Cricket: India's Maestro Makes His Entry

Sachin Tendulkar won the latest of his 114 Test caps against Pakistan in Rawalpindi six months ago, which is an aching eternity for the cricket-potty folk of India, even though he has missed only two matches in that time.

So when the little maestro picked up a bat here yesterday and immediately started striking the ball with enough power and timing to make passing rickshaw-wallahs flinch, the attractive ground that is the glory of the Vidarbha Cricket Association exploded into a frenzy of anticipation.

A VCA spokesman confirmed that ticket sales for tomorrow's third Test against Australia had trebled since Saturday, when it was reported that the batsman would be fit to play.

The strength and audacity of his strokeplay in the nets yes terday, though, came as a surprise because Tendulkar, who until recently had not picked up a bat for eight weeks because of his problems with tennis elbow, had been practising with a lighter implement.

"I am not in pain but there is a stiffness there," he said afterwards. "But I've come through some very tough, intensive practice sessions and my body has reacted well."

When Tendulkar starts his first match in this series tomorrow, which he is expected to do, India will be getting more than merely a great player. The team, indeed the entire country, will be lifted by the sight of this deity in flannels.

Australia, meanwhile, leading 1-0 at the halfway point of this four-Test series, have been savaged enough times by Tendulkar's bat to know that, even if he is not quite at his best, life from here on in could get a tad trickier.

Shane Warne recently described Brian Lara as the third best batsman in the world - "behind Sachin Tendulkar and daylight". And he was speaking for the entire team.

The key question is whether the great batsman, who has not played any cricket for more than two months, can make an immediate impact after such a lengthy lay-off, and whether he has properly recovered from his muscle wastage.

The team physio Andrew Leipus has given the thumbs-up and Anant Joshi, the sports doctor who is the head of the Indian board's medical panel, has even said the player could use his usual heavy bat. Tendulkar, however, suggested that he would use a slightly reduced bat.

Tendulkar seems likely to replace Yuvraj Singh, who looks too loose to play at the top of the innings, with the wicketkeeper Parthiv Patel moving up the order to open with Virender Sehwag.

The pitch at this attractive ground, meanwhile, is the subject of fevered speculation.

"It feels like being home in England, don't it," said umpire David Shepherd, and the groundsman declined to use the heavy roller after the official had ambled about the square for a while.

The VCA are an admirably autonomous lot and when it comes to pitch preparation they do not like being leaned upon by the nobs from the Board of Control for Cricket in India. This surface is well grassed and there will be plenty of bounce and carry for the likes of Glenn McGrath and Jason Gillespie.

The curator Kishore Pradhan said yesterday that he had no intention of removing the grass covering. Meanwhile Shashank Manohar, president of the VCA, said that he had received no instructions from the board or the team management - "and even if I do I am not going to oblige them."

But it must be said that all this was yesterday morning, with the Test still two days away. That can be a long time in politics and Indian cricket and no one would be entirely surprised if this pitch undergoes something of a personality change by the time the captains toss up tomorrow morning.

Australia are likely to remain unchanged for this match. They are attracted by the notion of letting Brett Lee's fresh legs gallop into this series, though for now the player must content himself playing guitar and piano at every opportunity.