14th November 2013 - The stage was set. A stage fitting the occasion, the occasion as paramount as any the game had ever witnessed; a retirement, a colossal retirement; a void, a void to be filled, a void that will probably never truly be filled, the time had come. Sachin Tendulkar was to play his final part in a story he wrote for himself, he had scripted his own path for the longest time, it was time for the others to pay him back.
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And thus, it was to be, the Wankhede Stadium, India vs West Indies, the final chapter. Over the course of the one-sided Test match that was specially scheduled for the great man, fans took in the sight of the ‘master blaster’ at the crease for the last time.
As Sachin walked away from a 24 year-long career where he achieved everything in the game, questions were being asked of Team India’s ability to cope with the loss of the mercurial batsmen.
Over the course of the two and a half years since his retirement, there have been plenty of contenders to the throne. In this piece, we analyse the performance of three batsmen who have outperformed the others and try to derive a conclusion as to who has really taken the mantle from Sachin.
1) Murali Vijay - The unexpected one
When Murali Vijay broke onto the scene, not many people would have predicted that he would go on to be India’s ‘Mr. Reliable’ in seaming conditions abroad. He was more known for his exploits with the Chennai Super Kings, where he was a dashing opener.
He was brought back into the Test squad in early 2013 and he made the best of that opportunity, hammering the Australian attack at home. That performance was enough to ensure he became a key component of the squad.
How has he fared?
| Matches (Post Sachin’s retirement) | Runs | Average | 100s | 50s |
| 20 | 1529 | 43.15 | 3 | 9 |
Rating: 8/10
One must go beyond the numbers to assess Vijay’s true impact on the squad. While maintaining very impressive numbers, it is the way that Vijay applied himself that really caught the eye.
In the Summer of 2014 in England, he was India’s highest run-getter and remained resolute at the top. While the rest of the team often struggled, he remained determined and maintained his focus throughout.
He followed that impressive display by performing remarkably well in Australia as well. Not more can be asked of an opener than to perform well in arguably the two most difficult countries to bat in, England and Australia.
As India tour West Indies, Vijay had enhanced his reputation as a solid opener and someone India can rely upon when the chips are down. However, he might just have to add another element to his game as he faces competition at the top with the emergence of KL Rahul.
While Murali Vijay fights for his place in the squad, there is no doubting the impact he has had since Sachin’s retirement.
2) Virat Kohli - The heir apparent
The Delhi dasher has grown from an arrogant, cocky, albeit talented youngster to a mature world-beater in the 33 months since Sachin’s retirement. He has gone from strength to strength in all forms of the game. It is a period that saw him take over from MS Dhoni as the captain of Test side, a role has grown into and revelled in.
So how has he fared?
| Matches (Post Sachin’s retirement) | Runs | Average | 100s | 50s |
| 24 | 2010 | 45.7 | 8 | 5 |
Rating: 8.5/10
Virat’s numbers make a strong case for him. Not only has he gone about his job diligently at #4, the position Sachin vacated, he has done so in his own fashion and is currently regarded as one of the best batsmen in the world.
With that said, it has not always been smooth sailing for Kohli. Plenty of weaknesses in his game have been exposed in this time period, especially in the seaming conditions in England. His habit of pushing at the ball outside his body has caused him trouble. Often, he is found shuffling across the crease and getting caught right in front, these have been areas that have been targeted by bowlers.
He endured a torrid time in England in the Summer of 2014, a series in which he did not manage a 50 in the four Tests played. Apart from that period, he has enjoyed success everywhere he has played. Centuries in South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Sri Lanka and a double hundred in West Indies speak volumes of how much his game has grown.
However, like seen in the recently concluded third Test against the West Indies, the troubles of the Summer of 2014 still seem to plague him. He promoted himself to number 3 in the batting order and struggled. Going forward, it will be interesting to see how he manages to fix the flaws in his game and if he can manage captaincy while still maintaining a sterling batting record.
In the limited overs formats of the game, he might just be the finished product. In Test cricket, though, the questions still loom.
3) Ajinkya Rahane - The silent assassin
Be in the numbers or the way he has gone about his business, Ajinkya Rahane has been an absolute rock in the Indian setup. Earmarked for Test cricket with his solid technique, Rahane is one has taken seamlessly to the team and performed at every stage.
Since Sachin’s retirement, there are few who can claim to have contributed to India’s success as much as Rahane has.
How has he fared?
| Matches (Post Sachin’s retirement) | Runs | Average | 100s | 50s |
| 24 | 1854 | 49.84 | 7 | 8 |
Be it in England or Australia, Delhi or Colombo and now Kingston or St. Lucia, Ajinkya Rahane has developed into a consistent run-machine. He has the ability to amass runs effortlessly and has provided steel to the Indian middle order.
India had a great batsman at #5 for a number of years, Rahul Dravid, and now, Rahane has stepped into that mould and excelled. What’s more is that Rahane is also the vice-captain of the India side and he’s the perfect anchor to Kohli’s aggression.
Rahane has become India’s ‘go-to man’ when the chips are down, when the team needs runs, when a game needs to be saved. He has the ability to read situations very easily and adapt his game accordingly. Thus, one would find it difficult to argue with the fact that Rahane has done the best since Sachin Tendulkar’s retirement.
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