What’s going on in Sachin Tendulkar’s mind?

What’s going on in Sachin Tendulkar’s mind?

When was the last time Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed bowled in three consecutive innings? The answer is 2002 in England, first in the second innings of the Lord’s Test and twice in Nottingham. What followed next? A 193 at Leeds and 54 at the Oval.

Ten years later, the sequence repeats itself, but the concern is greater. Unlike in 2002, he hasn’t been able to piece together a Tendulkar-esque innings. The 27 in Bangalore was his highest score in his last seven innings.

When a batsman gets bowled frequently, unease is bound to beset the mind. It’s the most feared dismissal. It hints of waning reflexes. Rahul Dravid was bowled six times in his last eight Test innings.

When Tendulkar walked in to bat on Monday, he made a conscious effort to eliminate the flick to the on-side off the straighter deliveries — his undoing in the first innings.
New Zealand sniffed a chance. Trent Boult was creating the angles. Tim Southee bowled a lot straighter, hoping he’d be tempted. Tendulkar was uncertain in movement initially as if his memory was reminding him of a certain weakness and his recent run drought.

Gradually, he seemed to be getting into the zone. He stroked Southee twice through the off before a rain break. The virus returned when play resumed. Tendulkar played across the line to Southee to hear the timber rattle. Livid with himself, he was about to splinter the only upright stump before restraining himself.
Who but Tendulkar would know how he should have negotiated it? In the mind, he may have still worked it out. But at 39, does he have the same self-belief?

“Whenever people talk about Tendulkar’s form, he comes up with a brilliant performance. I’m waiting for that,” skipper MS Dhoni said.

It’s been a long wait for the man himself.