``India's excuses will run out today. Tendulkar is back from Mumbai after his father's death. If the world's brightest batsman cannot make the difference for his country, it's team's stay may be a short one indeed,'' the legendary batsman told The Times here.

India's poor nine months leading up to the World Cup has hardly emboldened the side. The rest of the winter was spent as a distinctly second best side to Pakistan, he said.

Gavaskar warned if India were to make an exit next Saturday (at the league stage), there may be a crash. ``There is so much hype and hope. If they do well, sky is the limit for Indian cricket. If India's don't do well, there is a huge boom at the moment, but I fear a crash would happen.''

In an obviouscriticism of Indian strategies, he saw only those teams which had captains, bowlers and stewards coming up with tactical innovations doing well. ``In this, India is finding itself being overwhelmed,'' he said and felt there were certain traits in Indian cricket that naturally inhibited their limited-over style.

``To a large extent the Indian temperament is non-confrontational. It's a temperament that doesn't encourage you to take the aggressive step forward,'' he said. Gavaskar said, ``In one-day cricket you've got to make things happen. That's where Tendulkar makes a difference. He is the one who takes those risks.''

He said hosts England too, like India, lacked the killer instinct. ``I would be surprised if England win this tournament, but wouldn't rule it out.''

To win a tournament like the World Cup, you need either players with flair like Ian Botham and David Gower ``or you need a team which is going to play consistently,'' he added.

South African legend Barry Richards, however, said the Indianperformance so far had been above many others, even England, with their batsmen so far piling up good runs. But he also said the flaw was in the tactics. ``It is the tactics in which they are lacking,'' he said.

Richards said so far South African skipper Hansie Cronje had proved the best tactician. ``But his acid test will come against Pakistan, whose bowling attack would put the South Africans under the most serious pressure.''

He lauded Pakistan skipper Wasim Akram as a good team leader, but said other teams were lacking in that aspect.