Sachin retires from One-day internationals. Does it make just another news for you like the other rubbish news these media is filled up with. For me, it isn't. It is as if I could stop the wheels of time and bring those 23 revolutions of earth around the sun back.
I know I did not see Sachin's debut as i was not even born at that time. But, I know how were One-dayers like. There used to be only red-leather balls and players used to wear white dresses before 90's. The only channel available in India used to be Doordarshan.
With the passage of time, the scene changed. Coloured clothing and floodlit games become commonplace. Duckworth and Lewis,Powerplays, Supersubs and Super Overs etc. They all appeared and who has seen it better than the maestro? He saw the changes and brought revolution in the game by his extraordinary technique.
My own emotional development as an adult seems to run parallel with Sachin Tendulkar’s career.As he was the cricketer who took me from my birth to the college life. Many of my friends liked Ganguly or Dravid. But I always admired him the most.Slow to anger,uncomplicated, aggressive and honest.
As a batsman, and teamman, Sachin was something I just instantly fell for.
His batting was elegant to watch. His shots were crisp and final. The ball was delivered, the ball was hit.That double hand slaps he would give at anything that had floated onto his surface. Or the double tap at the pitch he would do with his right hand. All will never be fading from my mind.
I was not old enough to get cricket when Sachin came around, and once I got just old enough, I knew this was a player for me. Sachin didn’t bat for records, milestones or cheers, he batted to win.
The great batsmen are often selfish creatures who would run out even their children if it meant they get to continue doing what they do best. That wasn’t Sachin. People often compare him to Don Bradman, but who knows Bradman only played tests and also almost against few teams and limited supply of stadiums,While Sachin played across the whole globe.
Sachin bats like a team player.Every time he entered the field he had had to control the game from there onwards.He made to move it forward, he had to make sure his team were in a better position than they were before, he had to win. The sight when Tendulkar is dismantling Fleming, Warne and Kasprowicz in Sharjah will remain until the sun stops shining.
Sachin is going from One day internationals on 23rd December 2012. I am 19 now. I wonder how will I ever tell my son/daughter in the future how I spent almost entire time of living with Sachin Tendulkar. I’d definitely tell him about his 143 in Sharjah against the best attack of the world, every detail of being at the world cup 2003, the 241 not out he produced at Sydney when Waugh had announced retirement.There were tears of happiness everywhere, including on my cheeks. But mostly I’ll tell him that despite how I loved Sachin as a batsman, and never hated him on his failures, that he was the player I grew up with.
my favourite,the player that was always there. And when my son/daughter gets bored of me going on about this old cricketer he will never see, I’ll just play him a collection of his shots that I’ve found on the internet. I wish if i would give the immortal images of him playing those shots, stuck in my mind. My friends may like Kohli, Sehwag, Dravid, VVS, Ganguly etc. but sachin is mine. To me, his batting was everything.
Sachin is the India I grew up in. But, it is now only a memory. We are indeed the lucky ones. Hail to him, my role model, SACHIN TENDULKAR.
I know I did not see Sachin's debut as i was not even born at that time. But, I know how were One-dayers like. There used to be only red-leather balls and players used to wear white dresses before 90's. The only channel available in India used to be Doordarshan.
With the passage of time, the scene changed. Coloured clothing and floodlit games become commonplace. Duckworth and Lewis,Powerplays, Supersubs and Super Overs etc. They all appeared and who has seen it better than the maestro? He saw the changes and brought revolution in the game by his extraordinary technique.
My own emotional development as an adult seems to run parallel with Sachin Tendulkar’s career.As he was the cricketer who took me from my birth to the college life. Many of my friends liked Ganguly or Dravid. But I always admired him the most.Slow to anger,uncomplicated, aggressive and honest.
As a batsman, and teamman, Sachin was something I just instantly fell for.
His batting was elegant to watch. His shots were crisp and final. The ball was delivered, the ball was hit.That double hand slaps he would give at anything that had floated onto his surface. Or the double tap at the pitch he would do with his right hand. All will never be fading from my mind.
I was not old enough to get cricket when Sachin came around, and once I got just old enough, I knew this was a player for me. Sachin didn’t bat for records, milestones or cheers, he batted to win.
The great batsmen are often selfish creatures who would run out even their children if it meant they get to continue doing what they do best. That wasn’t Sachin. People often compare him to Don Bradman, but who knows Bradman only played tests and also almost against few teams and limited supply of stadiums,While Sachin played across the whole globe.
Sachin bats like a team player.Every time he entered the field he had had to control the game from there onwards.He made to move it forward, he had to make sure his team were in a better position than they were before, he had to win. The sight when Tendulkar is dismantling Fleming, Warne and Kasprowicz in Sharjah will remain until the sun stops shining.
Sachin is going from One day internationals on 23rd December 2012. I am 19 now. I wonder how will I ever tell my son/daughter in the future how I spent almost entire time of living with Sachin Tendulkar. I’d definitely tell him about his 143 in Sharjah against the best attack of the world, every detail of being at the world cup 2003, the 241 not out he produced at Sydney when Waugh had announced retirement.There were tears of happiness everywhere, including on my cheeks. But mostly I’ll tell him that despite how I loved Sachin as a batsman, and never hated him on his failures, that he was the player I grew up with.
my favourite,the player that was always there. And when my son/daughter gets bored of me going on about this old cricketer he will never see, I’ll just play him a collection of his shots that I’ve found on the internet. I wish if i would give the immortal images of him playing those shots, stuck in my mind. My friends may like Kohli, Sehwag, Dravid, VVS, Ganguly etc. but sachin is mine. To me, his batting was everything.
Sachin is the India I grew up in. But, it is now only a memory. We are indeed the lucky ones. Hail to him, my role model, SACHIN TENDULKAR.
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