None other than Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. I know
mere words and statistics alone cannot describe the greatness of him and his
passion towards the game and so this post is just my thoughts and
experiences around Sachin. It is an one time opportunity for me to refresh my
memories about him before he brings his curtain down soon. The things
that I like about him the most and why? and the lessons that I had learnt
and need to constantly learn and apply. Firstly it feels good to be in the era
of Sachin as we are all privileged to see some wonderful batting and
sportsmanship and most importantly the professionalism that he brings to the
game of cricket. Needless to say it's because of him, I love the game of
cricket a bit more, and I feel it's an honour to write about him all the time.
My first encounter (not in person but TV)
with him was probably around 1992 world cup but at that stage I didn't had a
close look at him because I was curiously following Ravi Shastri then. It
was in year 1994 during the New Zealand land tour where he smashed 80 odd runs
in 40 balls I started to watch him closely and it has continued from there (I
remember we were having a night study for exams in my classmate's
(KTK) home and used to get up early morning to watch the game).
Sachin is
definitely an inspiration and positive influence to me right from that time. We
used to have plenty of discussions and fights about him during my
engineering days. We almost had a whole night discussion when India lost
against Srilanka during the 1996 world cup semi final and the kind of game
Sachin played throughout that world cup. Excellent memories they are. As
students we usually have fights for who is better player question all
the time Brian or Sachin? All that feels a bit funny now when they two have a
good rapport among them and Brian went on to say if he has a boy he would like
him to play like Sachin (that shows his magnanimity and truth as
well) and the best of all comments is from Obama when he recently
stated that, he understood now why is his country's productivity went down
by 5% when Sachin is playing. I will tell Obama that from the hindsight it
could look as if it is down but when India wins and Sachin plays well the
productivity will be tripled as most of the professionals would get a boost to
perform well in their job :)
During my early days I
used to see this in the streets of India, whenever he plays the talk will
always be around Sachin and those people who do not have TV at their homes
they generally assemble outside TV showrooms and will be
relishing those moments. Every one of them will be tense as if
they are playing against Pakistan. Such is the impact that he had among
people. I usually enjoy and feel a bit tense too the moment he comes to
crease and with that boyish look when he takes guard and adjusts his abdomen
guard, wow I live that moment and my heart pumps very fast when he is at
the crease and when India chase a good total. I always think what would be
running in his mind when they make a big chase. Plenty of such
moments when Ganguly and Sachin used to
open for India and I remember those now. He has succeeded many a
times and India as well and made all of us happy and sometimes India had
lost, that's ok after all it's a game and the better team will win on that day.
Tears oozed out when
he played that cover drive against Akram with a dead straight bat and
showed elbow to the photographers in that 2003 world cup when the ball screamed
to hit the boundary line. I didn't move an inch for the next 3 and half hours.
What a game that was, chasing a total of 272 against 4 top class
bowlers Akram, Waqar, Shoaib and Saqlain.
On his 24th birthday
when he made a century during the sand storm and I was watching alone late in
the night when my parents were sleeping. I was crying in joy and when he had
back to back centuries against Australia and Steve's comment was apt that we
lost against Sachin :)
There was another
moment when India played Pakistan in Dhaka in 1998, when India were chasing a
total of 315. Azhar was captain then and when the first half was over, while
coming back to dressing room he was having a word with Sachin. I was curious
what he would have told him. And India is back in the hunt Sachin scored a
quick fire 40 odd runs in 26 balls and that changed the complexion of
the game. I particularly remember a over from Azhar Mahamood where he had a 7-2
field and the plan was to bowl every delivery around off stump and not giving
any easy run. Sachin hit 4 fours in that over alone and every time the ball
pierced the field it was a joy to watch and they just couldn't do anything to
stop. I had never seen a player like him at that point in time, such a
dominating player he was.
I was completely mood
off when in 1999 when was adjudged LBW when he ducked and McGrath's delivery
hit his shoulders ( I guess that was in Adelaide). It was a harsh decision
but he was given out. And in Sydney Melbourne he made a century during that tour of
Australia.
In 1999 when Pakistan
toured India, Sachin had a severe back ache and with that severe pain he
managed to score that famous Chennai century 139 and India went on to loose the
game. Normal beings would have been shattered with the way the rest of the 4
players got out and not able to score that 14 odd runs to win the game, after
all cricket is a team game. But he is a not a normal man and supported the team
and his men all the time. A very team player and encourages other players
to play well and give their 100% all the time.
Once I heard
Sidhu talked about him and this was his debut game in 1989
against Pakistan when he was hurt by a bouncer from Waqar
and blood was coming out from his nose. He didn't do
anything other than just to wipe off his blood and took his
guard again to face the next delivery. To me that
stands out at an young age of 16 that could shaken up
anyone. Later in an interview Sachin mentioned after that first game
he felt he can't ever play international cricket. But he didn't give up
and continued to score two half centuries in the first tour itself and
the bowling attack was one of the best in the world Imran, Akram and
Waqar. He probably would have felt that ok this is the most that could
happen when you don't watch the ball carefully and so let me watch it more
closely from the bowler's hands.
He was slightly out of
form after 2003 world cup and he struggled in that Australia tour but with
vintage heart he scored that 249 241not out in 2004 January. Once again his
mental strength and deep concentration leaving the balls outside off stump and
curb his instincts to play the outside deliveries. I love his taking guard
and stance depending on the match situations, he reads the wicket, bowlers,
match situations much earlier than any other players and that is the hall
mark of Tendulkar. Most of the other players tend to play their own game and do
not adjust most of their strokes or shots based on the wicket or other
variables and I love that about Sachin. It's because he wants to do well
whatever be the situation is, he wants to give his full.
"No player in this
planet would have gone through the sort of expectations that Sachin has to
shoulder and most importantly delivered his best all the time". Sachin is
able to tackle that mental pressure and that alone simply puts him in front of
many other top players.
Next, I still see
Tendulkar is the only player who has not had any technical weakness at any
point in time. Technically he is very compact in making all sort of strokes in
the book. He would have been bowled through the gate few times and that shows
that he is human and possibly could be out of form (hence it's temporary)
Thirdly, he has shown
his adaptability to all sort of conditions, wickets, bowlers and every
format of the game. I mean the range is huge from Merv Hughes and McDermott to
James Pattinson, which is why I rate him the best amongst all the contemporary
players. For instance Lara is an attacking player but generally he is
vulnerable in the beginning and has not played many attacking one day games and
his T20 is a flop and that holds good even for Punter too.. I see Sachin's
greatness from that perspective and to me he is a complete player
(batting, bowling and fielding) with his ability to shine in all the
departments.
I watch his interviews
and his stroke play from many of his innings that is available in Internet when
I need a little bit of boost at times. I have enjoyed every bit of his stroke
play and what he has done to Indian cricket and to the world cricket. A great
ambassador and used to be surprised and amazed with the kind of
ovation he gets in most parts of the world outside India. God gifted and most
importantly he put that to good use.
Harsha said once many
people think Tendulkar is gifted and batting comes fluent / natural to him but
the fact is it is because of the tremendous work ethic he showed towards cricket
he is able to do what he could do. The sort of net practice that he does but
the way he approaches his game and the kind of practice he put
himself in and his work ethics. At the age of 12 when we were all playing
with friends and watching TV he had spent about 16 hours in the ground playing
cricket. It is this sort of dedication and professionalism that has made
him what he is today and many of us would wish to to do the same in their
walks of life.
Few things that I
learnt and want to apply consistently in my life are these,
·
Positive thinking, mental strength and attitude
all the time
·
Worry about things that you can control and
leave the rest.
·
Process of winning matters than the actual win
itself. In other words, living in the present and not focusing much
about past and future.
·
Last but not least, Stay humble all the time and
don't let anything to go to your head.
Soon he is going to retire in all forms of
cricket (International) after playing consistently for about 24 years. Of course one cannot
play at the same level of cricket that he played at the age of 18 or 20. I
meant consistently playing cricket at the highest level for 24 years. I would
miss him definitely from the Indian team but I can still go on and cherish with all the
good memories of him while there are some good young talents coming out. I wish him
all the best and thanks for everything he has given to many people like me.
Cheers Sachin !!!