A lot has been said, a lot is being said and a lot will be said. But for the moment let us pause and savor the occasion. It is never about the century of centuries that counts but the passion behind it that drives this man from the past 22 years and still counting. The toughest job in the world is to bear the expectations of billion plus people, to make their dream come true, to give them hope and this is exactly what this man has been doing.
I started watching cricket around 1996 world cup like all young Indians born in late 80's. In Meerut, i used to slip to nearby electronics shop at my place to watch each and every match that India played and get more and more hooked by it. Most vividly, i remember the innings played by young Tendulkar which used to bring the whole city to the standstill. Whether it was Sharjah in 1998 where he battered the mighty Australia in back to back innings and won the cup for India or the Chennai test match in 1999 against Pakistan where in the 4th innings India needed 236 runs and despite his scoring 117 runs out of it, team lost. I grew up with his journey and like all journeys there was joy, jubilation, disappointments and wanting. He has had brilliant times as well as rough patches but gradually the admirer in me got skeptical about his ability to win matches for India. I had long arguments with more enthusiastic friends of mine and some shared it while some vehemently opposed it. But one fact remain constant that more than number of times this man quietly and elegantly did his job without ever reacting to the criticism that came along his way. Perhaps what we forgot in our over enthusiasm is that cricket is a team play and demanding the best each and every time only from one player is too greedy of us. We should relish what Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar has achieved not for him but for the entire nation and leave the matter of his retirement to the man himself.
I started watching cricket around 1996 world cup like all young Indians born in late 80's. In Meerut, i used to slip to nearby electronics shop at my place to watch each and every match that India played and get more and more hooked by it. Most vividly, i remember the innings played by young Tendulkar which used to bring the whole city to the standstill. Whether it was Sharjah in 1998 where he battered the mighty Australia in back to back innings and won the cup for India or the Chennai test match in 1999 against Pakistan where in the 4th innings India needed 236 runs and despite his scoring 117 runs out of it, team lost. I grew up with his journey and like all journeys there was joy, jubilation, disappointments and wanting. He has had brilliant times as well as rough patches but gradually the admirer in me got skeptical about his ability to win matches for India. I had long arguments with more enthusiastic friends of mine and some shared it while some vehemently opposed it. But one fact remain constant that more than number of times this man quietly and elegantly did his job without ever reacting to the criticism that came along his way. Perhaps what we forgot in our over enthusiasm is that cricket is a team play and demanding the best each and every time only from one player is too greedy of us. We should relish what Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar has achieved not for him but for the entire nation and leave the matter of his retirement to the man himself.
Bhai tu kabse likhne lag gaya so good articles. First time I was reading like it was written by some professional, but when I saw writer name, it is chati...:). Keep on writing.
ReplyDeleteBhai bas lag gaya keeda...aur Dhanyawad itni Badai karne ke liye :)
Delete"Long arguments with more enthusiastic friends" :-p :-p
ReplyDeleteStill remember the bet we had with Manu for 2011 World Cup that he will score at least 4 fifties or two hundreds !!!!!!!!