Tendulkar's popularity with India's fans is unprecedented

India's fans have idolised several generation of cricketers and placed them on a par with film stars, but never has this infatuation come anywhere near Tendulkar's appeal.

But there is a flip side.

It can never be a comforting feeling for any batsmen who steps in to replace Tendulkar in the middle and sees the bulf of the crowd heading for the exit.

It is a scene that gets repeated at venues across the width and breadth of India, with no-one able to explain this phenomenon.

Ravchand Vaghari, an employee working at Ahmedabad's Motera Stadium, said his attraction for doing a 16-hour shift was to see Tendulkar in action.

"My interest is restricted to watching Tendulkar bat, hoping for him to score a century and shape an Indian win," Vaghari said.

"For me, nothing in cricket compares with these things occurring in a sequence."

Tendulkar's public appeal is not subject to, or threatened, by the Indian team's poor performance.

Tendulkar's presence can be a mixed blessing

At the moment, cricket often rides the popularity charts on his shoulders.

But having such a genius in the team could be a mixed blessing.

It is not infrequent for spectators to boo openers when they linger on too long in the middle, denying them an extended innings from Tendulkar.

Not that they can help it, but not everyone feels comfortable playing the supporting cast.

Given a choice, few batsmen would like to bat ahead of Tendulkar.

It is considered a blessing that Tendulkar became an opener in limited overs cricket.

At venues where sale of daily tickets is prevalent, the sales pick up only when people are assured of Tendulkar batting on that particular day.

But his quick dismissal could upset the best laid plans of any organiser.