After first test between India and South Africa, the following article caught my attention like many other cricket fans. In the comments section of this article, I see lots many people mentioned that they think Sachin plays for records or he is a selfish player.
Smith surprised by India's fifth-day approach
I will take my chance here to share with you what I think in this regard.
From Peter Roebuck's article few months back about Laxman's decision to give strike to tailenders like Ishant,
http://www.espncricinfo.co
"Crucially he decided to take every run on offer, at any rate unt...il Mitchell Johnson summoned a fierce spell with a dozen or so runs needed for victory. Laxman realised India could not win unless the tailenders played their parts, sensed he could not score all the 80 runs, could not do it alone. Trusting Ishant Sharma, another strong-minded cricketer with an excellent temperament, he took singles at the start of the over. Indeed, Ishant faced more deliveries in the partnership than Laxman. Since the field was up for him, he was also able to score his share of the required runs."
I believe this is exactly what Tendulkar also tried. And this has to be a team decision rather than Laxman or Sachin's own decisions. We can think of Team India's tactics not on par (which is debatable as each team will have different strategies for different situations depending factors like injury potential of key players, the standing in the series, weather and so on)....
If I recall correctly Steve Waugh used to do the same and so does Laxman and Sachin. Trying to avoid innings defeat is what in others/your/my mind, but may be Team India wanted to take a lead of 100+ runs (which was impossible but they can still dream and give it a shot) and see if they could hold the Saffers for a draw. That would need another 125+ runs and farming strike by Sachin would be a wrong tactic in that case. This is just one possibility I am talking about, may not be what Team India thought. But it has nothing to do with Sachin, it had to be a team decision. Also think about some others possibilities - may be India didn't want to loose their only hold over SA in the first test, Sachin, who was highest scorer for India in both innings and keeping him not out would have made SA skipper, Steyn & Morkel in even score with him, a slight psychological pressure that might be helpful in the rest of the series. Remember that except Sachin, SA has defeated India in all other aspects in the match. Also a few other possibilities are - making the tailenders face the reality so that they grow the confidence for future; Sachin staying out of injury instead of unnecessary risk; or simply Sachin wasn't settled enough in the start of fifth day to rotate the strike in the right moment. And yes, every good batsman on earth wants to stay not out (and its a built-in reflex for many of them Gavaskar, Border, Sachin, Ponting, Dravid, Kallis, Chanderpaul are leaders in it) unless that hampers the team. Here if Sachin would not stay not out, India would have been booked by fourth day with 200+ runs defeat on top of the one innings.
My point is, ask this question to Team India and not to Sachin for whatever he did (and remember that in Laxman's case the strategy made India win miraculously). Of course, Sachin, as part of India, will need to answer it, but not solely as his own. Because only then the question of selfishness would come. Otherwise it will be Team India's wrong strategy which of course, every team makes some fine and some bad decisions at different times.
In fact, Smith played a card (intentionally) to take an upper hand over Indians ahead of the next Test at Durban. So far I watched Indian's last 3 tests against SA and all these last 3 only Sachin and Hashim Amla made centuries. So Smith understands pretty well that Sachin is the real obstacle (and not Sehwag / Dravid / Laxman) between them and a series win. So he is trying to demoralize him somehow. Unfortunately, this kind of trick won't work against Sachin but may work well against some of his other team mates like Bhajji. I hope to see Sachin making a fourth consecutive century in Durban which this time with some assistance from bowlers, will level the series.
http://www.espncricinfo.co
"Crucially he decided to take every run on offer, at any rate unt...il Mitchell Johnson summoned a fierce spell with a dozen or so runs needed for victory. Laxman realised India could not win unless the tailenders played their parts, sensed he could not score all the 80 runs, could not do it alone. Trusting Ishant Sharma, another strong-minded cricketer with an excellent temperament, he took singles at the start of the over. Indeed, Ishant faced more deliveries in the partnership than Laxman. Since the field was up for him, he was also able to score his share of the required runs."
I believe this is exactly what Tendulkar also tried. And this has to be a team decision rather than Laxman or Sachin's own decisions. We can think of Team India's tactics not on par (which is debatable as each team will have different strategies for different situations depending factors like injury potential of key players, the standing in the series, weather and so on)....
If I recall correctly Steve Waugh used to do the same and so does Laxman and Sachin. Trying to avoid innings defeat is what in others/your/my mind, but may be Team India wanted to take a lead of 100+ runs (which was impossible but they can still dream and give it a shot) and see if they could hold the Saffers for a draw. That would need another 125+ runs and farming strike by Sachin would be a wrong tactic in that case. This is just one possibility I am talking about, may not be what Team India thought. But it has nothing to do with Sachin, it had to be a team decision. Also think about some others possibilities - may be India didn't want to loose their only hold over SA in the first test, Sachin, who was highest scorer for India in both innings and keeping him not out would have made SA skipper, Steyn & Morkel in even score with him, a slight psychological pressure that might be helpful in the rest of the series. Remember that except Sachin, SA has defeated India in all other aspects in the match. Also a few other possibilities are - making the tailenders face the reality so that they grow the confidence for future; Sachin staying out of injury instead of unnecessary risk; or simply Sachin wasn't settled enough in the start of fifth day to rotate the strike in the right moment. And yes, every good batsman on earth wants to stay not out (and its a built-in reflex for many of them Gavaskar, Border, Sachin, Ponting, Dravid, Kallis, Chanderpaul are leaders in it) unless that hampers the team. Here if Sachin would not stay not out, India would have been booked by fourth day with 200+ runs defeat on top of the one innings.
My point is, ask this question to Team India and not to Sachin for whatever he did (and remember that in Laxman's case the strategy made India win miraculously). Of course, Sachin, as part of India, will need to answer it, but not solely as his own. Because only then the question of selfishness would come. Otherwise it will be Team India's wrong strategy which of course, every team makes some fine and some bad decisions at different times.
In fact, Smith played a card (intentionally) to take an upper hand over Indians ahead of the next Test at Durban. So far I watched Indian's last 3 tests against SA and all these last 3 only Sachin and Hashim Amla made centuries. So Smith understands pretty well that Sachin is the real obstacle (and not Sehwag / Dravid / Laxman) between them and a series win. So he is trying to demoralize him somehow. Unfortunately, this kind of trick won't work against Sachin but may work well against some of his other team mates like Bhajji. I hope to see Sachin making a fourth consecutive century in Durban which this time with some assistance from bowlers, will level the series.
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