It's high time to prove yourself, Sachin

<div class="section1"><div class="Normal"><span style="" font-weight:="" bold="">MUMBAI:</span> The emperor has landed. That was circa ‘89. God''s gift to world cricket. A batting genius began to rule the world. <br /><br /><a href="http://203.197.64.235/RealMedia/ads/click_nx.ads/www.timesofindia.com/india/index.html/1078535931@Bottom1" target="_top"></a>Sachin Tendulkar was his name, cricket was his game.Year 2003 and over 11,000 One-day runs later, there hangs a cloud of uncertainty. Is this the world''s best batsman? The ‘Don'' of a new era!<br /><br />Daggers have been drawn. ‘Let''s stop calling him the best batsman in the world'' thundered a headline in a National daily after Sachin Tendulkar inside edged a Daryl Tuffey inswinger, which saw his furniture rearranged in the second essay at Hamilton. <br /><br />It was the umpteenth time that the Master Blaster was dismissed inside-edging a delivery onto his stumps. <br /><br />The One-dayers were no different. Considered the ultimate batsman in modern cricket, both versions, Tendulkar''s absence in the first four One-dayers due to an ankle injury were followed by ridiculous shots that got him out in the final three. The drought of runs has given hope to pace bowlers that the king is all but human and in a vulnerable phase, form having deserted him. <br /><br />But the genius in him and his ability to storm back just when all is lost, provides that element of surprise too that the very same bowlers can expect. But is he vulnerable to the outgoing delivery or the short-pitched one or pure pace on pitches bred for grease lightening? There is no guessing this. His mastery, when in full flow, leaves little to be answered. <br /><br />However, in South Africa, the pitches will be drier and won''t seam around as much as those in Kiwiland. They, still, will have some juice. And the likes of McGrath, Lee and Gillespie of Australia and those of Olonga, Streak, Blignaut and Nkala of Zimbabwe, will look to feast on this feisty batsman and have him as their bunny after India play minnows Holland in the opener. <br /><br />What ails the best batsman in the world? Is it his position in the batting order that has unsettled his temperament? Or is there more to it than meets the eye, is a million dollar question. <br /></div> </div>