Sept 21st, 2013: Alone in my hotel room in Bhubaneswar, I suddenly realize not only that Champions league T20 is going on but also Sachin Tendulkar is in the playing 11 of the Mumbai Indians team. What a bliss. The loneliness feeling which I was feeling since a while ago, is gone. A cricket match in which Sachin is playing, is always a big yes, and I think it’s the case with almost of all of the Indian cricket fans.
I still remember the day Sachin when Sachin announced his retirement from ODI’s. It was on Christmas day 2012, and I was in the church when I got a buzz from someone that Sachin announced his retirement. “I am lucky to have lived in the era when Sachin Tendulkar played one day cricket. Will always remember his 137, 143 against Ausies in Sharjah, his 98 against Pak in 2003 world cup, his 200 against SA and many more. Will always miss the countless moments of joy he gave to the cricket fans. Sachin, take a bow master! Respect!” I posted this on FB immediately, amidst disbelief that Sachin will not be seen in the blue jersey anymore.
I am born in a country where cricket is a religion. Though there was not much cricket running through my family, my bro and I were ardent cricket fans since childhood. And it was not just watching, cricket was everywhere from play station to video games to computer games to all kinds of outdoor cricket. There were days when I was in school, when we played a tournament for weeks together and recorded all the statistics. I was always a Sachin fan, I don’t remember supporting any other player ever. I also got the support of my bro for Sachin, though few of my cousins were not only supporters of Dada and the Wall but also haters of SachinJ.
Sachin Tendulkar’s one of the first best innings I remember was in Sharjah 1998, when he single handedly scored 143 and 137* to win the series against Australia. I watched NDTV news (Star news then), so many times just to watch Sachin’s sixes broadcasted again and again, with the sng “Mere mehboob mere sanam..” in the back ground. From then there were so many innings which I remember. His 98 against Pak during 2003 world cup, one of his best phases in 2005-06, his 175 and 200 in 2009 and 2010 and may more. Be it IPL or a test match, the feeling of waiting for Sachin to bat cannot be replaced by anyone else.
None have been hero-worshipped and admired as Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. He is more worshipped than some of the Hindu Gods. A priest at an ODI once brandished a banner saying, “Sorry God, but I love Sachin more than you.” With his unassailable statistics and virtual deification, Sachin has earned the right to believe and act like he is special. But he does not. His life free from any controversies, professional or personal, is a remarkable achievement. According to Paddy Upton “When someone with an extraordinary God-given talent adds to it an incredibly professional, detailed and tirelessly high work ethic, brilliance arises. The world has known just one Einstein, Mozart, van Gogh, Michael Jackson and Tendulkar. When someone with brilliance adds strength of character, humility, respectfulness to being an all-round good person, then the world is blessed with not just sporting greatness, but true greatness.”
I read somewhere that India comes to a stop when Sachin Tendulkar is batting. I remember so many days where the entire nation came to a standstill due to a cricket match; India vs Austraila in Sharjah 1998, India vs Pakistan in the 2003 world cup, many times during the 2011 world cup and so many other instances. Cricket is one such occasions where many communities, nations cheer the game together. As the coke ad said “Khlete raho.. Khush raho”!
I still remember the day Sachin when Sachin announced his retirement from ODI’s. It was on Christmas day 2012, and I was in the church when I got a buzz from someone that Sachin announced his retirement. “I am lucky to have lived in the era when Sachin Tendulkar played one day cricket. Will always remember his 137, 143 against Ausies in Sharjah, his 98 against Pak in 2003 world cup, his 200 against SA and many more. Will always miss the countless moments of joy he gave to the cricket fans. Sachin, take a bow master! Respect!” I posted this on FB immediately, amidst disbelief that Sachin will not be seen in the blue jersey anymore.
I am born in a country where cricket is a religion. Though there was not much cricket running through my family, my bro and I were ardent cricket fans since childhood. And it was not just watching, cricket was everywhere from play station to video games to computer games to all kinds of outdoor cricket. There were days when I was in school, when we played a tournament for weeks together and recorded all the statistics. I was always a Sachin fan, I don’t remember supporting any other player ever. I also got the support of my bro for Sachin, though few of my cousins were not only supporters of Dada and the Wall but also haters of SachinJ.
Sachin Tendulkar’s one of the first best innings I remember was in Sharjah 1998, when he single handedly scored 143 and 137* to win the series against Australia. I watched NDTV news (Star news then), so many times just to watch Sachin’s sixes broadcasted again and again, with the sng “Mere mehboob mere sanam..” in the back ground. From then there were so many innings which I remember. His 98 against Pak during 2003 world cup, one of his best phases in 2005-06, his 175 and 200 in 2009 and 2010 and may more. Be it IPL or a test match, the feeling of waiting for Sachin to bat cannot be replaced by anyone else.
None have been hero-worshipped and admired as Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. He is more worshipped than some of the Hindu Gods. A priest at an ODI once brandished a banner saying, “Sorry God, but I love Sachin more than you.” With his unassailable statistics and virtual deification, Sachin has earned the right to believe and act like he is special. But he does not. His life free from any controversies, professional or personal, is a remarkable achievement. According to Paddy Upton “When someone with an extraordinary God-given talent adds to it an incredibly professional, detailed and tirelessly high work ethic, brilliance arises. The world has known just one Einstein, Mozart, van Gogh, Michael Jackson and Tendulkar. When someone with brilliance adds strength of character, humility, respectfulness to being an all-round good person, then the world is blessed with not just sporting greatness, but true greatness.”
I read somewhere that India comes to a stop when Sachin Tendulkar is batting. I remember so many days where the entire nation came to a standstill due to a cricket match; India vs Austraila in Sharjah 1998, India vs Pakistan in the 2003 world cup, many times during the 2011 world cup and so many other instances. Cricket is one such occasions where many communities, nations cheer the game together. As the coke ad said “Khlete raho.. Khush raho”!
Take a bow master!
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