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.