Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. The name speaks volumes about a man who has taken Indian cricket to sach (not such) great heights in the last decade or so.
The man has a dream, dream of being a member of a world cup winning team, dream of being a member of the best team in the world, dream of being able to contribute to make Indian team achieve these heights. He nearly took India to a world cup title 7 years ago but I don’t know if it was his bad luck or our good luck that India was not able to lift the title. Why did I say it is our good luck that India didn’t lift the trophy in 2003? The reason might sound a bit outrageous but then we might not be able to see Sachin the way he is playing now. One can sense the desire of raising bars for himself in every single innings he is playing for his team. Every single run he is scoring is a world record. Every single time he went out to bat, that is a world record. The desire inside him is now making every bowler in the opposition camp suffer. Dale Steyn, the current best bowler in the world has been hit all over the park in Gwalior, and that too at will; even on good balls, by this little genius. His figure reads 10-0-89-0. Have some mercy, GOD DAMN IT!!! He’s the best bowler in the worldJ. There was no fuss, no angry gestures, no bat pointing towards any bowler, and no hitting out at media after an achievement being made. One thing that separates Sachin from anyone else is the humility and humbleness. Despite being sitting on top of almost all the records in world cricket, he never gave any false statement.
I have heard people criticizing Sachin for not been able to produce match winning innings or to be able to perform in matches where India needed him the most. But, looking at his record, he has contributed in winning more than anybody else in past 20 years. Sometimes, we pick up a couple of innings and make our judgment based on those few innings. The biggest example in this context was his innings of 136 against Pakistan at Chennai, chasing 279 to win the test, which India lost by 12 runs and Sachin was the 7th man out when India needed 16-18 runs. Many put this innings of his as one of his very best despite being in a losing cause. He was having cramps throughout the innings but he carried on because the team needed him. India was tottering at 80 for 5 during there chase when he was joined by Mongia. They took India within striking distance when Mongia played a false stroke. It all falls apart after his departure, but given the circumstances in which he was batting; it was no less than a masterpiece from the little genius. Some people say that he should have carried on till the very end and see off the victory, and although I quite agree, but COME ON MAN!!! 16 runs required with 3 wickets in hand, I thought someone tell them it is a team game and not a game of individuals. Still, he knows deep within himself that he should have stayed for some more time and that would have sealed the victory. Recently, he got a chance to do the same against England at the same venue, and this time he didn’t had to regret. The greatness of Sachin is beyond any sort of statistics.
I have grown up watching those absolutely mind blowing cover drives, those stupendous back foot punches through extra cover, tremendous flicks off the pads through mid-wicket or square leg and above all those scintillating straight drives, which no other batsman can play as he does. I must admit that like every Sachin fan, I get disappointed when he fails, when he is bowled of an inside edge, or when he is caught trying to play that back foot punch and the balls lobs in the air towards short cover or point where fielder gleefully accepts the catch, or when he gets out leg before trying to work a straight delivery on the on side. But I know that he’ll bounce back, he’ll come back and take all the revenge. He’ll not speak in a media conference but let his bat speaks. And when his bat talks the whole stadium roars.
Over the years, the genius has produced some breathtaking knocks which have helped India win matches too. Memories of hitting Shane Warne straight over his heads are still vivid in everyone’s mind (Warne’s no exception to this and he’s the first to admit it). A birthday treat in Sharjah by hitting Kasprowicz for a straight six at Sharjah to seal the trophy in India’s favor, a WC delight of carving Shoaib Akhtar over thirdman for a six and then making a mockery of Pakistan attack which has world class bowlers like Akram, Akhtar and Waqar.
World has produced great players, but it is the calm and composed nature of Sachin that separates him from everyone else. I still remember that India got off to a worst possible start in WC 2003 with bundling out for 200 against Holland in there first match but somehow manages to win that game. The complete surrender against Australia in the next match started a huge media cry back home. Media was shouting, people back home were angry, threats for families of Indian players could be heard. With such high level of expectations, some people might panicked and a very few teams could can think of bouncing back. Critics have already written India off and no body gave them a chance of making it to the League stage. Even at such desperate times, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar could keep his calm. The sight of his in the dressing room must bring a lot of composure in everyone. On the eve of match against Zimbabwe (India’s third in the compettion), during a press conference, someone ask the reason for the team’s dismal performance. He just said I won’t comment on that, the tournament is still not over. The rest is history. Such is the amount of calmness he brings with himself. In Hyderabad, everyone watched the master carving yet another beautiful innings, probably the best of his and took India within striking distance of victory. India was 162 for 4 chasing 351. The way Raina played with him shows how much confidence the genius can induce in everyone around him. Raina didn’t look nervous even when he was defending 2-3 balls in an over because at the other end Sachin was motivating him, he was saying: “Aayega aayega, pareshan na ho.” That was the magic of the little genius.
Unfortunately, people still compare others with Sachin. They should think before comparing a mortal with a god. Australian Matt Hayden once said:
“I have seen God; he bats at no. 4 for India”
Whenever he achieves something, we never see any extra emotions from him besides thanking the god and the fans in the stand. There is no running around the ground shouting “Come On”, no bat pointing towards media box, no press statement against any team or an individual. It is just what Sachin can do and no one else can think of doing. For him, only one thing matter and that is cricket. Whatever question you have about him, he won’t be answering with his mouth…you have to wait and watch…his bat will speak, and when it does no bowler can stop it.
