The world knows Sachin Tendulkar
as one of the greatest batsman the world has ever known. Sachin means different
things to different people in India and all across the world. His innocent face and the squeaky voice is still as
endearing as he was 22 years ago when he gave the famous interview to Tom Alter
As a 15 year old youngster. Ever since he made his debut for India, every
lady in India wanted to mother him,
cuddle and to tender him so likeable was his personality.
In the 90’s India was so dependent on Sachin’s performances that when he failed
it literally meant that India had very little chances of winning the game. He
was the lynchpin around which the team revolved. By the time the new millennium
dawned, India’s over dependency on Sachin reduced as players like Dravid,
Ganguly, Laxman and Sehwag played some of their best cricket and India also
started winning tests outside Indian subcontinent.
With the emergence of these great
players, Sachin Tendulkar could breathe easy as the pressure to perform at any
cost reduced considerably. Sachin changed
his style of play and became a much solid batsman and his strike rate reduced considerably and today approaching 40 he still is very very good at
his art. With the emergence of young players, Sachin has become a mentor for
them. The youngsters can learn a great deal from him just watching him prepare
for the matches.. His mere presence is
very reassuring for the dressing room. In India he is treated and worshipped as
a god. For the opposition he is still a nightmare and has the ability to turn a
match by his inimitable genius. I have
often wondered as to what Sachin means to me as a person and as the cricketer. I have had the absolute privilege of watching him bat
for over 19 years. I still vividly remember him playing against England in the
home series in India in 1993. The first
innings which really caught my attention when he scored 82 runs off 49 balls
against New Zealand in Auckland. In 1994. I remember rubbing my eyes and waking up to
watch the match at 4 am in the morning. Tendulkar had come in as an opener for
the first time in one dayers. He
absolutely smashed the Kiwi bowlers all round the park. What struck me about
his innings was the freedom and the audacity with which he played the shots.
Sachin has given me millions of moments of
incredible joy and sheer happiness for which I am truly indebted to him. Such
is his magnetic quality that I have actually bunked schools and colleges just
to watch him bat. Even today as a businessman I still literally scamper from my office to my house when Sachin is nearing a hundred.
Over all these years, I have also had my
share of heartaches watching him bat. I still remember Sachin getting out LBW on 98 to a part timer called Marcus north
on the 3rd October 2010
against the Aussies at Mohali. People would wonder, What is the big hue and cry
about him getting out in the nineties?, as he has been dismissed in the
nineties the most for any cricketer. Yaaaaah well 3rd
October happens to be my birthday and I was shell shocked to say the least. I get enraged seeing him
getting out to some of the most ridiculous bowlers. I recall Sachin being tied
down against the bowling of Arjuna Ranatunga in 1997 home series. Ask him
personally and he will tell you that it is these innocuous bowlers of which he
is most weary. Sachin has often described the likes of Hansie Cronje, Dion Nash
as being the most difficult to face. I have watched almost 95 of his 100 hundreds
albeit on TV. I surely must be one of the youngest at 26 to have watched these
amount of hundreds. Last year I
watched 2 of his hundreds against England and South Africa live at Bngaluru
and Nagpur respectively. What’s more
these 2 hundreds were the 98th and the 99th of his
career. I desperately wanted to watch his 100th hundred and for that
singular reason I went to Mumbai on 23rd of November 2011. Mumbai was the venue for the
final test match between India and West Indies. On day 2, I was sitting in the North Stand just alongside the Sachin Tendulkar stand in the hospitality chamber.
West indies were still batting and they were dismissed not until the 3rd day morning. West
Indies had scored plenty of runs and Sachin came in to bat around mid
afternoon.
I thought to myself that I would
have to stay for another day if I had to see him score a century.Tendulkar was
unbeaten on 67 at the end of day 3. I remember going to the Marine Drive at 7
in the morning. I was so nervous and wanted to enter the Wankhede stadium. All
across the street I could see thousands of people waiting with baited breath
and in anticipation for the master to score those elusive 33 runs to score his
100th hundred. Finally at around 8:40 I got into the stadium with my dad. Tendulkar
started off briskly and even upper cut Fidel Edwards for a magnificent six over
third man. He was batting on 94, I thought just 6 more runs to go and I would
be one of those elusive people to have witnessed his 98th, 99th
and the 100th hundreds live on the ground. Little did I know that
destiny had something in store for me. Tendulkar just tried to scoop a short of
length delivery off Ravi Rampaul and was caught in the slips of Darren Sammy.
What made it even worse was the fact that I had seen his mode of dismissal with
those zoom in binoculars and literally followed the ball from his bat through
to Samuels in the slip cordon.
I was absolutely stunned and
could not believe that this was happening to me. The man for whom I had travelled
all the way from Pune to Mumbai and I could see the somber Tendulkar walking off after being dismissed.
It was 10 :20 in the morning and I waited for about 15 minutes and then headed
off to Pune. Life taught me a priceless lesson that day. We do not get all the
things in life which we desire. What made matters even worse was the fact that
through my train journey which lasted for just about 3 and a half hours, R
Ashwin of all people scored a century. All these years Tendulkar has managed to
bring a smile on my face every time he bats. Even in the evening of his career,
he still manages to enthrall me with his strokes. With every failure the murmurs
of his retirement become louder and
louder. As far as his retirement is concerned, my personal opinion is that he
should concentrate on the tests and help
the team during the transition phase. His run scoring will stop the day
he stops playing this great game. Thank you Sachin for all the glorious and
innumerable moments which you have provided me right throughout your career.
All through my childhood years you were the only person on whom I could rely upon to give me
happiness when I was down and out. Even today I marvel at your passion and love
for this game. Even today after so many years of watching you bat, I still wait
anxiously for you to come to the crease. I am truly indebted to you for just bringing a
smile on my face.
The lines written below are best
suited as to what I would like to say to the great man if I get an opportunity
to meet him.
“ ABHI NAA JAOON CHOOD KAR KE DIL ABHI BHARA NAHIN.”
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