Rantings on Tendulkar's captaincy
The First Tenure
Tendulkar had a winning start versus Australia in the one off test in which Nayan Mongia made 150. It seemed like the next logical step in a career which had progressed smoothly, a career graph which was always on the rise. Then came the tests versus South Africa and India managed to win the test series along with the tri nation series between Australia, India and South Africa (The Titan Cup) at home. It looked like Indian cricket was looking at the dawn of a new era.
It was a false dawn though. Tendulkar's real test was to come in South Africa and India were humiliated losing 2-0 with the worst moment coming in Durban where India were skittled out for a 100. India had an opportunity to regain lost ground versus the West Indies in 1997 and India had some proud moments in the series like Sidhu's 200. India failed the litmus test once again being meekly out in Barbados on a deadly wicket when they required around 150 to win. What hurt was that the last wicket West Indian partnership was of 40-45 runs, exactly the margin by which India lost the test and the series. India had no Srinath in this series but they had an in form Venkatesh Prasad (who had had a terrific series versus South Africa), debutant Abey Kuruvilla and Anil Kumble. It was an opportunity lost and a test win in the West Indies after eons was a long way away, let alone a series win.
Then Tendulkar had a home and away series versus Sri Lanka. In the away series, Lanka piled on a world record breaking 952. All tests ended in draws but Tendulkar was to be sacked as national captain. Some felt it was a premature decision while others felt it was apt as Tendulkar had failed to win matches for India and failed to live upto the expectations of the public. The captaincy was given back to Azharuddin. Musical chairs were played with the Indian captaincy again, much like in the Kapil Dev - Gavaskar era.
The Second Tenure
When Tendulkar was given the captaincy a second time, it is said that he didn't want to accept it but reluctantly took it. The musical chair had brought the captaincy back to Tendulkar and he had a chance for redemption. India started off in familiar territory - home versus New Zealand and India won the series 1-0.
The real test was to come versus Australia in Australia. As visitors past and present have found out, an Australian tour can be unrelenting. India were lambs abroad and Australia slaughtered them 3-0. Gavaskar commented that there wasn't enough talent in the team. India also lost 10 of the 11 gaes of the tri-nation One Day Series featuring Australia and Pakistan.
Tendulkar faced Cronje's South Africa at home next and he couldn't have asked for a sterner test. Cronje was one of the best captains of his generation along with Mark Taylor and was highly regarded before the match fixing scandal cast it's ugly shadow on South Africa's favorite son. Cronje succeeded in doing what no captain had managed in a decade, win in India. The achievement got unnoticed in the match fixing scandal which followed but it was no mean achievement. Tendulkar took personal responsibility for the poor showing in Australia and resigned as captain.
Why Tendulkar failed as captain
There are many theories as to why Tendulkar failed as captain. Some say he was not a natural leader of men, others point out that he was always a choker while still others say that he had too much faith in Mumbai players who didn't reap the rewards for him - guys like Nilesh Kulkarni, Abey Kuruvilla and the ilk.
What I have always believed is that Tendulkar has had a great cricketing mind. You can see it when he is giving his suggestions to the captain in charge or when he is mixing his deliveries while bowling. He took a five wicket hawl in an ODI v Australia to win the match for India purely based on his bowling tact.
India translate this precious resource into a great leader of men for various reasons and I'll touch on them here. Firstly, Tendulkar got players that he wanted but he never really got all the players that he wanted. He was given Noel David in West Indies in 1997, a player he had not seen play when he asked for Sairaj Bahutule. You get the players you can command as a captain. Ganguly had wins to show for him and he got the Saba Karims and Laxmi Ratan Shuklas into the team because he achieved a power through sheer victories.
Tendulkar never had victories to command that kind of power and that fault will rest on Tendulkar and no one else. The challenges were tough but they are never easy. In the end you have to stride over them despite what the challenges are. Ganguly did it, Steve Waugh did it with his batting. Hell even Bradman was dropped for a test. It is never easy.
Tendulkar's biggest mistake was that he expected others to give the commitment that he always brought to the ball park. When others naturally didn't deliver that for him, he was frustrated. Tendulkar made runs as captain, he even won tests for a while but he was never happy visibly from his face. There was a tension, distress in Tendulkar which was always noticeable. This is what the late Ashok Mankad, one of the greatest minds on cricket in India believed, and I believe too.
Tendulkar failed as captain and there is no excuse for it.
Part 4 - A possible third chance not taken
No one expected Tendulkar to get a third chance but as destiny would have it, the whole of India wanted Tendulkar to be captain a third time. Ganguly had had his time in the sun, Dravid had been exhausted by the demands which is the Indian captaincy. India chose Anil Kumble and then Mahendra Singh Dhoni. Tendulkar missed a golden opportunity to lay his captaincy demons to rest.
Some say that it was he who suggested that Dhoni be given the captaincy. Why did Tendulkar not accept a third tenure? He had his personal game to look at and points to prove in that respect as he had been terribly inconsistent due to tennis elbow the past few years. More importantly, Tendulkar realised that his time in the spotlight had gone. It was time for a new generation to step forward and take India to new heights and Dhoni was that man. Tendulkar had already omitted himself from the T20 World Cup which India won incidentally - a sign for the future if ever there was one.
Would Tendulkar have been a good captain in his third tenure? No one can tell. He failed as the captain of Mumbai Indians and showed once again that he hadn't laid to rest the dead ghosts. Mumbai Indians was a team packed with talent but under achieved in IPL second edition. Despite all this, who knows, Tendulkar might have succeeded after all. He could have had Zaheer Khan, Ishant Sharma at his disposal. He didn't deserve another chance after being given two chances though - that much is sure. It would have been a step backwards and in the end, whether it was Tendulkar who suggested Dhoni's name or not, Dhoni was the man who deserved the captaincy to take India forward towards a new dawn.
EDIT - It's a rant, so every thing I said wont be accurate and to the text.
