My memories of the legend - Sachin Tendulkar

The greatest – Sachin Tendulkar

I can vaguely remember the first time I read his name in an article titled, “Sharjah – Desert Storm” in a tabloid some time back in 1998. Little did I know then that it was about the famous India vs Australia final of the Coca Cola Cup at Sharjah where the Master scored a terrific century and got India home and which is still considered to be his top ODI knock ever.

I started watching cricket from World Cup 1999. I didn’t understand the game much as I was just 8 years old. But I saw the excitement and thrill on the faces of my family members every time a small man with curly hair came to the crease. I saw the name on the TV screen: Sachin Tendulkar.

He scored a century against Kenya in difficult circumstances for him personally and I would like to quote a few pages from an article of Harsha Bhogle which refers to Sachin: “His eyes were numb and that’s because he’d just lost his father, that’s the first time (and probably the only time) that he didn’t want to play for India but his family forced him to go and told him that the team required his services; he obliged and provided them a century”.

Later in the post match presentation, he dedicated the century to his father and I can bet that he would’ve made the century against any opposition that day. This incident is enough to describe the dedication of this great human being.

I’ve had the privilege of watching him score his 10,000th ODI run in Indore back in 2001 against Australia. He was the first one to achieve that milestone (he has been the first one in achieving a lot of milestones, rather making new unbelievable milestones in the process, I found out later).

Eventually he scored a century in that game and India won. By the time World Cup 2003 came, I had become a full cricket fanatic. I started understanding the game better and I remember that before the world cup the team toured New Zealand and had performed dreadfully.

Then in the first two league matches of the WC, they lost to Australia and had a close game against the Netherlands. Indian fans were shocked. Someone has quoted that “Spectators are emotional, players are not”. I understood the saying then; the posters of the ‘God’ of cricket were burned up.

It is just extraordinary to handle such pressure from the millions of cricket fans and also not react to any situation. Sachin paved the way in that tournament for the Indian Team. That hook to Andrew Caddick has reached over a million views on YouTube. The giant fast bowler, Shoaib Akhtar, was taken apart by the Little Master that day at Centurion and Sachin scored a match winning 98 which can match any of his great centuries.

The World Cup was a turning point for the Team India as it had started the habit of winning matches. Later that year, in December’03, I used to wake up at 5 in the morning to watch India’s Tour Down Under. That Australian team was the best in the world and India performed exceptionally well to level the series.

The Master’s bat was quiet in the first three Test matches but came back strongly in the New Year Test where he made 241 and was at his best. Kudos to the Australian crowd for the reception he received there after his innings. He adapted to the conditions, changed his game and didn’t offer a cover drive which had led to his downfall all through the series. In fact he tormented the Aussie attack and it was a treat watching that knock.

Sachin Tendulkar was gradually transforming from a great to a legend. A batsman whose record tally kept on increasing, a player who just piled up runs and above all, a man who brought the most joy to this country. He had his temper under control, a no-fuss man, a gentleman in the true sense of the game.

I’ve seen people do weird things whilst Sachin was on the crease. All the superstitions came to the fore whenever Sachin was playing and especially when he was closing in on his century. I’ve seen people switching off their TV sets whenever he got out. I’ve seen the people on the ground leave when he’s dismissed. They do it still not only in India, but also outside. Such is the fan following of the man.

After Australia toured India later that year in 2004, there was a controversial phase in Indian cricket with the arrival of Greg Chappell as the Indian Team’s new coach. Team was going through a transition, some key players were dropped and the Master was given a new role; to bat at no. 4 in ODIs.

Meanwhile, he had broken Sunil Gavaskar’s record for most Test centuries (there were other records too, but this was worth a mention) and was again appointed as the vice-captain.

They say the captain is as good as the team makes him. That’s what happened with Sachin. When he was captain, his batting improved a notch but due to the fact that the rest of the players weren’t making that much contribution, the captain was made to be the culprit for India’s poor run and after all this, people say India lost when Sachin played, not knowing the fact that he was the lone warrior at that time.

He had the onus of the whole team on his shoulders and he delivered almost always, and if he had a little bit of team support, I am sure he would’ve excelled in that department of the game as well.

Then there was a year (2007, after India got out in the first round of World Cup and Greg Chappell was back on the flight to Melbourne) when Sachin scored a pile of runs but couldn’t make a century. He even got dismissed on 99 courtesy the umpire who gave a terrible decision.

He was playing magnificently but was unable to convert the 80s- 90s into 100s but for the New Year Test in Sydney where he scored a century again and the whole country was relieved. Indian team had a new captain in the coloured version of the game and personally for me it is in these times (The period from 2008-2010) that Sachin had played his best game since 1998.

He scored back-to-back centuries in the CB series finals helping India lift the prestigious tournament’s trophy for the first time ever. The other terrific knock which comes to my mind from that time is the hundred at Chennai in the 4th innings of a Test match when India needed 387 runs to chase and they did it with the help of the master.

Another century which needs a mention is the 175 (again vs Australia) at Hyderabad in a run chase where India needed 350 to chase. India eventually lost the match by mere 3 runs, but that Sachin knock is etched in my mind.

Sometimes cricket fans love watching battles between a particular batsman and a particular bowler as it brings out the best in both. Sachin has had battles like these with many of his contemporary bowlers such as Allan Donald, Glenn McGrath, Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and recently when India toured South Africa, his battles with Dale Steyn were a treat to any cricket lover. He scored 2 Test centuries in 2 consecutive matches including his 50th Test ton on that tour and for me personally, these 2 knocks were the best I’ve seen him play.

By this time, Sachin had become selective in playing the shorter format of the game. Team India didn’t rely totally on him and had started winning matches. He would be a feature in the key tournaments and I am glad that he decided to play in the Gwalior ODI against S.Africa or the audience would’ve missed the masterstroke of a double century.

He made 200 in an ODI game and that too facing Dale Steyn, the deadliest bowler in recent times and once again I felt proud that I belong to an era where I’ve seen the greatest cricketer ever play the game. My belief got stronger later on when he completed the mammoth record, the unimaginable record of hundred 100s. Such had been the fuss over it that even the great man was twitchy and streaky when he came close to the milestone but eventually completed it against Bangladesh in the Asia Cup.

The only thing which was left in his record book was finally completed in the World Cup 2011 when India won the trophy. This was something special for the whole team and especially for the Master who was playing in his sixth World Cup, had scored the most no. of runs in the tournament’s history and deserved to have the trophy in his collection. Team India rightfully dedicated the victory to the great man. I can still remember his 50 and India’s great win over Australia in the Quarterfinals which I witnessed in Ahmedabad.

Over the years, the amount of articles written about him has to be a record for any cricketer. But the legend has handled all the pressure and hype created around him so easily that its one hell of an achievement. I can recall very clearly that the rumours about his retirement started way back in 2002 when he was out of the team because of an injury called ‘tennis elbow’.

He’s played for 11 years after that and has scored 24 Test centuries and 18 ODI centuries! Imagine what a loss it would’ve made to Indian cricket (perhaps world cricket excluding the bowlers whose economy rate he exacerbated) had he listened to his critics then. They are never tired of complaining and Sachin answered them by his bat time and again.

He has been playing for 24 years which is more than my current age. When he announced his retirement, he said, “I’ve been living my dream since 24 years.” And while doing that, he has been a great entertainer, great motivator, a living example of success, determination, hard work and perseverance, an inspiration to many and an idol for the young lot.

I can proudly boast that I’ve witnessed his batting twice and I feel honored that I belong to Sachin Era (Even though I just saw the later half of the master’s career but still that counts). Thank you Sachin for being the greatest source of inspiration and for providing the people of this country so much happiness because when you played all the people forgot their worries and just enjoyed your batting.

This article is a tribute to the BEST BATSMAN the world has ever produced from a fan and as Sourav Ganguly said, “Its not just the talent that he was born with, it’s what he did with it”.