Now that emotional euphoria about the champion
little master`s retirement is slowly becoming the part of the history, maybe
just worth trying to portray him in words. Extremely challenging to cover such
an illustrious career in an article like this. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar…the name
says it all….Said it all rather… not for days..months..years…decades..But
almost for the quarter of a century…24 international years to be precise.
Staggering…everything about the man..from playing effortless cricket to humbleness…modesty.
Icon of icons. The more he played well first the Indian cricket lovers and then
the whole cricketing world went on becoming hungrier and hungrier. The boy
wonder that started at just sixteen years of tender age against the most
fearsome attack then in 1989 comprising of Wasim Akram ,Waquar Younis legendary
Imran Khan and number one spinner Abdul Qadir that too in hostile Pakistan.
Sachin rapidly went on to become man for all occasions for team India. Stepped
out on the field at Karachi, on Nov
15, 1989 for the first Test verses Pakistan. But the real test came almost a
month later on December 14, now much talked about: on the last day of the last
test match in Sialkot: Got hit on the nose by Waquar Younis, felled down, got up, wiped his bleeding nose, declining
the medical assistance just went on to make 57 runs. For Indian cricketing
world the story had started even before, when at 15 on December 11, 1988 scored
an unbeaten century against Gujarat at Wankhede stadium, youngest Indian to
make a century on the first class debut. Many more firsts followed then for
more than two decades. Then Mumbai captain Dilip Vengasarkar had picked the
teenager when he saw negotiating Kapil Dev in the nets. Further on New Zealand
tour at Napier in February 1990 Sachin missed to become world`s youngest test
century maker by 12 runs. Well ultimately later in August 1990 against England
at Old Trafford, Manchester scored match saving 119 not out. The first of hundred international
hundreds batting at number six in his ninth test match. Masterly display by a
17 year old Mumbaikar. At this point the
world started taking a serious note of Sachins` deeds. Further two dominating
hundreds in early 1992 on Australian tour and especially at Perth on world’s
fastest, most bouncier pitch, sealed his status as number one batsman. Then there was a series of international centuries
up to hundredth on March 16 2012 in Bangladesh, turned out to be his
penultimate one dayer of his career of 463 matches, scoring 18,426 runs, at a
healthy 44.83 as batting average. In between scored first one day international
double hundred in February 2010 against South African Dale Steyn and company,
at Gwalior.200 test matches with 15,921 runs at 53.78 batting average. Totaling
to more than 34, 000 overall tally. This means 1431 international runs made
every year for 24 consistent years.
But does these astounding statistics
tell the whole story? Well it is just the summation of an incredible journey.
World may never witness like this one. When Sachin stepped on an international
scene Legendary Sunil Gavaskar had just retired a couple of years back, leaving
a big vacuum to fill. Mohinder Amarnath and Dilip Vengasarkar were past their
primes. K Srikkanth, Ravi Shastri were finding hard to fulfill raised
expectations of Indian cricket lovers. Apart from Sanjay Manjrekar, Mohammad Azharuddin
and Navjyot Siddhu were hardly any quality batsmen around. The whiz kid steeped
in at just 16 years of age and made the cricketing world his stage, went on to
become one of the most sensational phenomenon. Within couple of years become
the darling of the cricketing crowd world over. If Sunil Gavaskar had shown the
Indians how to handle giant pace bowlers the world over with sound technique
and with just around 5 and ½ feet stature, Sachin went on further few steps
ahead and displayed how to dominate, dictate them in any condition,
fearlessly…aggressively. Indians so desperately looking for a hero got hooked
to his brilliance. Went on creating master pieces match after match, series
after series, year after year. Tirelessly, effortlessly carrying the burden of
expectations of the whole country every time, he played for India. India just
never ever had enough of him; the more he played cricket lovers craved for even
more. The hunger of hopes fuelled by man`s hunger for runs, better performances
on the field. And well how he fulfilled almost every wish, every demand of this
cricket crazy nation. From thrashing Pakistani Shoaib Akhtar on a world cup
stage to winning the one at Wankhede Stadium Mumbai on that 2011 April evening.
From Sharjah evening desert storm to Headingly, England. His bat always did the
talking. Forcing to eat opponents their own words every time, even in their own
backyard. Not only to the cricket or sports lovers it had given the much needed
self confidence to the billions of Indians. Confidence to take the world on.
This coincided with the emerging young India post 1991 economic liberation. His
down to earth behavior, humble nature made to wish every mother a son like him,
every sister a brother to be proud of. Every sports person tried to follow his unending
passion for the chosen game, his work ethic. The champion carried the burden of
expectation of millions and millions of fans gracefully. Barring few fabulous
years of brilliance of Indian Batting line up of Dravid, Laxman, Sehawag and
Ganguly. Along with these and Kumble and Srinath reestablished the
credibility of the Indian cricket post 1999-2000 match fixing dark chapter. Not
to speak of inspiring generations from Virendra Sehawag, Yuvaraj Singh ,M S Dhoni
to Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and so on the world over, to play cricket like him.
From broken fingers, toes to tennis elbow the master blaster weathered all
physical injuries; almost every body part was hit by a cricket ball over the
years. Even few psychological blows, when his Mumbai home crowd booed him for a
failure against England, few years back. He took all in his stride and kept on
bouncing back every now and then. Even critics got fed up of raising questions
about his retirement. Ever opportunist market forces thrived to cash in the
opportunities, making him the worlds` richest cricketer. Favorite, salable
supermodel from toothpaste multinationals to builders selling flats. India was
happy with such an irresistible, tempting, overpowering addiction. If possible,
everybody would have readily and happily given some part of his/her life to
enable to continue like this forever. He made everybody to forget life`s
miseries, brought many many moments of sheer joy, happiness to millions of
viewers the world over. Kept on inventing new innovative ways, shots from
helicopter to upper cut to negotiate well prepared bowling attacks. Ever eager
and willing to help youngsters, ask from Sehawag, Virat to Pujara. Always a
team man to the core. BCCI would be forever indebted to him. So the ruling
parties, politicians, as his game certainly helped to divert public attention
over the core issues. The only minor objection from critics was that terming
him as an establishment man. As he never really spoke freely about the dark
chapter of match fixing, being an insider and integral part of the team.
Well Sachin, we would have definitely
loved you to continue few more years, even though recent performances were not
a typical Sachin like. The last innings on November 15 morning was a reminder
of the effortless class, was hard to believe that this was going to be your
last one. Played with such a free and flowing spirit on Wankhede wicket in
front of home crowd. Slowly with increasing age batting kept turning from
dominator to accumulator. But fans seldom complained. Signs of fading sun were
started appearing with every passing series. Brain was accepting but heart was
always in full denial. As long as you were on the ground, especially at the
batting crease there was hope of bright, entertaining future. Some memorable
moments were used to follow inevitably every now and then. You had repeatedly
said over last few years that you would take the decision at right time. You ultimately
thought this one is the right, who can be better when it comes to time a
masterstroke. This was the final one from you. Hopefully the new generation of
batsman is shaping up, as evident at least in the subcontinent conditions to
try and carry forward your legacy. You are walking into the sunset with so much
to recall, over the life time, from the bag full of golden memories. For the
diehard followers –The `GOD` has left the temple. Bharat Ratna or not would
have hardly mattered. Good Bye; Alvida dear Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar the nation
would be ever grateful to you.-for Gavakari`s The Day View, Nashik.
