Could Tendulkar have won us the Cup? | Cricket - Hindustan Times
close_game
close_game

Could Tendulkar have won us the Cup?

None | ByAtul Sondhi
Apr 06, 2007 11:40 PM IST

No. With or without Chappell, a player with great attitude has an average record, writes Atul Sondhi.

Tendulkar has apologised for the World Cup debacle. So what if it has come more than a week after India's ejection from the biggest stage of them all. The very fact that he has chosen to apologise, shows concern for the paying public. A public which pays in terms of time and money to watch their heroes play, in the hope that they will win.

HT Image
HT Image

Tendulkar is a great player no doubt. But with little more luck, could he have really won the World Cup for India? It is debatable considering his overall record at this biggest stage of them all.

Hindustan Times - your fastest source for breaking news! Read now.

Now it should be very surprising considering that as against his career average of 44, Tendulkar stands at 58 in his 35 innings at the World Cup.

Tendulkar at World Cups and Overall
Innings
Not Outs
Runs
Avg.
100s/50s
WC
35
4
1796
57.93
4/13
Overall
374
37
14847
44.05
41/77

So certainly, with such a huge ODI average, Tendulkar must be among the top few contributors in the World Cup. But that precisely is the problem of hyping up the contribution of players to the detriment of Team India.

The Master blaster's average of around 58 in the World Cup hides a very important fact. Most of these runs have come against the minnows. The nations which know cricket just the one way. Chasing the ball all the way to the boundary.

Let's leave out the teams which provide an international feel to the Cup and take traditional real competitors. Teams which are expected to reach the semifinals at least. Apart from India, these teams are England, Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, New Zealand and the West Indies.

If we see Tendulkar's record against these seven teams. Well, then it takes an instant beating. In his 24 World Cup innings against these seven real competitors, Tendulkar average comes back to his career average at 43.82.

And it goes further down, if we exclude India's subcontinent rivals Pakistan and Sri Lanka. The teams India has been playing much too often. Against Overseas top rivals, It plummets to a measly 32 per cent.

Sachin against Super Seven
Innings
Not Outs
Runs
Avg.
100s/50s
Against Super seven
24
1
1008
43.83
1/8
Excluding sub continent teams
15
0
479
31.93
0/4

So Tendulkar's average, when faced with non-Subcontinent Superpowers, thrice winner Australia, twice winner the West Indies, three-time finalist England, South Africa and New Zealand, comes down with a thud.

These teams' dominance against Tendulkar can be judged from the fact that in four tries beginning 1992 World Cup (Tendulkar did not face them in 2007), the master blaster has never been able to score a single century against them. Out of four of Tendulkar's World Cup centuries, only one has come against a real super-power. Against Sri Lanka. Of the rest, one has been against Namibia and two against Kenya.

Now, if the contribution is to be measured in terms of victories, and not runs, even than the performance of India with Tendulkar has not been adequate. India has a positive result only against England, 2-1 courtesy group stage victories in 1999 and 2003 World Cups, and Pakistan, a 4-0 mauling.

Overall, India stands at 10-14 against these seven top nations even with Tendulkar. If we take subcontinent teams away, it comes to be a measly 4 wins against 11 losses against overseas powers.

India's win-loss record against Major Teams

( In World Cups after Sachin's debut)

Team
Won
Lost
Win %
Australia
0
5
0.0
South Africa
0
2
0.0
New Zealand
1
2
33.3
England
2
1
66.6
West Indies
1
1
50.0
Pakistan
4
0
100.0
Sri Lanka
2
3
40.0
Overall
10
14
41.66

India are yet to win a match against either Australia or South Africa in the World Cup since Tendulkar's debut. No success in seven tries, that must rankle the great man unless he has decided to make amends in the 2011 World Cup.

But it is highly doubtful if he will manage to reverse this feat of average results against real competitors in his late 30s, he will be 38 then. Something he could not do in his twenties and early thirties, might become even more difficult by then.

Stay updated with the latest Cricket News, IPL Live Scores, and get exclusive insights with the RR vs DC Live Score, IPL 2024 Schedule, match highlights, and more. Explore a comprehensive Cricket Schedule, track the race for the Purple Cap and Orange Cap in IPL 2024, check Virat Kohli performance and stay ahead with all the cricket-related updates on the Hindustan Times website and app.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
Share this article
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
OPEN APP
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Thursday, March 28, 2024
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On