So Many Masters Are Now Little

The post-mortem has begun in the wake of India's second worst defeat in Test history—a 341-run loss to Pakistan in Karachi. Two batsmen are in the firing line. Over the past year or so, Sourav Ganguly has got used to being the butt of criticism. But now, for the first time in 16 years since he made his dazzling debut as a curly-haired teenager in Karachi, it could be Sachin's turn.

Rahul Dravid's twin centuries as opening batsman in Lahore and Faisalabad, Virender Sehwag's 254 in the opening Test, M.S. Dhoni's pyrotechnics in the second as well as Yuvraj Singh's standout innings while all collapsed around him in Karachi—all these got pushed to the background in the face of growing murmurs against Tendulkar's failures. For some years now, it has been apparent that the joy has gone out of Sachin's batsmanship, as he shifted gears from being an awesome entertainer who struck fear in opposition bowlers, to an accumulator, only occasionally reverting to his old role. Now, suddenly, there are whispers that his reflexes have slowed considerably. "The more I look back at his dismissal, the more I'm convinced that the downhill journey for the little champion has started," an ex-Pakistan wicketkeeper said.

It's obvious that few Indians want to stick their necks out and wonder aloud if Tendulkar has slipped into fade mode. An average of 21 runs per innings is hardly Tendulkaresque. When the greats lower the bar even a shade, tongues do start wagging. That is the price one pays for such an abundance of adulation. Tendulkar had the chance to carry the battle into the Pakistan camp in the final Test in Karachi, but could not do much.

Shoaib Akhtar, who had snared him with a well-directed short-pitched delivery in Faisalabad, welcomed him to the crease with a snorter that hit the Indian batsman on his helmet, an unusual occurrence for him. He was soon bowled by one that jagged back in, and hit his pads on the way to the stumps. He walked in to bat in the second innings with determination writ large on his face, but after an exhilarating pull and a few trademark punches through covers, he fell to Mohammed Asif. Playing over and perhaps a shade inside the line of an in-cutter, he was bowled and went down on his haunches, appearing to have been done in more by the low bounce than anything else.

The Indian team management is not prepared to believe that Tendulkar is nearing the end of an illustrious career. The official line is simple: he's a great batsman, he just had one bad series.

Meanwhile, while clouds of doubt start to gather over Tendulkar's Test career, former captain Ganguly could be facing the end of the road. He couldn't build on the two good starts he got in Karachi. He was picked in the squad ahead of a specialist opener and accommodated in the middle-order. "For this series, we chose to play our best batting. In the future, we may have to reconsider that and play the best batsmen for specific slots," Dravid said, indicating that India may return to playing specialist openers and relegate Ganguly to the reserves, if not entirely out of the squad, in the home Tests against England next month.