Writing a farewell piece is always a difficult task, especially if it is about someone who is close to one's heart. We never want the person to stop and their memories flood our psyche. But, there is nothing permanent in this life and that is the reality. For someone who grew up on Sachin Tendulkar's exploits on the cricket field, it is definitely a hard pill to swallow.
In my childhood, I looked at cricket just as a sport where a batsman hits a ball delivered by a bowler and other guys known as fielders chase the ball and throw it back. It was that simple, until one fine day, I watched a little baby faced boy hitting bowlers twice his height to all parts of the ground. It was something remarkable, and my view of cricket started evolving from there. The aggression I saw in his batting, the delightful strokes on display and his demeanour attracted me to the game of cricket and it has grown ever since then.
Sachin embodied a new emerging face of India, which was no longer afraid of anyone, which was confident of its own abilities and which was ready to take on the world and prove a point. His is a story of HOPE. He gave hope to millions of Indians, a hope that our country is in safe hands on the cricket field and our super hero would save us from any situation. The nation would rejoice when he would cart a bowler like a McGrath or a Warne to all parts of the ground; it would celebrate his every individual milestone like a century as if it was some personal victory; it would mourn whenever he got out early. Cricket had ceased to be just a sport in India. It had become a religion and Sachin a phenomenon, a Kohinoor diamond, a God!
For a nation which was starved of sporting heroes, India had found a saviour. A sportsman who defied all logic and became a deity, adored and loved by millions. He was the nation's pride, someone who Indians could flaunt as their own. His graceful conduct off the field only enhanced his epic popularity. The mid 90's to the early 2000's were when he was at the zenith of his form and our generation is lucky enough to have witnessed some spectacular knocks of this man during this period. The early blitzkrieg, the consolidation in the middle part of the innings, the prayer filled nervous nineties, then the huge celebrations on reaching the century marked by the signature heavenward wave of the bat had all formed a pattern and we expected super human performances from him everytime he set out to bat! Every ball had to be a sixer, every innings a century. It did not matter if India lost the match, but if Sachin had atleast a 50 against his name, the country would be relieved. It's needless to say that a century was as good as an Indian victory! For a long period of time, India was all about Sachin. Get him out and you win. Opposing teams would discuss team strategies only around Tendulkar and how he could carry the burden of a billion for so long is a stuff of legends.
Even in his last match, just the fact that he could get a 74 amidst such monumental expectations and stifling pressure from fans, media and spectators tells something about the mindset of this man. A lesser mortal would have been fried in the pressure cooker like situation, but his hallmark has always been soaking in the pressure and carrying many unreasonable expectations with a calm head. Once he wielded the bat, it was almost like a saint would take over his body and he would start batting with an uncluttered mindset which never seemed to have been affected by the heavy burden on his shoulders. This coupled with his humility, poise, equanimity and his colossal achievements gave him a God-like status.
It was a pleasure to watch his many illustrious innings live, which would be no lesser than any commercial blockbuster movie with celebrations, nervousness, prayers, joy, sorrow and what not.Sachin was a habit for many cricket followers like me, and cricket without him seems incomplete and just a routine, sans all the jubilation he brought with it. The desert storm innings he played against Australia at Sharjah still lives on vividly in my mind and nothing ever comes remotely close to those once in a lifetime innings. There will be many more terrific performances, many memorable feats which would be achieved on the cricket field, but the impact of those 2 innings will probably remain unparalalled. Sachin enthralled us for over 20 years and it all seems surreal now. Many people and the media were very intent on his retirement from many years, forgetting to enjoy whatever was left of him and to make the most out of it. Great players come and go, but a player like Sachin comes once in a lifetime, and it's important to savour every moment. I hope many would realise it now!
A man's life should not be weighed only against statistics, because that gives only half a picture. It is the impact that one leaves which is more important and I can say with conviction that never before have I witnessed such an impact being left on a sport by any other player. He goes way beyond his unreachable statistics and is in a haloed zone of his own.
The majestic straight drive, the thumping punch off the backfoot through the covers, the flick off the pads to the legside, the eloquent cover drive, the upper cut, the alluring paddle sweep, the sixes over the spinner's head and numerous other shots have become history, because no one plays it with better finesse and panache than Sachin. They will all remain in his fans' hearts and give solace and delight whenever one feels down.Twenty years down the line, his sonorous batting will be remembered like a Kishore Kumar or Lata Mangeshkar song now-a-days.
Thanks for the happiness you gave us, the hope and confidence you instilled, the free supreme entertainment you gave us for 24 years and for every little thing that you have done to make the game so much better and thank you for being the best anti-depressant. It's said “Never say goodbye because goodbye means going away and going away means forgetting”, but Sachin will always remain etched in our hearts forever. God never retires!
A part of my childhood has quietly slipped away with Sachin retiring.I'm sure it is true with many others too. For old time's sake, for one last time
“SAACHHHIIIINNNNNN.SAAACHHHHINNNNNNNNNNNNNN”.
