Sachin Tendulkar - the real Mr. India!

“The old grandma keeps counting her japmala, the nuns keep praying, the phone keeps ringing, the cup of tea remains unattended…” - An early 90s advert claimed that the world froze when Sachin Tendulkar took guard!

It was the first thing that popped into my mind when I heard the news of him calling it a day from the limited overs format. Not every December morning welcomes you with news that sends a chill down your spine. Sachin Tendulkar hanging up his “Blue” jersey did.

What followed was an array of Facebook posts and Twitter updates either patronizing him or bashing him for getting it wrong yet again. Such is the case with Sachin Tendulkar – either he is your GOD or you hate him. A blessed few find solace in his batting while the others in rebuking him and undermining his credentials.

But truly, who is Sachin Tendulkar? Is he just a cricketer, a legend, a role model? Why is he termed God by an insane few?

To categorize the magnanimity of Sachin Tendulkar in words would be as stupid as asking Karan Johar to go the Tarantino way. While growing up, every kid had their fantasies that often defied logic and bordered on the verge of absurdity. We all grew up on Superheroes and have secretly aspired to be one. The cape, the masks, the gadgets have fascinated one and all. With growing age, the comic books gave way to the green canvas and the caped crusaders were replaced by a real life man. The mask was replaced by the navy blue helmet, the cape gave way to the white flannels and the gadgets were substituted by a piece of willow.

Sachin Tendulkar was my Superhero. Not because of the records he created or the runs he amassed, but what he stood for. He signified the common man of India. For me, he is truly Mr. India. But not everyone will understand the importance of him and the emotions attached with him. Especially for those who grew up in the post cable television India and EPL, he’s a melodramatic creation of the Indian mind. Agreed, reactions are always extreme when it involves the name Tendulkar. But why? Why do people tag him as God and why does the news of his retirement leave an uncomfortable lump in the throat?

That’s because, the genius that he is, stardom was forced on him at the age of 16. He became a Superhero because of the era he lived in. Kids in the early 90s had very few things to be proud of. Whether it was Bollywood, cricket or politics, mediocrity was the order of the day. Mithun, Govinda and Anil Kapoor dominated the mindless revenge dramas gyrating their hips to “meri pant bhi sexy” while the cricket team boasted of the Pravin Amres and Rajesh Chauhans. Even the Indian cricket jersey sporting a pale blue with a yellow tinge looked second-rate and was far from being inspirational. There were no malls around and a pair of “Ruf and tuff” jeans was your best bet at enhancing your brand value.

Amongst all these, stood one man who relieved the nation of the mediocrity that surrounded them. The bottom-handed grip, the shake of the head and the adjusting of the guard became the hallmark of greatness for every teenager. The way he bashed Waqar Younis after being hit on the nose gave them hope and every time he walked out to bat, the entire nation muttered “Yes, we can”. He represented the middle class of India at the highest level and through his game he kept spreading the deep rooted values of all us Indians.

A lot has been written and spoken about his technique, shot making ability, the weight of his bat, his tennis elbow, but very sparingly has anyone focused on his real might - his intent and adaptability. His intent was evident from the tricolour that adorned his helmet and his adaptability was on display when he pulled out the uppercut from his repertoire at Johannesburg or when he debarred the cover drive to commemorate Steve Waugh‘s farewell with an epic 241. But words are simply not enough to describe the hold he had on a nation. He carried their hopes, their wishes and their aspirations for 23 years and delivered almost every time on the world stage.

As Harsha Bhogle once famously said, “The nation sleeps well, if Tendulkar plays well….”

We lauded him, cursed him, criticized him, wanted him to go and wished that he would react. He never did. All you got was a sheepish smile and the sound of his bat taking on countless throw downs. But finally God has answered. He will never don that Blue Jersey again. There won’t be a debate about who should open the innings for India. There won’t be any more discussions on whether he “got the timing wrong” or “should he go while he is on the top”. Who will we blame for not wining? Well, find a new guy.

As much as we love hating Tendulkar, none of us can disagree that he touched all our lives at some point of time. We all have our own Sachin Tendulkar moments. Be it the elation of the desert storm at Sharjah or the melancholy of Chennai, Sachin Tendulkar always made our lives a richer experience. A few get Him, the rest don’t.

Perhaps it was only apt that he wore the SAHARA logo on his chest because that’s exactly what he had been for the past 23 years for a nation that’s plagued with various not-so-proud issues. But even now, after he’s done, we will not stop talking about him. We will detest him in our status updates, loathe him in our blogs, tag him selfish in our discussions and rip apart his reputation on TV shows because that’s what we love to do.

We love despising Tendulkar because accepting that “Sachin Tendulkar is my hero” is way too mainstream!