First of all, and lets get this out of the way straight away, there is no question that Sachin Tendulkar is one of the most gifted batsman of all time. His natural talent is beyond dispute; the combination of remarkably sound technique and aesthetically pleasing flair is very unique. The ability to make economical movements that effect more than what the eyes see immediately, decisively attack balls that others defend and consistently pierce gaps easily set him apart on the talent stakes from pretty much every contemporary batsman (except Brian Lara).; And of course,very fortunate to have such talent serve its national team.
But cricket ultimately is a team game. If you make individuals stars in a team game, it stands to reason that their contribution to the teams success is in that proportion too. It is true in every other sport, but somehow this basic truth gets obfuscated in cricket. And on this count, to put it bluntly, Sachin Tendulkar does not live up to anything near his billing. Unlike every single notable peer of his ; Lara, Steve Waugh, Aravinda DeSilva, Inzamam, Ponting, Hayden, Kallis, Fleming and most importantly Rahul Dravid.
