Tendulkar's masterstroke

AFP
Not that Tendulkar was thinking only about himself. The Australians were trying by all means to unsettle his perky partner, Gautam Gambhir. On several occasions Tendulkar walked down the pitch to support his beleaguered pal. Later he became engaged in lengthy discussions of unknown import with the visiting captain. He has always been an involved cricketer. That he was on edge was confirmed by his gesticulations as errant spectators wandered in front of sight screens at inconvenient moments. No distractions could be tolerated.
Siddhartha Talya is a senior sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo