Kotla fever, India's win, and Sachin heartache

Sachin Tendulkar has been searching for his 100th international hundred since the 2011 World Cup. He appeared to be on his way in the fourth innings of the first Test against West Indies in Delhi, as he and VVS Laxman were shepherding India to victory. Then calamity (as far as the fans were concerned) struck. On NDTV.com, Madhusudan Srinivas paints a picture of the anguish caused by Tendulkar's dismissal for 76.

Dupont executive Bharat Sharma and his techie wife clicked pictures on their mobile phone cameras leaning over our third floor balcony, trying to catch the slightly disheartened Sachin, trudging back with bat held usual style, shoulders not slumped but not exactly exuding the familiar confident swagger. 'Saali ..expletive deleted' ball ko abhi neeche rehna thaa, (did that ball have to stay low now), couldn't it have been Laxman,' said a bearded kurta pajama from another corner, loudly, spitting paan.