Post the brief Chennai trip, Tendulkar returned to Mumbai. Lalchand Rajput, who as coach of India Green happened to be on the wrong side when Tendulkar hit a blazing 139, talked about Tendulkar’s days at MIG — the ground that has become famous for the Mumbai star’s re-hab. “I am sure he was silently waiting to prove his critics wrong. A lot of people had said a lot of things. But the best thing about him was he understood what to do when and he wasn’t bothered about anything people said about it,’’ he says.

What Rajput is hinting at is Tendulkar’s stint with the celebrity club Lashings in England. Many called Lashings a waste of time since all the action was out in the Caribbean. “They were not very competitive, but helped him get back among runs and fitness, slowly and steadily. By the time he was ready to play international cricket, he was back to his best,’’ says Rajput, pointing to the numbers (see box).

This means good news for Team India, and especially for coach Chappell and his support staff Ian Frazer. “It is wonderful to have him back. He is making everything about his batting look so excellent, once again. Let’s say he’s back to his best,’’ says Frazer. It certainly is, considering that India’s first Champions Trophy game is just a few days away and the World Cup just four months away.