Life without Sachin - an imagination!

The career of the Little Master has finally come to end and the swan-song remains to be sung only in one format, which I suppose is around the corner (read: after failure). It has been one hell of a career, one that any player could have dreamt of as a child. Sachin deserved it, to say the least, for he had a humble attitude and was completely down to earth. He has a frenzied fan following and a demi-god status in India to such an extent that he could have even influenced the political happenings of the country.

It is hard to imagine a life without the Master, the man who has been an integral part of many youngsters’ life, giving them hope, inspiration and something to cheer about when the chips were down. Even a person who hates Sachin cannot keep away from the TV when the little man is enthralling the world with his bat. Such has been his reach, once Navjot Singh Siddhu narrated an interesting anecdote: “I once told an old man that I play cricket to which he replied, “Do you play the game that Sachin plays?” Sachin is practically a house-hold name in all of India and his name draws interest, no matter how many times the topic is broached.

In this current scenario, where people are moaning the loss of yet another star in this wretched doomsday year, I would like to visualize our lives without Sachin, for he has touched upon every person’s life in India in some way or the other.

Cricket? What cricket?

Yes, I do accept that cricket was popular even before the arrival of Sachin, but it underwent a diabolical change after his emergence. He uplifted Indian cricket to new heights, and was successful against teams which India were cowering against before his arrival. His raw technique and aggression put the opposition on the back foot, a sight which the Indian fans had never been familiar with. They welcomed the change with open arms and began supporting Sachin for the revolution he was bringing about in cricket. His name spread like fire to even the remotest part of the country and made sure that his name and cricket remained in our hearts forever. Without him, it would have been yet another sport alongside Hockey, Badminton and Football in India.

Fabulous four minus Sachin = Terrible Trio!

Of course, the other three are legends in their own right, but he has been the modicum of hope, keeping the Indian batting from falling apart. India would have still been a team like New Zealand or West Indies of today; without the ability to deliver the knockout punch, minus Sachin. Acting like the centre of gravity that holds the earth without going out of orbit, he built the team brick by brick and the result is what we see today.

BCCI minus Sachin = No superpower!

It’s a well known fact that India is a cricket crazy nation, and the BCCI are lucky enough to roll in millions, thanks to Sachin. People are so busy watching Sachin bat that no one bothers about electricity bill or cable TV bill, for the urge to see the great man in action is too overwhelming for even a common man. The stadiums would have been half empty and the income would not have sufficed to organize an event called the Indian Premier League! We could not have influenced the ICC decisions and the DRS would have been compulsory by now!

No Cups Of joy!

The original “cup of joy” which was won in the year 1983 and the Benson and Hedges cup in 1985 would have been our last major tournament victories, if not for Sachin. Remember how he single handedly powered us to victory in the Asia cup, the Natwest series, and the CB series and to top it all, the ultimate glory of “The World Cup”. Winning the World Cup for a second time would have been a distant dream if not for Sachin, whose terrific innings’ in the quarter and semi-finals virtually sealed us a spot in the finals.

No reason for poor marks and the incomplete homework

Well, it might sound funny to some people, but most of the ‘Sachinists’ would agree with me when I say “I failed yesterday’s paper because I watched Sachin bat!” More than that, the die-hards would state that “I will fail tomorrow’s exam because I am going to see the master in action!” Same goes for homework.

Overseas victory? No way!

People say that Sourav Ganguly’s phenomenal captaincy was the reason behind India’s success on alien shores. But it wouldn’t have been possible without the master. Remember the 241 runs in Sydney? Or the twin centuries he scored against South Africa last year? These are mere teasers for the monumental achievements of the master. The records in full would fill countless books!

Television shop windows would be empty on match days

I used to go to the nearest TV show room, just to soak in the atmosphere of being in a stadium. The hi-fi’s to the unknowns, the excited hugs with our friends after the master hits the ball for four and the roar when he gets to a hundred, wouldn’t have been there for any other player.

The upper cut and leg glance would still be in the making

Sachin’s batting consists of a repertoire of shots, which he unleashes against the fast bowlers and spinners alike and dominates them in the process. Two of the shots to which the bowlers have never found an answer, the upper cut and the leg glance, the shots which Sachin has virtual patents for, have been a treat to our eyes when gaping at the screen as he mesmerizes us with his clever and subtle shot-making.

Adolf Hitler commanded respect due to the fear he inspired in people, Gautama Buddha commanded respect for the kind-hearted and humble person that he was, Mother Teresa commanded respect for the selfless work she did for people, but Sachin is the only man who did not do any of these; he just wielded a bat and commanded a place in our heart forever.

All I want to say is “Thank you, Sachin!!” You have been a hero to me, more than the larger than life heroes that the actors portray on screen. You have inspired me, entertained me and above all taught me how to fight! And for that I am eternally grateful to you!