On Thursday - 10th of October, Sachin Tendulkar announced that he would retire from all forms of cricket after his 200th test in November. His announcement was not a shock but it did leave a sense of sadness. The fact that, after November we won't see those exquisite straight drives is a really hard pill to swallow. To be honest I have absolutely no idea how Indian cricket would be without Sachin. In fact by the time I was born Sachin had already scored a test match hundred to save a game. And by the time I was old enough to appreciate the game he had become great. And yet, I could enjoy around 14 to 15 years of his cricket. Thus for my generation of cricket fans - cricket meant Sachin and nothing else. Thus, we have never seen Indian cricket without Sachin Tendulkar. For my generation of cricket fans, a conversation about the game of cricket was always incomplete without discussing Tendulkar's contribution in the game. A question about India's score had to be always followed by, asking Sachin's (perhaps in many cases it preceded).
It is a great time to reflect back on all those wonderful memories that Sachin provided. One of my first Tendulkar memories was when he played an absolute blinder against Pakistan in the 1999 Chennai test. I remember seeing the game with my father. We continued to watch the game even when we lost 5 wickets for 80-odd on the board. Sachin was still playing and there was still a hope. He conjured 136 magnificent runs enduring pain and the Chennai heat. He made us forget about everything else. It almost felt as if the world came to a standstill and all it mattered in the world was the way Sachin plays. He literally hypnotised us with his batting. He took us tantalisingly close to the win. As Tendulkar fell to a doosra by Saqlain Mushtaq, at home we were heart broken. It almost felt as if we had encountered some great personal failure. I remember the disappointment I felt as an eight-year-old watching that game. The disappointment was more because of the fact that Sachin could not take us over the line than the fact we lost. The fact that his valiant effort went in vain hurt more than anything else. My another favourite Sachin memory is the World Cup innings of 98 he scored against Pakistan. It was just two days before my 10th Class board exams were beginning. I saw that innings without any worry about how I would write my exams. Such was the magic of Sachin that he took you into trans and made you forget that there existed the world which was not centred around him. I saw the double hundred in my hostel TV room. It was another breathtaking experience. Watching the games in the hostel had a special effect. So, many people watching the game together - shouting and cheering used to almost recreate the stadium atmosphere for us. The 175 against Australia at Hyderabad was another innings I had seen in the hostel TV room. I remember the heartbreak we all had. We spent hours cursing the rest of Indian batting lineup for not taking us above the line.
The Tendulkar-effect I have had is so hard to describe in words. Whenever I read a praise of Sachin, it brings an instant smile to my face. There is a sense of joy I experience - a sense of joy as if the praise was directed towards me. There is a difference in the levels of happiness I get when Sachin gets a hundred and when some other Indian gets a hundred. A Tendulkar failure has a completely opposite effect. Harsha Bhogle once said, 'Sachin effects your senses' and that is completely true. And as he also said, India truly slept well when Sachin played well. Tendulkar could never be "just another cricketer for India". In the dark years of the nineties, Sachin was India's proudest possession - and he still continues to be. He gave Indians a sense of pride. The fact that the best batsman in the world was an Indian made us feel proud of belonging to India.
As Tendulkar retires, the 5th ODI between India and Pakistan at Kanpur on 15th April 2005, where Sachin scored 1 run becomes very important for me. I was there at the Green Park stadium for that game. I had endured a very sluggish Indian innings followed by a Shahid Afridi blitz in the Kanpur heat. But, that was the only occasion I saw Sachin Tendulkar bat in flesh and blood. Probably, 50 to 60 years down the line, I could tell my grandchildren and great-grandchildren with pride that I saw Sachin Tendulkar bat in flesh and blood - although that experience lasted for only 10 deliveries.
It is a pity that I cannot make it to the stadium for his final game, but I am sure the kind of reception he would get in Mumbai, no other sportsman in the world would have ever got. I am certain he is the most loved sportsman in the world. To me, the most astonishing thing about Sachin Tendulkar is how he could impact so many people's mood just by playing a game.
So, would there ever be another Sachin Tendulkar? I think there is always a possibility of the emergence of some other player who could match the numbers of Sachin Tendulkar, albeit that the possibility is quite remote. But, I can hardly imagine any other player being born who will capture the imagination of such a large number of people.
The greatness of Sachin transcended all jealousy. We lived in an era, where no one would have been ashamed to say that, he always remains in awe of Sachin Tendulkar. Consider yourself really lucky and privileged, if you had the opportunity to enjoy the Joy of Sachin.
It is a great time to reflect back on all those wonderful memories that Sachin provided. One of my first Tendulkar memories was when he played an absolute blinder against Pakistan in the 1999 Chennai test. I remember seeing the game with my father. We continued to watch the game even when we lost 5 wickets for 80-odd on the board. Sachin was still playing and there was still a hope. He conjured 136 magnificent runs enduring pain and the Chennai heat. He made us forget about everything else. It almost felt as if the world came to a standstill and all it mattered in the world was the way Sachin plays. He literally hypnotised us with his batting. He took us tantalisingly close to the win. As Tendulkar fell to a doosra by Saqlain Mushtaq, at home we were heart broken. It almost felt as if we had encountered some great personal failure. I remember the disappointment I felt as an eight-year-old watching that game. The disappointment was more because of the fact that Sachin could not take us over the line than the fact we lost. The fact that his valiant effort went in vain hurt more than anything else. My another favourite Sachin memory is the World Cup innings of 98 he scored against Pakistan. It was just two days before my 10th Class board exams were beginning. I saw that innings without any worry about how I would write my exams. Such was the magic of Sachin that he took you into trans and made you forget that there existed the world which was not centred around him. I saw the double hundred in my hostel TV room. It was another breathtaking experience. Watching the games in the hostel had a special effect. So, many people watching the game together - shouting and cheering used to almost recreate the stadium atmosphere for us. The 175 against Australia at Hyderabad was another innings I had seen in the hostel TV room. I remember the heartbreak we all had. We spent hours cursing the rest of Indian batting lineup for not taking us above the line.
The Tendulkar-effect I have had is so hard to describe in words. Whenever I read a praise of Sachin, it brings an instant smile to my face. There is a sense of joy I experience - a sense of joy as if the praise was directed towards me. There is a difference in the levels of happiness I get when Sachin gets a hundred and when some other Indian gets a hundred. A Tendulkar failure has a completely opposite effect. Harsha Bhogle once said, 'Sachin effects your senses' and that is completely true. And as he also said, India truly slept well when Sachin played well. Tendulkar could never be "just another cricketer for India". In the dark years of the nineties, Sachin was India's proudest possession - and he still continues to be. He gave Indians a sense of pride. The fact that the best batsman in the world was an Indian made us feel proud of belonging to India.
As Tendulkar retires, the 5th ODI between India and Pakistan at Kanpur on 15th April 2005, where Sachin scored 1 run becomes very important for me. I was there at the Green Park stadium for that game. I had endured a very sluggish Indian innings followed by a Shahid Afridi blitz in the Kanpur heat. But, that was the only occasion I saw Sachin Tendulkar bat in flesh and blood. Probably, 50 to 60 years down the line, I could tell my grandchildren and great-grandchildren with pride that I saw Sachin Tendulkar bat in flesh and blood - although that experience lasted for only 10 deliveries.
It is a pity that I cannot make it to the stadium for his final game, but I am sure the kind of reception he would get in Mumbai, no other sportsman in the world would have ever got. I am certain he is the most loved sportsman in the world. To me, the most astonishing thing about Sachin Tendulkar is how he could impact so many people's mood just by playing a game.
So, would there ever be another Sachin Tendulkar? I think there is always a possibility of the emergence of some other player who could match the numbers of Sachin Tendulkar, albeit that the possibility is quite remote. But, I can hardly imagine any other player being born who will capture the imagination of such a large number of people.
The greatness of Sachin transcended all jealousy. We lived in an era, where no one would have been ashamed to say that, he always remains in awe of Sachin Tendulkar. Consider yourself really lucky and privileged, if you had the opportunity to enjoy the Joy of Sachin.
