Ranji Tracker
After 24 years of hard toil, including a decade and a bit in which he was single-handedly expected to carve every India victory, after a lifetime spent battling cynics who turned on him every time he didn't finish a game, there is no rest for Tendulkar. Not even in his last Ranji Trophy game.
This was supposed to be a festive farewell, a seemingly cushy affair pitting the defending champions Mumbai against the relatively weaker Haryana, but instead the ball has largely had the upper hand to make it a fascinating contest of high standards. Like always, Tendulkar's team has needed his bat to do the talking. On Tuesday, he responded with trademark determination.
By close on Day Three, it was Tendulkar yet again who had been left to do the work. Chasing 240 on a Lahli pitch which exhorts batsmen to exhibit some skill, Mumbai finished just 39 runs short but lost six wickets in the bargain. Now they must look to Tendulkar, who scored his 115th first-class half-century and was batting on a fine 55 (122 balls; 4x4) at stumps, to close things out and avoid any mishaps.
Given the way wickets have tumbled in the morning session on the first two days of this game, and with the new ball due in five overs for a disciplined Haryana attack, Tendulkar must now protect the tail and be decisive. Maybe he wouldn't have it any other way, and many will be hoping this game turns out to be the perfect farewell for this near-perfect cricketer.
Though Haryana's Mohit Sharma believes his team is "60:40 ahead" given the early-morning conditions, Tuesday wasn't bad for batsmen. Ajinkya Rahane and Kaustubh Pawar kept frustrating Haryana with an 86-run second wicket stand, but when Rahane departed, the script fell in place.
Haryana's Mohit Sharma and Yadav bowled tirelessly and to the plan, the combo of steady outswingers and off-breaks rising well above the puerile. Tendulkar survived a close appeal for caught-behind off the spinner during a tentative initial phase but gradually found his groove, much to Lahli's delight.
Helped along by a steady Pawar, who scored 47, Tendulkar attempted to take the game away from Haryana bit by bit. What was inexplicable was Jadeja underbowling Day Two's five-wicket hero Joginder Sharma, who gave away only 10 runs off his 9 overs and bowled four maidens.
Just when it seemed a Abhishek Nayar and Tendulkar would close things out, wickets fell in a heap. Tendulkar was a mute spectator, his mind perhaps going back to many similar situations. But having weathered the storm himself, and with Dhawal Kulkarni for company, he is in perfect position to script his own farewell from the domestic scene.
Brief Score: Haryana 134 & 241. Mumbai 136 & 201/6 (Tendulkar 55 no, Pawar 47, Rahane 40).
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