The Master Blaster
Sachin Tendulkar; I hardly know where to start. The man who single-handedly brought the nation to a standstill, sent a million hearts racing, made countless people bunk college and work, seems to wind up in any conversation relating to sports ranging from Sepak Takraw to Athletics. The cliches just keep pouring. Yet oddly, I and a majority of other cricket fanatics seem to find it as perfectly normal and in most cases an understatement of the true worth of this otherworldly genius.
What is it that seems to make this diminutive genius such an attraction to every single person who sees him? Is it his immeasurable talent, honed by years of hard work and commitment? Is it his impeccable personality, his humility and his sheer goodness if one might say that?. Once again I know I am speaking about the obvious, but what I really think drew people to Sachin was that he was their Hero, a Knight in shining armor, the Superman that India needed.
Sachin could make the laziest of children wake up; he could keep students awake all night; he could bring joy to a managing director of the biggest software company in India and to a guy who slept on the pavement; he could make children who fussed about food eat vegetables; he made old women watch cricket games instead of soap operas; such was the impact of the Sachin phenomenon.
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Apart from all this, there is something intangible about this baby faced man who still approaches the game which such enthusiasm and interest. Sachin inspired us in ways which were never seen before; I still used to remember the way people used to wish the first two wickets should fall early in order to watch Sachin bat; how the unfortunate batsman who got out were actually cheered when he did get out. In a team sport, people in India seemed more concerned with Sachin getting out early irrespective of the result.
The sheer thrill of watching him bat, those straight drives which had everything in sync with each other, the multiple variations of the cover drive, his flick of the pads which was an exercise in understated brilliance, the lofted straight hits and all the little adjustments he used to make in every game made connoisseurs of the game wish that he could play forever. I remember a shot he played of Martin Suji in the 2003 World Cup Semi final- the ball was slightly short and was rising; Sachin took a small step back and on his back foot, punched the ball back all along the carpet for four. The shot was so simple yet so beautiful and elegant to watch. Watching him bat was the proverbial Chicken Soup for depressed cricket fanatics and members of the fraternity who moaned the fact that the art of batting was all but lost.
Sachin has donned so many hats in his batting career that I have stopped counting. He was the golden prodigy of Indian Cricket, defying hulking menacing speedsters, the epitome of courage and outrageous skill. He was the face of In dian cricket in the 90s captaining the side, bowling in the death overs and being the single reason why India was competitive then by being a colossus with the bat. He helped Indian cricket overcome its darkest hour by being that one incorruptible ray of light in the muck known as match fixing and along with the combative and fiery instincts of Ganguly, the undisputed class and sacrifice of Dravid and the mental will and fortitude of Kumble, brought disillusioned fans back to the game like a Houdini. He was the elder statesman of the Dhoni Era, changing his game, constantly adapting and serving as an example for youngsters all over the world.All this done with a shrug of his shoulders and with that cherubic smile peeping out oh so often.
The master was like a tonic for kids; you tend to crave for it the more you taste it. His impact was and is so far reaching that the consequences of which can never be discerned fully. I have lived all my life knowing that Sachin will bat for India; it seems oddly strange that there finally is going to be a closure to that. However, instead of mourning the fact that he is no longer going to play; I do know that the memories and more importantly the hope that he gave people will never ever be forgotten. The fact that one could feel so much happiness at a single man’s achievements, the fact that a country which has more languages than states, a complex and unique blend of cultures and a population of more than a billion could root and cheer and unite over a single man is something no one can ever take away from him.His legacy will be one of joy; pure and unadulterated joy of belief that this man was the answer to all our happiness.
At the end of it all, you wonder…How does one manage such gargantuan expectations? How does one behave so impeccably, stand up for what is needed and never once complain?…Well …become Sachin..that’s how.
