understand his plight during the forgettable 2005. Early last year, when India were touring Pakistan, Moin Khan, former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batsman, said, 8220;Tendulkar is not the best anymore. His body has tired, the hand-eye coordination is gone, he8217;s not fit, he cannot face pace, he8217;s done.8217;8217; Things at home, too, weren8217;t what they used to be. For the first time in 20 years, Tendulkar was booed at the Wankhede stadium during the Test against England.

That was easily the worst moment in Tendulkar8217;s career. Then the injuries piled up 8212; after barely recovering from that tennis elbow, he fell prey to a shoulder injury that required immediate surgery. But many believe it was a small conversation with Indian coach Greg Chappell that saw something inside Tendulkar click. Just before the tour of West Indies this May, Chappell reportedly had a straight chat with Tendulkar. The crux of that conversation was this: 8220;You have to be fit in time, youngsters are catching up.8221; With the tri-series in Malaysia showing that Tendulkar was still good enough for that 1990s tag of 8216;one-man army8217; and the Challenger Trophy reasserting that, Chappell, like Moin and several others, have had to change their opinion.

But what happened in between? Tendulkar decided to skip the Caribbean tour and left for Chennai, to the MRF Academy, where former India physio Andrew Leipus and fitness trainer Ramji Srinivasan joined him.

Ramji, who was part of the Tendulkar 8216;work in progress8217;, was there to see the fully fit master in full flow during the Challenger Trophy. Ramji recalls the days of rehabilitation 8212; both physical and mental. 8220;In my career as a trainer so far, I have never come across an individual so focused and clear in his thought as much as him,8217;8217; he says. To stress the point, he throws in some technical jargon: muscle memory. 8220;It is the ability to focus one8217;s mind on a certain part of the body and then the body reacting in the manner required. I have not seen many people who can apply their minds to that effect and with such enthusiasm,8221; he says.

Leipus was there for support too, but candidly admits: 8220;He knew his body, his fitness and his mind more than anybody else. When he had decided, with such strong determination, that he would return to his best, there was nothing much one could add to it.8217;8217; Looking back, Leipus says that Tendulkar8217;s reaction to a certain spark of the mind is exceptional. 8220;If you give him a particular routine, he gets accustomed to it very quickly. It is like training commandos. They have that focus and know what their target is. Precisely that is how Tendulkar is,8217;8217; adds Ramji.

Post the brief Chennai trip, Tendulkar returned to Mumbai. Lalchand Rajput, who as coach of India Green happened to be on the wrong side when Tendulkar hit a blazing 139, talked about Tendulkar8217;s days at MIG 8212; the ground that has become famous for the Mumbai star8217;s re-hab. 8220;I am sure he was silently waiting to prove his critics wrong. A lot of people had said a lot of things. But the best thing about him was he understood what to do when and he wasn8217;t bothered about anything people said about it,8217;8217; he says.

What Rajput is hinting at is Tendulkar8217;s stint with the celebrity club Lashings in England. Many called Lashings a waste of time since all the action was out in the Caribbean. 8220;They were not very competitive, but helped him get back among runs and fitness, slowly and steadily. By the time he was ready to play international cricket, he was back to his best,8217;8217; says Rajput, pointing to the numbers see box.

This means good news for Team India, and especially for coach Chappell and his support staff Ian Frazer. 8220;It is wonderful to have him back. He is making everything about his batting look so excellent, once again. Let8217;s say he8217;s back to his best,8217;8217; says Frazer. It certainly is, considering that India8217;s first Champions Trophy game is just a few days away and the World Cup just four months away.