Sachin Tendulkar takes guard in a Test match for the first time as a member of parliament when India begin a new home season this week, aiming to rebuild their damaged reputation. A two-match series against lowly New Zealand, starting in Hyderabad on Thursday, is an appetiser for the main course - four Tests each against England and Australia, who both thumped India 4-0 over the past year.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men will seek to avenge those drubbings in England and Australia. India were dethroned as the top-ranked Test side and have now slipped to fifth.
"We need to return to winning ways and we have the team to do it," outgoing chairman of selectors Krishnamachari Srikkanth told AFP. "I have great hope for the future." Tendulkar, 39, the world's leading batsman with an unprecedented 100 international centuries, was in April nominated to the upper house of parliament, the Rajya Sabha, for his contribution to the nation.
The record-breaking batsman, who made his Test debut in 1989, insisted the honour would not distract him from contributing to the team's resurgence. "It is an honour to be nominated to parliament. I have not fought an election," Tendulkar said in a recent interview. "But I am an active cricketer and I will be focused on the game."
Tendulkar is the last of a core group of Indian batting pillars still playing, following the retirements of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman, which have left a gapping hole in the middle order Dravid quit in March after a brilliant 16-year career during which he scored 13,288 runs and 36 centuries in 164 Tests.
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