Sachin Tendulkar
The god of cricket
Sometimes I really wonder why do people criticize sachin tendulkar??
The most common reason they give that is he never performs in big matches. I just want to say to his every critic look at the stats. There is no other Indian sportperson who has contributed more to the game other than Indian master blaster.
I still remember the WORLD CUP'99, the match against Kenya. The greatest feeling one gets apart from viewing that awfully mesmerizing knock is that of admiration, complete admiration. The lumping throat and wet eyes were clearly visible to the world as he walked to the pitch after the fall of Indian wicket direct from the funeral. I want to ask each and everyone who else had this much feeling to serve the country, to serve the game. Each and everyone who witnessed the Bristol innings would be indebted to the little genius to show that much courage. He gave one of the most inspiring moment in many years of watching cricket. It seemed like he was talking to his father and dedicating the century to his baba(as he called his father). It is even hard today for everyone not to cry when that poignant image comes to the mind. lots of people comment on his performance in big matches.
Not many people would know the fact about the famous Kolkata test of 2001. Tendulkar has the most significant contributions on the final day claiming 3 wickets on the final day including those of hayden, gilchrist the centurions in the previous test. This contri was with the ball so not much talked about.
Sachin is not just a batsmen, he is a complete cricketing package. Whether it be bat or ball, fielding or teams strategic planning. He is just the best. All the contemporary players of his era irrespective of playing with him or against him have raised there hats to his generosity and sport spirit.
Lot more things are said about his captaincy skills. His success as a captain has always been under scanner but this doesn't mean this is a scar on his geniousness.
Azharuddin was credited with saying "Nahin jeetega! Chote ki naseeb main jeet nahin hai!",which translates into: "He won't win! It's not in the small one's destiny". But all the captains under which he has played do admit the fact that he is an important part of the teams planning and his advices have constantly bore fruits for team India whether it be promotion of irfan pathan up the order which though no doubt didn't bore any long term benefits but instantly it became a hit.
"A talented man does what he can do, but a genius does what he must do"
Every time when the critics write him off he responds with a bang and that’s what makes him the greatest player of all times. After the world cup 2007 debacle lots of critics commented "tendulkar era is over". In the subsequent series against Bangladesh, Tendulkar returned to his opening slot and was Man of the Series. He continued by scoring two consecutive scores of 90+ in the Future Cup against South Africa. He was the leading run scorer and was adjudged the Man of the Series. This what sachin is all about. no cricketing lover would ever forget the 35th test century at the ferozshah kotla a carefully crafted effort which had that every shade of his geniousness over the years of his playing cricket.
Till the time his body has started complaining and its pretty natural. To copy a lifestyle even to 1% as compared to sachin's is not at all possible. With such a fan following intrusion to privacy is also automatic. in no other game or country its never that people pray for the failure of the batsmen of there own team just to watch sachin play. This is sachin's life. With such large expectations its never easy to come out in the middle and score when every time a century is expected. What game pressure means none other than sachin can tell. Pressure is what even don bradman founded difficult to handle resulting in a duck in the last innings.
In my honest opinion, I think his game videos should be made into a mandatory training video and presented to all high school, college, and professional sports teams prior to starting their season. The lessons they would learn would encompass intensity of competition, hustle, overcoming adversity, and most importantly, sportsmanship. How to win or live like a champion. His off ground affirm ness takes him miles ahead of his compatriot brian lara. 19 years of long career and not a single controversy associated with his name.
I remember adam gilchrist commenting when he came out to bat on the last innings of his game witnessing 20k soaking spectators "now i understand what sachin has to undergo everytime he comes on to bat".
Sachin once said "I am allowed to be happy when I score a century because it is a milestone but if I allow myself to be satisfied, I am denying the facts that I may have edged a few deliveries or may have been beaten or mistimed a few shots in the innings. Satisfaction is like engaging the handbrake in a car and hoping the vehicle would move forward,”
He could not have given a better expression to his hunger for excellence" It was a great lesson in living. Sachin Tendulkar. We can only thank him for so many of those wonderful moments that he has given us. Not only to celebrate them but also to ruminate on some of those in our moments of solitude and reflection.
