The transformation of Tendulkar from a little boy to the little master

It is a miracle to witness the never-ending phenomenon of ‘Sachinism’ and the fact that he can sustain the game, with same zeal and passion. It would have exhausted a commoner but the master simply wouldn’t call it quits. He does it with unparalleled commitment and impeccable perfection day in and day out. He is an unabashed talent that has made the cricket maniacs happy and proud. The brand Sachin is the rallying point for the future cricketing generations. There is no slowing down even today and his maturity can only be determined by the amount of runs he piles on year after year.

11 Aug 1990: Sachin Tendulkar of India celebrates hitting 119 runs not out during the Second Test match against England played at Old Trafford, in Manchester, England.

While the end is near, the battles were severe and never-ending and is a saga that the bards would love idolizing. The career can be split into four portions which involved the process of his evolution from a little boy to the Little Master!

Adolescence, recklessness and fearlessness:

He was a little boy when he was initially culled as an upcoming talent. Expectations were at its peak and Sachin was put right on the scanner even before his first international experience. Backed by the seniors, he was unleashed on the opponents for his raw talent and nerves of steel. And he did not disappoint either, as he smacked the ball across the ground.

“You cannot keep hitting the balls through the covers like that. This is not domestic cricket. The bowling is better here” – Sanjay Manjrekar to Sachin

He was an unstoppable force even at that age. He faced bowlers without fear or predicament. Sanjay Manjrekar had advised him to tone down for the fear of losing his identity at such a young age. It was a heady combination of talent mixed with aggression and efficacy. It would have been blasphemous had Sachin played T20 cricket at that period; Chris Gayle would have evidently stood second.

It was an archaic era of flair and flamboyance as he embarked on a quest to be the greatest player to have ever walked the earth. His drives were solid and his aerial potent, not to mention the defense, which could traverse the boundary once it penetrates the fielders. Maybe that is why he was incapable to convert his scores to a substantial one. He was tottering on the 50’s and 60’s much to his repugnance and the tons that appeared a hair’s breadth away never arrived.

Youth, aggression and courage:

Sachin was ameliorating with every passing match. He had a keen sense of the game and perceived the demands of international cricket. From being a reckless teenager to an aggressive youngster, his transformation was visibly pleasant as he tormented the opposition craftily. He was rightly termed as the successor to Sir Vivian Richards. It was ironic, considering the fact that Sachin was a big fan of his.

27 Feb 1996: Sachin Tendulkar of India plays a shot off the bowling of Shane Warne of Australia during the Cricket World Cup match between Australia and India in Bombay, India.

His batting was a mirror-replica of Virender Sehwag’s, albeit having a superior footwork and a solid defensive technique. He had the courage to take the attack to the opposition and was seldom apprehensive to step-out of the crease to a spinner.

“I’ll be going to bed having nightmares of Sachin just running down the wicket and belting me back over the head for six. He was unstoppable.” – Shane Warne

Shane Warne was probably one of the few bowlers who have the honour of being on ‘the most feared bowlers’ list for numerous batsmen. He conquered many teams before meeting his match in the subcontinent. Sachin devised a plan to get the better of a wily Warne and was immensely successful at that. He cut, pulled, drove and lofted Warne with casual elegance and disdain. The treatment were befitting from legend to legend. It was courage which guided Sachin and courage, which failed Warne after encountering Sachin.

“During our team meetings, we often speak about the importance of the first 12 balls to Tendulkar. If you get him then you can thank your stars, otherwise it means that tough times lie ahead” – Allan Donald

He was living a dream; a nation’s dream. His aggression could be exhibited thoroughly in the impetuous knock he played Pakistan in the world cup 2003. Only Sachin could have carried us home that night. His knock of 98 runs is still hailed by the cricket pundits as one of the better knocks in the history of the game. Sachin’s aggression befit a legend and the strokes were coming out of the bat like it was all destined to happen.

Middle-age, mellowing down and maturity:

“But bad luck makes good stories” – Bernard Evslin

There is a period in every legend’s journey where they had to endure immense pain and suffering as a result of bad luck and timing. As an outcome of weaving a heavy magic wand for the major part of his career, Sachin had to endure its flip side as well. He was constantly injured and the magical touch seemed to elude him. It was dreary and dismal to say the least. The runs weren’t flowing and the strokes were cut short, thanks to a nagging tennis-elbow.

Sachin adapted and mellowed down a great deal. His movements were restricted and the hand-eye coordination was simply not there. He was resilient nevertheless. He remodeled his batting style and looked to accumulate runs through a roundabout manner, though the Sachin of the old was still languishing somewhere inside. It was pretty hard to comprehend the facts, but he made a valiant attempt at the transformation and it worked wonders.

It was a new beginning for him and the critics who wrote him off went searching for their magic erasers to rewrite history. He had learnt the importance of run accumulation and was constructing innings of phenomenal magnitudes.

Old-age, shadow of the past and the end :

Ageing is a sin; he had to bite the dust, face the music and answer the critics. Questions were raised about his foot-work, which was considered perfect, about his coordination that was a bench mark for many youngsters in the past. Some folks even questioned the commitment of the great man, a shame that cannot be washed away even on the banks of a holy river.

MUMBAI, INDIA – APRIL 02: Sachin Tendulkar of India is lifted by his team mates on a lap of honour after their six wicket victory during the 2011 ICC World Cup Final between India and Sri Lanka at Wankhede Stadium on April 2, 2011 in Mumbai, India.

The slide that saw its roots from the end of the world cup did not cease even after a year and half. In that time Sachin scored a lone century against a weak Bangladesh team. It was not considered as “A typical Sachin’s knock”, for it did not contain a single evidence of his aggression or timing of the past. It was a feeble attempt from a dying candle. It was appreciated and revered nonetheless, since it was a knock from the Little Master’s blade.

“Bad times happen to the best of people; when your time is up, and then you know how the world would have treated you actually.”

He finally bowed down to pressure by announcing his retirement (in ODI’s) in a rather ungainly fashion. It was gloomy to see the end of an illustrious career. Agreed, he is not the old player that he was. But he was given a raw deal all the same, without having the privilege to sign off on his own terms. Yet, he has been calm and composed about the whole issue and has answered the critics with his bat in the just concluded Ranji and Irani trophy matches in his own inimitable fashion.

“Every individual has his own style, his own way of presenting himself on and off the field.”- Sachin Tendulkar

It just about sums up his perception and attitude towards the game. If this is any indication of how he carries himself, we can understand that the man himself should be respected, not for the game but for the manner in which he has conducted himself through the years. He might not be a masochistic superstar or a perceived god; he is a simple man with an extraordinary talent that he has put to use quite brilliantly!