Tribute to a man behind the cult “Sachin… Sachin…!”

Countless things have been said about him and countless more will come our way; yet no matter what anyone says, it’ll never be enough or too much. 

It’ll never get too old.  

Matthew Hayden famously said, “I’ve seen god, he bats at number four for India!” 

Hashim Amla was at his sentimental best when he said, “Nothing bad can happen to us if we are on a plane in India with him!”

Brian Lara declared, “I’m a mere mortal, but he’s the real immortal!” 

What’s more? 

Arjuna Ranatunga had said, “You take his wicket and half the battle is won!”

In the great game of cricket, nearly everyone- whether the cricket pundit who waxes lyrical all day, the statistician who finds value in the authority of the numbers or even the fan who may not have seen the legend himself ever- admires and respects Sir Don Bradman. 

But the great Don himself lavished effusive praise on this great man. 

On a day where the man who hit a hundred centuries in international cricket is turning fifty, it’s rather important to attempt to trace the greatness factor in a man called Sachin Tendulkar but addressed even by the pantheon of greats as the Master. 

After all, it’s not everyday that the great Sunny Gavaskar would truly regard another, several years younger to him, as the Little Master. 

It might not be dramatic or inglorious in which way to actually make Sachin Tendulkar stand next to a mural or actual dirty of an Indian god and then ask the besotted fan to place a finger on ‘the’ god. 

Of course, there are the runs: 34,357 of them. There’s the whopping number of International appearances of India: 667 of them. Moreover, his list of achievements are far too big and strenuous for any lazy bloke to endure minus a yawn or maybe even a mini nap by the time it’s all listed out. 

But just what makes Sachin Tendulkar tick and even now, a decade after he’s retired? 

What about the great man of world cricket compels the cricket devotee to chant “Sachin… Sachin” even today and that too in stadia where sometimes the Indian team isn’t even playing? 

Surely, Sachin embodied batting greatness in an era where India weren’t necessarily the strongest side, Australia and South Africa so often being the more dominant and power packed cricketing outfits. 

But it was at the back Tendulkar’s unbent genius and unwavering concentration that a team that despite not having had the fastest speedsters or a tall make up of all rounders was able to dominate. 

The instinct for domination. The presence of mind. The pure desire for run making and taking on many a great bowlers whose mere sight would reduce a batsman into half. Tendulkar had all of it. 

But arguably speaking, the freak genius with the bat who didn’t have to opt for switch hits or scoops to accumulate runs had one tenacious ability that perhaps the rest of the batsmen didn’t possess. 

It was incomparable. It’s precisely that what made him a one of a kind man. A man second to none! 

The ability to carry the expectations of billion plus viewers in India over his tireless shoulders- is it not? 

That he did it minus any complaint and with much passion for over two decades is what makes Sachin Tendulkar a gem India were fortunate to have and precisely what made the rest of the nations look at the country with a sense of agonising envy. 

Sure it’s true that even today, it’s a crowd galore at a metro station or outside an electronic store or some public place since cricket is on. But probably it’s due to the IPL or some game where India are about to win. 

Back in the Tendulkar era- a world minus social media where there were no fantasy apps with the transistor placed close to the ear, large crowds gathered together and cheered endlessly so because Tendulkar was either batting or taking India close to the cusp of victory. 

For all that and more, Tendulkar became more than a batsman, an emotion, a national sentiment even. 

For we just tip our hat to the man who entertained, won hearts and did so much for so many without earning a taint in his career. 

Salute to, Sachin…Sachin…!!

Sachin A Billion Dreams | AR Rahman