Let's face it - any attempt to flatter the retiring Matthew Hayden was bound to end in tears and recriminations, particularly in India where his bullying brand of batsmanship has divided more opinions than most elite players of the past decade. And so the ICC has discovered, after unwisely cranking open a can of worms with the assertion that, according to their (usually well-received) world rankings, Hayden ranks as the 10th-best Test player and 18th-best ODI player of all time.
The problem was, the ICC's list referred only to the highest ranking mark ever achieved by the players on the list and didn't take into account any prior or subsequent tailing-off of form. Almost before the press release had landed, the realisation that Sachin Tendulkar was a mere 26th on the same list had forced them into a hasty backtrack, under the heading: "True greatness must include protracted excellence." David Hopps in The Guardian takes up the story.
Tendulkar produced one of his finest Test innings to beat England in Chennai last month, in the aftermath of the Mumbai atrocities, establishing still further his iconic status. It was a privilege to witness it. But, according to official ICC figures, his entire career has been a plateau, unchanging from one year to the next, entirely reliable, but lacking ultra high-performance, the Volvo of great Test batsmen.
Nearly everybody would secretly rather gaze up at mountains or down into river valleys. One hardly dare suggest it, but is the ICC hinting that Sachin's faultless career has been a teeny-weeny bit boring?
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