Beyond Compton...

He came into the Bombay team at the age of 15, and into the Test team a year later. He was at this time a schoolboy, and still looked like one. But he had a remarkably calm temperament, and an extraordinary versatility of strokeplay. When he felt the time was ripe, he could attack the bowlers with a brutality and power I have never seen in any other Indian batsman in the last 40-odd years. Tendulkar, like Gavaskar, is a short man, but then, one may remember if one reads cricket history, so was 'The Croucher', Gilbert Jessop, who was probably the greatest hitter of all times. If one looks at his old photographs one can see The Croucher's physical resemblance to Tendulkar. Jessop, like Tendulkar, had broad shoulders for his height, was thick through the hips, and had longish arms. With the assistance of these, he made the fastest century in Test history at the Oval in 1902, hammering 104 in 75 minutes against one of the most powerful Australian attacks ever.

It's unlikely that Tendulkar, under present conditions, can duplicate the feat, but he may well come near it. He has the capacity. The last bats-man I saw to whom I can compare him is Englishman Denis Compton. Compton, like Tendulkar, started early, though Tendulkar made his name when younger than Compton. Tendulkar played his first Test at 16, Compton at 19. The Englishman made 65 in his first Test against New Zealand in 1937, then 102 on his debut against Australia in 1938. After World War II, he came into his own for three seasons. From 1946 to 1949 he was England's golden cavalier. He scored heavily against Australia, and he thrashed Indian, South African, and New Zealand bowlers till they wished they were dead. In 1947, he collected 3,816 runs at an average of 90 during the summer, and made 18 centuries. Neither the aggregate nor the number of 100s has ever been surpassed, nor are they likely to be. Compton was in great demand for advertisements, and it was, perhaps, a little unfortunate that he advertised Brylcreem.

This was a species of brilliantine, and Compton was notorious for his unruly hair. The advertisers, however, didn't mind the difference between his tidiness on posters and his appearance on the field. Compton had some similarities with the Tendulkar of today. For one thing, both could play off either foot and both had immensely powerful forearms. Both also liked to attack but, in a crisis, both had rocklike defences. In his early years, Compton was much criticised, as Tendulkar has been, for his recklessness, the way he threw his wicket away when a large score was his to take. I did not see Compton till he was past his best, and I don't think Tendulkar has reached his best, but there are remarkable similarities in technique. Tendulkar's cover drive and late  cut are very like Compton's. But after that there are considerable disparities of character.

Compton knew cricket, but he had no desire to lead. One has watched Tendulkar, on the contrary, turn himself into captaincy material. He has not only learnt whatever there is to be learnt, but also how to put it into practice. He is certain to be the next Indian captain, and I'm not sure he shouldn't be the present one. He is, I think, of more stable character than Azharuddin. I have only met him once, when he lunched with me; and he was then much younger. But even so one saw a cricketing intelligence in him, a stability, and a great ambition. Compton was handicapped, from about the age of 32, by a damaged knee, and only twice in 79 Tests, during which he hit 17 centuries, did he pass 200. The second of these double centuries was against Pakistan in 1954, when he stormed to 278 in 290 minutes: a virtuoso performance.

However, he could have done better. And I think Tendulkar willdo better. He is a batsman who resembles Compton without his disadvantages, which were a carefree disposition and a deep addiction to beer, as well as his damaged knee. I knew Compton a little and he was utterly charming. But nobody would have described him as responsible. This adjective immediately comes to mind when one describes Tendulkar. He is the most volatile batsman in cricket, and he can also be relied upon, like Compton in his prime, to hold off an attack in full cry. There is a story about Compton, batting with Hutton against Australia in 1953. They were facing Lindwall and Miller with the new ball. Between overs, Compton wandered upwicket and said to Hutton: "Len, I wish I could go to the races, but this bloody job won't let me. And I'm not paid enough to make a proper bet."

Sachin Tendulkar, should he wish to go to the races, need have no such complaint.