Sunday, November 15, 2009

Sachin at 20 !

“If cricket is religion, Sachin is god”. We have heard of this quote at least a gazillion times and every single time you listen to it, it couldn’t sound truer. The name – “Sachin Tendulkar” is synonymous with Indian Cricket today. The year 1989 played host to some of the landmark events in world history – The fall of the Berlin Wall, Tiananmen Square protests, Billy Joel’s song “We didn’t Start the fire” and most importantly as far as the cricketing world is concerned, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar’s baptism to international cricket.

A whole generation to which I belong has grown up watching Sachin propel the game to a level that all of us feel privileged to have witnessed. As fiercely patriotic as we are, for the bulk of us, sub-consciously, the game revolved around Sachin, and not around the team. The best part about Sachin’s exploits is that every sport-loving Indian feels that he has a birth-right over Sachin Tendulkar and all those thousands of runs that he scored. Such is the belongingness and attachment that we have for this god of cricket that the nation comes to a screeching halt when he goes out to play, and shuts off television sets the moment he gets out. To us, he is the reason for our ecstasy as well as our despair.

In a country of a billion people, it is quite astonishing to have starved for a real super-star role model for such a long time. India, where cricket is not a mere sport, Sachin fulfilled that vacuum with his persona, both on and off the cricketing arena. Each of us has portrayed a picture of Sachin in our own special way. To me, there are two sides to him - Sachin:the athlete, and Sachin:the super-human.

Sachin:the athlete -
With a mountain of pressure and a billion expectations that he carries with him every single time he walks in the Indian colors on to a cricket park, there’s a billion prayers doing the rounds, for, Sachin is our only hope. It is a divine co-incidence that live cricket had come to the fore during the initial years of the master’s international career. This dose of watching Sachin demolish attacks brought life to a stand-still for most of us. As a nation, we believe that we are as successful or unsuccessful as Sachin is on a given day.

From Sachin’s first ton at Old Trafford to his magnificent century at the WACA in ‘91, to the heart-breaker of an innings against Pakistan in Chepauk in ‘99, to the desert-storm that he brought about with those twin-sensations in Sharjah, to the disciplined 241 against Australia at the SCG, one thing that personifies the great man is his determination. For an ardent worshipper of Sachin like me, each of these innings is etched in rock.

A notable quote that one of Sachin’s fans made during the famous Sharjah knock goes like this – “I will see god when I die, until then, I will see Sachin bat”. The best compliment that any athlete can get is from his opponents. And Sachin has admirers galore in the enemy camps too. Opponents no less than some of the other legends of the game - Shane Warne, Brian Lara and Viv Richards rate the maestro ahead of the rest. They lament appreciably on the daylight of stroke-play gap that exists between Sachin and other players. A cricketing immortal no less than the Don himself has spoken highly about Sachin’s game. It isn't just the brutality and finesse with which the master butchers the opponents, there was sweet poetry in his batting. Shane Warne once said that Sachin gave him nightmares after the 1998 tour to India.

Sachin, the super-human:
A billion self-proclaimed cricket experts dissecting every single stroke that the master has ever played, is reason enough for a mortal to buckle under pressure. Sachin translated these huge expectations into positive energy and gave us reason to joy. For a country ravaged with problems ranging from poverty to terrorism, Sachin gave us a ray of joy, the only hope to bring a smile on an otherwise frustrated billion Indians. I am not sure if I am in awe or admiration for this icon! Throughout his career, Sachin has erroneously been on the wrong-side of many an umpiring decision and on every single such occasion, his poise in accepting the verdict with dignity is mind-boggling. A picture of composure, Sachin has gained remarkable respect from every sport-lover on the face of the planet. Every single time when questions are raised about his utility to the team, he quietly lets his bat do the talking.

Twenty glorious years of international cricket and Sachin virtually has every conceivable batting record in his name. However, the passion and enthusiasm of a school-boy that he displays even today is what epitomizes his stature. Ever since I can remember Sachin give interviews, there is one common line that he makes, and I feel, something he truly believes in, is the pride that he carries in representing India. The fact that this pride was, and still continues to remain as one of the prime motivating factors, speaks volumes about the strength of natural nationalism. The tagline of Adidas – “Impossible is nothing” exemplifies Sachin’s character and will to succeed. His humility despite all the fame, glory and adulation is unthinkable for a mortal like you or me.

For most Indians of my generation, Sachin is boss, Sachin is god. Sachin is the reason I followed the game…Sachin is the reason that a whole generation of Indians have taken up the sport and Sachin is the reason that unites a country cutting across all barriers. I dread to imagine the day Sachin bids adieu to the game, for according to me, an Indian cricket team cannot exist without the legend.

I am blessed to be born in the same era as Sachin and privileged to have witnessed his master play.

Jai Ho Sachin !

1 comment:

  1. Well written...the bond that an Indian has with Sachin inspite of seeing him only on TV and that too mostly playing a game is astounding. We haven't heard him much, we haven't spoken to him but we all adore and admire his personality. His approach to life is a lesson for us. Thank you Vinay for your tribute to the great man.

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