Spotlight: Non-Linearity of Investing Process

Investing, like running a business, requires one to be on his toes all the time. And just like a business operation can’t be reduced to a template, the art of investing can’t be boiled down to a static step-by-step process.

Sachin Tendulkar, in his 22-year long career, never opted for a runner. He was the first batsman to score a double century in one-day cricket history. During the tail end of this special inning, it looked like he badly needed a runner but he continued to run on his own.

Harsha Bhogle, one of the best cricket commentators, asked him in an interview why Sachin never took a runner? The answer Tendulkar gave, revealed a totally new dimension to the way one thinks about cricket. He said,

When I hit a ball, only I know how hard or soft I have hit it, where I have placed it and how many runs can I run for this shot. So immediately after hitting the ball I start running. However, a runner has to first look at my shot and then watch where the ball is going and then decide how many runs can he run. This puts the runner at a disadvantage.

To a novice spectator who has never played cricket at professional level, hitting the ball and running between the wickets seem to be distinct activities. You hit the ball and then you decide to run. Right? Not true.

Many fellow batsman have noticed that Tendulkar would sometimes make a call to the non-striker batsman (for one, two or three runs) even few seconds before his bat has made a contact with the ball. That proved Tendulkar’s point about having an advantage over runner.

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