THE MULTAN DECLARATION

THE MULTAN DECLARATION 

The declaration at Multan was absolutely justified. Tendulkar was crawling towards his prospective double century quite against the demands of team cricket which must put rapid scoring at a premium in order to force a victory. That victory was achieved with a day to spare was not evident then and neither does it matter, considering that cricket is a team game and the interests of the team are paramount, over and above individual interest which must not only be subservient but must not feature at all in the general scheme of things. It is the captain's decision to do what he deems is right for the team and for an individual player to question it is blasphemous in cricketing terms. That Tendulkar had the temerity to do so shows him in poor light as a sort of a selfish character despite many other redeeming features which would sure show him in a brighter light. Dravid's inability to defend his decision in more forthright terms almost gives the impression that he has capitulated to public pressure and holds himself culpable to an error of judgement which, though, is not his true position in regard to the decision to declare. This meekness on his part is unseemly, quite unmanly, so to say, and not befitting a leader of men. That Tendulkar has continued to hold his ground that Dravid was wrong in declaring proves what a poor sport he is after all, despite the contrary claims by all and sundry to his unselfish demeanour. Tendulkar did place person above team in regard to the Multan declaration, was culpable to the cardinal sin of questioning the captain and has in expressing his displeasure in autobiographical publication of the same confirmed his true individualistic frame of mind as opposed to what great teammen like Garry Sobers, Vivian Richards and Virender Sehwag have exhibited as the fundamental feature of their mental make-up in regard to this great team game.

P. S. The Multan Test took place from 28 March to 1 April, 2004, the latter being the fourth day of the Test when India won comfortably.  Three months earlier on 5 January, 2004, Ganguly had declared India's second innings at 211--2 to try and force a win against Steve Waugh's Australia at Sydney. Dravid was then batting on 91 and Tendulkar on 60. The match was drawn with Australia staving off defeat by notching 357--6 when stumps were drawn on the fifth day. Earlier Tendulkar had crawled to a double hundred (241 not out) in the first innings which time factor eventually cost us the missed victory as India had eight wickets in the second innings when they were accelerating to go for a probable win. India scored 211--2 in just 43.2 overs. Dravid never grudged his skipper Ganguly's decision nor even dreamed of questioning it. He smilingly got along with what was good for the team, so much so that people have forgotten that he was also denied a century in the team's interest which, perhaps, he could have notched up in a couple of overs more. But Dravid, the team man and a thorough gentleman, bowed down willingly before his captain's decision, although it must be added here than even Dravid as vice-captain of the team had initially gone on batting even after receiving multiple intimations from the dressing room to come off as soon as they could. But in the final analysis Dravid never brewed up a sullen atmosphere in the dressing room consequent on the eventual declaration with him stranded on an unbeaten 91. Not so Tendulkar, though. He harboured hurt feelings and questioned the veracity of the management's decision to declare. And now he has given his position regarding the same in his autobiography, ghost-written by someone else as is the wont with so many cricketers. Now read and draw your own conclusions. 

Written by Sugata Bose