Why is Ajit Tendulkar in the Capital?

Ajit Tendulkar’s presence in New Delhi for the ongoing India-Australia Test match at the Kotla created a bit of a stir on Friday. He is lodged in the same hotel (ITC Maurya) as his younger brother Sachin. It is rare of Ajit to accompany him during matches. It led to speculation that Tendulkar might call it a day after the Test in the presence of his mentor.

Soon after scoring his 100th international ton in Bangladesh last year, Tendulkar had said, “The family tried to make my life as normal as possible and discussed things outside cricket. I talk a lot on cricket with my brother (Ajit). He has guided me throughout and this is something I want to dedicate to him. We have lived our dream together. Whenever I went into bat I knew that mentally he was there.”

However, it has emerged that Ajit is in New Delhi on just a three-day visit. “Ajit’s presence in Delhi has nothing to do with Sachin’s impending retirement,” said someone close to the Tendulkars. “In any case, he will not make such an announcement instantly after a Test series. It will give the media a chance to hound him. He’ll never be comfortable with such an arrangement. Remember, he didn’t announce his ODI retirement in the middle of a series. He did it when he was away from media scrutiny.”

The Kotla Test could be the batting legend’s last appearance in whites on Indian soil. India will have to wait 18 months for their next Test series on home soil — against the West Indies in October 2014.

After the series against the Aussies, MS Dhoni & Co will don the whites again in South Africa in November this year. Thereafter, they travel to New Zealand and England for Test engagements.

Tendulkar will be 41 by then. Having retired from ODIs, it’s unlikely that his ageing body will be able to cope with the rigours of duration cricket. There are exceptions like Gary Kirsten and Graham Gooch who were least touched by time. But, unlike Tendulkar, they didn’t have a career spanning nearly 24 years.

@DNA