2003
Modest By His Own Lofty Standards
Coming of his busiest season in 2002, the year 2003 was modest in terms of runs for Tendulkar. He ended with 153 runs in three Tests, and no hundreds.
The ODIs were way better. Tendulkar got three hundreds, one of them against Namibia in the World Cup at Pietermaritzburg in South Africa. It was a run-filled World Cup with 673 (six fifties and one century) in 11 matches. Later in the year, he had a very successful outing in the TVS Cup tri-series with 446 runs which included two centuries. He totalled 1,141 in 21 matches, the sixth time he had more than 1,000 in a calendar year.
For his fans, who were used to regular three-figure knocks, three centuries seemed rather little. After all, in the seven-year period between 1995 and 2002, he had made 52 centuries. Tendulkar had now spent 14 years in international cricket and had 67 international centuries to his name.
Tendulkar Makes Good an Opportunity to Add Another Century
‘There are two kinds of batsmen in the world. One, Sachin Tendulkar. Two, all the others - Andy Flower, msn.com, April 2011
THE SITUATION
India’s World Cup dream began with a win over the Netherlands, but they stumbled somewhat with an embarrassing loss to Australia, being dismissed for 125 in 41.4 overs and allowing Australia to reach their target in 22.2 overs for a nine-wicket win. However, India went on to beat Zimbabwe and followed it up with a win over Namibia.
In their next two matches, India beat England and Pakistan to make the Super Six, and from there on they qualified for the semi-finals, where they beat Kenya. In the final, though, they lost to Australia.
Although India faltered at the final step, it was a highly successful World Cup for Tendulkar, who made one century and narrowly missed two - he got 98 against Pakistan and 97 against Sri Lanka. Overall, he had one century and six fifties, an aggregate of 673 runs in 11 matches, an average of 61.12 and a strike rate of 89.25.
RELIVING THE CENTURY
After the dismal performance against Australia, India’s batting was a big concern. They had barely crossed 200 against Netherlands and managed only 255 against Zimbabwe. Both times, India won by a good margin only because the opposition batted worse. To add to the tension, Namibia had given England some tense moments in their previous match.
Namibia’s captain Deon Kotze won the toss and put India in. This time, India’s batting really took off Virender Sehwag (24) and Tendulkar (152 of 151 balls) put on 46 (of 47). Then Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly - who made 112 not out, his 20th ODI century - put on 244 runs and India ended with 311 for two. Namibia made only 130 as Yuvraj Singh gathered an unexpected harvest of four wickets for six runs in 4.3 overs. This helped India get their biggest win so far in the World Cup. Later, they beat Sri Lanka by an even bigger margin.
Tendulkar was dismissed in the 48th over for 152 (18 fours), but it wasn’t one of his best innings. He edged the ball several times and was dropped once, at 32. But he resisted the temptation to step out too often to the weak Namibian attack.
The runs came quickly enough, and Tendulkar showed of some of his trademark strokes like the straight drive, which had umpire Aleem Dar diving for safety.
When Namibia came out to bat, the biggest worry was the weather. But the rain stayed away long enough for India to win comfortably. As expected, Tendulkar got the Man of the Match award.
Did you know…
» Sachin Tendulkar’s first 150-plus knock, his fourth World Cup hundred, beat his previous best of an unbeaten 140 against Kenya in 1999. He also became the first player to score one-day hundreds against ten different countries.
» The 244 runs Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly put together comprised their third 200-plus stand.
» In the week of the match, the Indian team attended a ceremony to unveil a plaque at Pietermaritzburg Station, where Mahatma Gandhi had been infamously thrown out of a train in 1893.
Tendulkar Makes Up for World Cup Final Loss in a Small Way
‘Technically, he stands out as the best because of his ability to increase the pace at will’ – David Boon, hindustantimes.com
THE SITUATION
With Sourav Ganguly forced to sit out some of the early matches after a surgery India was led by Rahul Dravid. In the previous three seasons, Dravid had led India in four ODIs when Ganguly had been either rested or injured.
The TVS Cup tournament was played between Australia, New Zealand and India. In the league matches, India won once and lost twice against Australia. Against the Kiwis, the hosts won once, lost once, and one match was rained out. The Kiwis lost all three times to Australia, enabling India to move into the final. Once again, Australia had the measure of India in the final, just as they had in the World Cup final earlier in the year. After having opened the tournament with a century against Australia at Gwalior, Tendulkar made 45 in the final, and India lost by 37 runs.
Tendulkar, who would score one more century in the series, was again adjudged Man of the Match.
RELIVING THE CENTURY
At India’s first meeting with Australia since their loss to them in the World Cup final, India were well served by Sachin Tendulkar, whose failure in the World Cup final had proved costly. Supporting him here was V.V.S. Laxman. The duo took over after Virender Sehwag was dismissed of the third ball, and put on 190 for the second wicket. That set the stage for a late onslaught which fetched 89 in the last 10 overs.
Tendulkar’s innings was a fairly aggressive one, with the first fifty coming of 50 balls, with nine fours. The second fifty was slower and took 67 balls - no fours, and only one six. Tendulkar’s determination was visible in the careful approach that marked his batting. He was, for a change, willing to play the waiting game and there was little chance for the opposition once he had made up his mind to occupy the crease.
Tendulkar looked in full control for the most part, except for a brief while against Brad Hogg. It was in fact a very calculated performance by both batsmen, who simply wanted to stay on without taking undue risks. Both scored mostly in the cover region. Tendulkar was seeing the ball well from the start and looked like he was set for a big score. At one point, a total of 300 seemed within reach. But then, both Laxman and Tendulkar seemed to loosen their grip and India managed only 283. Australia started the chase well with Adam Gilchrist, opening with Matthew Hayden, scoring 50 of just 39 balls. They added 132 for the opening stand but then lost seven wickets for a mere 53. Despite some rearguard action, Australia were restricted to 246 for nine in 50 overs. They lost by 37 runs.
Did you know…
» This was Sachin Tendulkar s seventh ODI hundred against Australia in 36 games.
Electric Tendulkar Puts India on Road to Victory in TVS Cup
‘ You can never say that he is out of form. He is a volcano waiting to explode and we hope he doesn’t do that against us in the one-dayers - Daryl Tuffey, thatscricket.com, 21 October 2003
THE SITUATION
As in the World Cup, Tendulkar had a great run with the bat in the TVS Cup too. His scores of 48 not out, 100, 68, 14, 89, 102 and 45 meant 466 runs from seven games at an average of 77.66 per innings. This aggregate included two centuries, one each against Australia and New Zealand, and two fifties. Sadly, it was not enough to get India the title.
Once again, as in the World Cup final six months earlier, India lost the TVS Cup final, despite Tendulkar’s 45. Rahul Dravid led India and kept wickets too, as he had been doing for the last two seasons. The injured Ganguly was sorely missed.
RELIVING THE CENTURY
In the last league match against New Zealand at Hyderabad, India won the toss and elected to bat. With Virender Sehwag (130 of 134 balls) for company, Tendulkar added 182 for the first wicket. He got to his century of 87 balls and his 102 came of 91. Sehwag and skipper Rahul Dravid also partook of the run feast, and India put up 353 for five in 50 overs.
The Kiwis must have felt a sense of déjà vu because three years earlier, Tendulkar had scored an unbeaten 186 and with Rahul Dravid smashed 376 for two at the same venue.
Tendulkar dominated the bowling, though Sehwag at the other end did no less a job. The drive and cut were textbook perfect and he also played his one-day specials: deflections, paddle-sweeps and some swats too.
After the century against Australia at Gwalior, Tendulkar had missed another one against the Kiwis at Bangalore where he was dismissed for 89. This time he would not be denied. After a 47-ball 50, he got the next of 40 deliveries. If the Kiwis thought they could breathe easy after he left, Dravid dispelled the notion with his 22-ball 50.
New Zealand didn’t stand a chance after Stephen Fleming’s withdrawal due to injury and the target of 354 looked out of reach. Scott Styris did get a smashing 54 of 49 balls and he and Brendon McCullum (31) held the fort, but they were all out for 208.
Though the talk was all about Tendulkar’s 36th ODI century, it was Sehwag with 130 who was chosen as Man of the Match.
Did you know…
» Rahul Dravid, never seen as a quick-scoring batsman, made the second fastest fifty by an Indian, getting to it in 22 balls.
PARALLEL LIVES
Viswanathan Anand: It was yet another poster year for Anand, whose dominance of the chess world was becoming more apparent each year. Playing way more than the other top stars, Anand won the year’s first Super GM tournament in Corus Wijk aan Zee and then, a month later, made history by becoming the first player to win all three titles - Blindfold, Rapid and Overall - at the Melody Amber Tournament in Monte Carlo.
He finished runner-up at Dortmund, but then successfully defended his title at the Chess Classic of Mainz, and added the World Rapid title at Cap d’agde by beating Vladimir Kramnik in the final. He rounded of the year by winning the Corsica Masters, Bastia, for the fourth time in seven years.
Leander Paes: After his last men’s doubles win on the ATP Tour with Mahesh Bhupathi in April 2002, Leander Paes had been mostly playing with David Rikl of the Czech Republic. He won three times with David Rikl and once with Serbian Nenad Zimonjic. But it was his success in the mixed doubles with the legendary Martina Navratilova that made headlines. Forty-seven-year-old Navratilova and Paes, then 30, won both the Australian Open and the Wimbledon mixed doubles titles.
However, the euphoria of the twin Slam wins was tempered by news of a suspected brain tumour within weeks of Paes’ Wimbledon triumph. It was later found to be a parasitic brain infection that forced him to miss the US Open. He was fit and back again by the end of the year.
THIS ALSO HAPPENED IN 2003
Roger Federer, who is Tendulkar’s favourite sportsperson apart from Michael Schumacher, won his first Grand Slam singles title at Wimbledon. Over the next decade and a half, Federer would win a record 16 Grand Slam singles titles.
India’s stock rose when Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, who had worked through the year to build relations with Pakistan, was seated at the head table with US President George Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the 300th Foundation Day of St Petersburg on 31 May. Three weeks later, Vajpayee conceded that Tibet was a part of China and China, in turn, agreed to recognize Sikkim’s accession to India.
On 28 February, the United Nations, which had earlier declared that there was no link between Al Qaeda and Iraq, said there was no evidence that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. Less than three weeks later, US, British, Australian and Polish troops invaded Iraq without the sanction of the UN. On 1 May, US President George Bush declared that major combat operations in Iraq were over. Towards the end of the year, on 13 December, the saga of Saddam Hussein came to an end with his capture outside Tikrit, his hometown.
On 25 August, Mumbai was rocked by twin bomb blasts that killed 52 people.
On 15 October, China put its name on the space map, sending Yang Liwei into orbit, and became the third country to do so. A week later, on 24 October, the famous Concorde made its last commercial flight from New York to London.
Tragedy struck Iran in the final week of the year, with a devastating earthquake that killed more than 30,000 people.