Tendulkar, now just a comic hero

Michael Atherton writes in The Sunday Telegraph that some of the greatest players of the modern era – including Inzamam-ul-Haq, Glenn McGrath and Anil Kumble - came to the Caribbean in the knowledge that this would be their last hurrah - in the short form of the game at least. But one, Sachin Tendulkar, has not said anything about his future … so far.

The runs have dried up. The man with more one-day international runs than any other … found himself impotent to prevent his team's demise. He seemed a peripheral figure, scoring seven and nought in the two defeats that condemned his team to early departure. In truth, Tendulkar's decline has been in evidence for a while, even to his normally adoring public. His dismissal in his last Test match in Mumbai against England provoked a round of boos, and recently in a Times of India poll 92 per cent of respondents felt Tendulkar should quit.

For whatever reason - fatigue, injuries, the goldfish bowl that is Indian cricket - the joy of playing has not been in evidence in Tendulkar's batting for some time. He is careworn, not carefree.

But Atherton points out that while his powers may be on the wane, there are many commercial interests that may delay his decision to bow out.

The truth is that Tendulkar has been marketed as a brand for some time, advertising many of the biggest commercial names in India. There are many interested parties who are keen to see Tendulkar wearing India's colours for a while yet.