When Sachin hit the cricketing scene some 17 yrs ago, many had already predicted that he would surpass Gavaskar's century count. So when Sachin finally achieved this feat i am sure many were not surprised. To expect from Sachin is very much a norm in India. It is a granted assumption that he will deliver. In fact it becomes an issue when he doesn't.
Still one must say that by the standards that he set for himself, he took a wee bit longer to achieve what he finally achieved. Off course if you take a closer look at his career you might realise that it was not a cakewalk.
Comparison with Gavaskar would always be natural. Both were short, belonged to Mumbai and were openers. But the comparison should ideally end there.
What Sachin gave to India was priceless. He gave India the hope of winning every match. With Sachin stood the entire nation's desires. Its very purpose of watching a match.
Its one thing to deliver when you are not under focus and another thing to come up triumphant when you are carrying the extra baggage of a nation's hope. And a nation as big as India and as emotional as it is, with every Indian feeling his birth right to pass judgement on every thing Sachin does.
What amazes me about Sachin is his level head. There's never a tinge of arrogance or show of pompousness on this man. I think what carried Sachin through all these years inspite of sometimes nasty criticisms and at times even smear campaign by his baiters was that he truely loved his job.He was so involved in cricket that he never realised that people were making an issue out of every move of his.
Besides, Sachin's stature in world cricket had attained such great heights that he commanded respect from every team in world and every cricketer in the international arena. And when you get a compliment from a person as great as Sir Don , you have already got a certificate that every cricketer worth his salt can ever dream of. If Al Pacino tells you that you are one of the greatest actors you do not need an Oscar.
Compliment's are due to his wife Anjali and his family who, one presumes, provided the neccessary support of moral framework for his histrionics. As Sunny Gavasker wrote in his congratulationary note to Sachin - Congratulations are also due to his family who have helped him to stay focused. They deserve a big round of applause too for their part in his success
Someone said that when you love your job you do not have to work. That's what has happened with Sachin. He loved his game so much that he was always hungry to contribute. If not by bat then may be by getting some wickets or may be even on the field. I have always seen him 100% involved in the game at any point of time.
There will be many great articles written on this man as have been written in the past. And beyond doubt he deserves every bit of this praise. Critics be damned. They do not have to carry the load of one billion individuals everyday of their lives. Passing judgement on cricket, sitting on their arm chairs, in front of TV is the easiest thing to do. Anyways all great men have been criticized time and again.
It takes only a Sachin Tendulkar to keep on producing results continuously for 16 years non-stop. There won't be many like him and there weren't many like him either.
This great but humble character of Indian cricket will forever remain my all time favourite cricketer. For every time i will switch on my TV to watch India play, somewhere in my heart there will always be a call to God to let keep Sachin going. With so many prayers with him everytime he goes to the crease, even God will have to budge.
Sachin's records may not tell the full story, neither the staticians will never be able to do full justice to his contribution to the game. They will only tell part of the story. The other part of the story we all, i.e all of Sachin fans know. We do not care what critics blabber. We know and know it for sure that till Sachin's there we have hope. And that is what makes the game worth watching.
He is one cricketer from India who took the fight to the opposition's camp. Whether it was hammering Abdul Qadir for 3 sixes in a row in front of a bi-partisan crowd in Pakistan or taking poor Kasporowich out of attack or making Richard Hadlee wonder in pain what to bowl next, this man has done to others what most Indian cricketers did not. I see traces of Sachin in young Sehwag. But he has a long way to go. Let us talk after 16 years.
In the meantime our guy continues to torment the opposition, though not so regularly now. Lets grant him the age factor puleez... and the fact that he started so early. There's also something called fatigue. Ask Sampras and Graf !!
Thank you Sachin Tendulkar (hope one day you would be called Sir) for entertaining us for all these years. You gave something to look forward to every game of cricket for last decade and a half. If for nothing else, we thank you for just the pure pleaseure of watching you bat.
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