Tendulkar who is a no nonsense cricketer who believes in playing the game hard and according to the rules, is flabbergasted at the team that has been foisted on him.
NOT AT ALL HAPPY
In an interview with the 'Aajkal' newspaper in Calcutta, Tendulkar has revealed that the Indian team to tour Sri Lanka is something of a 'B' team and that he is not at all happy with the selections.
From what Tendulkar has to say it is apparent that the Indians when they play here will be a disjointed side.
The Indian selectors who have played the game at the highest levels cannot feign ignorance and tell the world that the captain must lead a team that they pick. They must be aware that it is the captain who faces the music when his team wins or loses.
OPPOSED
From what Tendulkar has to say, he has apparently not sat with the selectors when the team to Sri Lanka was picked. If he had been at the selection meeting Tendulkar would certainly have opposed the dropping of Kambli and Mongia.
The Indian selectors would have ducked all this stick from Tendulkar had they invited him to the selection meeting. It is the accepted norm that when a squad is picked, it is the captain who finally gives it the okay.
What is also admirable in Tendulkar is that he has made known what he feels about the captaincy. We can imagine what he wants the selectors to do with it. He is not craving for that post.
STAYED BACK
Tendulkar would have done well had he stayed back and offered the captaincy to the selectors to lead the squad to Sri Lanka.
What would have shocked and disappointed Tendulkar most would have been the selection of former Indian captain Mohammed Azharuddin. Tendulkar has gone on record saying that Azharuddin could make his way back to the national team, if he continues to make runs in the domestic tournaments.
But 'Azhar' like some magician has been named in the squad without having played any cricket after his disastrous tour of the West Indies, where his carefree batting was apparently one of the reasons for India losing the Test series to West Indies. By including 'Azhar' the selectors have moved a no_confidence motion against Tendulkar and told him what they feel about him.
NOT FROM THE FRONT
With a team that is not to his liking it is apparent that Tendulkar will not be leading from the front. Then why lead at all? It is not too late for Tendulkar to re_think touring here.
Indian cricket has always been riddled with sports politics. The 'Azhar' episode however is not the end.