What if Wednesday | What if BCCI didn’t invite Windies for Sachin Tendulkar’s farewell series

And just like many things with the man himself, this moment slipped into the golden chapters of the sport’s history as the most iconic farewell ever bestowed on a player. And rightfully so, it was done for a cricketer who was adored, respected and loved in a whole new spiritual level for the cricket fans in India and abroad, with his cult crossing the teeth of eras and generations. 

India travel South Africa in 2013 with the intention of giving Tendulkar a memorable farewell. The team has the likes of Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara - slowly turning out to be the current Indian team’s answer to the throwbacks, but long away from being a settled side. This tour is important for MS Dhoni, who is having a torrid time in Test cricket himself while enduring some gut-wrenching losses in the away tours. Something needs to change and Dhoni is feeling the pressure. However, as things stand, India, after a close draw in Cape Town, go on to lose the subsequent two matches in Durban and Port Elizabeth and concede the series 2-1.

Kohli, excited by the opportunity, showcases his masterful self with Ravindra Jadeja and Mohammed Shami helping India in Auckland followed by Kohli’s twin centuries and attacking brand of captaincy leading them to a 2-0 series victory - India’s third-ever series win in the Kiwi nation. Kohli, as a matter of fact, scores 538 runs in the series, making the team a competent side in the SENA year. 

Meanwhile, Dhoni continues to lead the white-ball side with moderate success and India loses the final of the 2014 T20 World Cup. That, however, doesn’t deter Kohli in white-ball clothing, with the team travelling to England where they had been thrashed 4-0 last time. The story becomes different this time though, with Kohli once again leading from the front at Lord’s and Old Trafford, with Rahane and Ishant Sharma becoming India’s force in action. Fearing Ishant and Bhuvneshwar, England dish out batting-friendly tracks, and that plays to their hands. Sam Robson and Alastair Cook play some of the very best innings to solve England’s opening woes but India deliver pound by pound reply to ensure that the series ends being a 2-2 draw.

It is now or never for the Indian limited-overs side and nothing other than a World Cup win can save Dhoni from leaving the captaincy. India select a rather different side, with players like Umesh Yadav, Axar Patel and Mohit Sharma filling the spots, something that proved to be counter-intuitive on big occasions against big teams. Australia crack India’s holes as India crash out of the World Cup. Dejected by the loss and what was happening with the Test side under Kohli, Dhoni announces to hang up his boots from all formats of the game, leaving Karthik to fill up his spot.

It is the start of a new era in Indian cricket, with Kohli drafting in leg-spinners like Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, with the pace unit donning an attacking role. Manish Pandey and Shreyas Iyer fill in for Suresh Raina and Axar Patel and Kohli leaves no stone unturned. With no Dhoni to guide from behind the stumps, Kohli forms his own style and goes all out in making things happen. 

By the time 2016 T20 World Cup arrives, India are ready to roll and secure comfortable victories over New Zealand, Pakistan, Bangladesh before playing out a thriller against Australia. The semi-final this time was against West Indies, when Kuldeep Yadav strikes in the first over, with Yuzvendra Chahal ripping apart the middle-over almost single-handedly. There is no Russell power, no Simmons drama as India scamper to the World Cup showdown to be played against England at the iconic Eden Gardens. 

India had already played against the same opponents in the 2013 edition of the Champions Trophy and the familiarity beckons this time too. England bat first, with Jason Roy and Alex Hales teeing off to 103 in 10 overs when Chahal comes into the attack. English players’ inability to understand spin bowling prove too costly as Chahal sends both the openers back to the hut before Kuldeep manages to get rid of Joe Root and Eoin Morgan. Jos Buttler pushed the innings to 165 as India have a target of 166 in 20 overs. 

The run-rate is above 13 now and now Karthik ticks off. None is spared, not even Adil Rashid, not Joe Root, not the death specialist Chris Jordan. India are at the top of their game and fans dare to believe. Ben Stokes is about to bowl the last over, with India needing 19 runs, and Karthik on strike. Three balls and five runs later, the equation is 13 needed off 3 and then Hardik Pandya happened to Ben Stokes. He hits three sixes in a row to guide India to their second World T20 victory.