Cape Town, South Africa: Sachin Tendulkar's tearful farewell in front of an adoring home crowd put a damper on this month's series between the two best test cricket teams in the world.
India's first challenge in the post-Tendulkar era is a two-test away series against top-ranked South Africa, but it was initially planned as a three-match contest between the five-day format's leading teams. Tendulkar's 200th match was going to form part of the contest.
Instead, India's desire to give the world's most worshipped player his tribute at home led to a re-jigging of the schedule. While India got to celebrate with Tendulkar in Mumbai, South Africa had seven matches wiped off its international calendar and was left with a cricket-less January
