3 Indian batsmen whose last 2 years saw them averaging 20+ points lower than their career average

#1 Sachin Tendulkar

Sachin Tendulkar was just a pale shadow of his former self in the final two years of his career

Arguably the greatest batsman in the history of the game, Sachin Tendulkar holds just about every single batting record in Test cricket - including that for most runs (15,921), most hundreds (51) and most fifties (68).

Tendulkar was the torch bearer of a nation’s dreams for almost a quarter of a century, and he dismantled bowling attacks across the world with regularity. Across a stunning 200 Test matches, Tendulkar averaged 53.78 per innings.

However, during the last two years of his unparalleled career, Tendulkar was just a pale shadow of his former self. In the 28 innings that the master played in his final two years in Tests, he scored just 835 runs, at an average of 30.93 - thus enduring a dip of 25.16 points.

Tendulkar couldn't record a single century in the last two years of his illustrious career. During New Zealand’s tour of India in 2012, the master batsman was bowled on three successive occasions ‘through the gate’, prompting experts to point out a defect in his technique and the slowing down of his reflexes.

Post an 81 against Australia in the first Test at Chennai of the 2013 series, Tendulkar’s highest score over the next six innings was just 37. The ‘Little Master’ announced his retirement from international cricket in November 2013.

After 24 years at the top, Tendulkar retired after a fluent 74 against the West Indies at the Wankhede stadium in front of his adoring home fans in Mumbai.

RECORD BEFORE FINAL TWO YEARS: Innings - 301; Runs - 15086; Average - 56.08

FINAL TWO YEARS RECORD: Innings - 28; Runs - 835; Average - 30.93

Average dip: 25.16