Grumble with Gaurav | Gaurav Kalra
Deja vu - (Def.) The experience of feeling sure that one has witnessed or experienced a new situation previously
January,1999: India are chasing 271 in the fourth innings against Pakistan at Chennai. Sachin Tendulkar and Nayan Mongia have rescued the innings from 82 for 5. But with just 53 left to get Mongia plays a shocking shot, attempting to deposit the great Wasim Akram in the stands. He perishes. And 26 runs later, Tendulkar does too. India lose by 17 runs. Continue reading below
November, 2009: India are chasing 351 at Hyderabad. Tendulkar is playing a glittering innings. And with Suresh Raina, he has taken India from 162 for 4 in the 24th over to 299 in the 43rd. With 52 needed at virtually a run-a-ball, Raina fails in an attempt to clobber Watson over the fence. Thirty-three runs later Tendulkar is gone too. India end 3 runs short to crash to a heart-breaking defeat.
So much in this great game often returns to haunt. Even the great men. While one dare not attempt to decode what consumed Tendulkar's mind as he returned to the solace of his hotel room, the similarities of these two moments, over a decade apart, are eerie.
Did Tendulkar feel betrayed by Mongia in 1999 and Raina on Thursday? Did he expect both men to help him get India past the finish line? Find the mental fortitude to finish the job they had started together? What prompted Tendulkar to play the shots that ended his innings on both these days? After he had lost Mongia and Raina to uncultured slogs. What forced him to attempt sending Saqlain Mushtaq's mystical doosra over mid-off in Chennai? And scoop Clint Mckay's slower ball over fine-leg? Was his mind clouded by the rashness of his batting partner on both days? Men who deserted him in his and his team's hour of need?
On both days, Tendulkar was man of the match. On both days, that accolade counted for little. If a time machine allowed it, Tendulkar, I suspect, would gladly step on it and change the scorecards to say Tendulkar out zero. And, India won by 5 wickets! Alas, that is mere fantasy as its time now to step onto another arena. And find the reserves to play another Tendulkar special. And hope, no one pulls yet another Mongia... or Raina on him.
