Sachin Tendulkar - Beyond Marvel

Cricket has been loved and embraced by billions across the globe. However, my introduction to cricket was not through the game but from Sachin Tendulkar. I was 7 years old, and he was the first cricketer I saw. His batting stance and backlift had an uncanny resemblance.

The first match I ever saw was the second ODI at Rawalpindi where Sachin’s gallant knock of 141 put Pakistan in a confining position in spite of posting a massive total of 329. India lost but I was filled with joy, hardly knowing the significance of the result. This lasted till Sachin at the presentation ceremony said that he would have been really satisfied had India won the match.

That’s when I realised that cricket was rather a team game and not just about individuals. As Vikram Sathaye says, Sachin gave me an All Access Pass to the world of cricket. By the time, I ignited my cricketing passion; he already had some unbelievable feats in his kitty.

I remember watching his return after the infamous tennis elbow injury. The Nagpur crowd gave him a standing ovation though he couldn’t do good enough in that match.

Over the years, he played so many fascinating innings that even the best statisticians lost count of his brilliance on the field. Knocks such as the 175 against Australia at Hyderabad, 163 vs the Kiwis at Christchurch and the first ever double hundred against South Africa displayed his masterclass and flair to the entire cricketing fraternity.

The 2011 World Cup was the biggest honour, the Indian team could gift to Tendulkar and he himself had an integral role to play in the victorious campaign. It held more eminence for Sachin than for anyone else because after having played non-stop cricket for 22 years, he finally got hold of the most coveted trophy in the game.

When he stepped into the field one last time at his home ground, there was a splendid atmosphere all over and the crowd got goosebumps every moment. Indeed, there were chants of ‘Dhoni Zindabad’ when he handed Sachin the ball. His speech was probably the most exhilarating one. It brought neither blood nor sweat, just tears to watch the greatest batsman of the era one last time and I was lucky enough to witness the moment live at the stadium.

After Sachin’s retirement, I’ve fallen in love with other gems in the Indian cricket such as MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli. But as it’s said, ‘Even if you fall for lots of other people, your first love will be the one you always remember’. I might be a Dhoni fan today, a Kohli fan tomorrow but a Sachin fan, now and forever!!

Happy Birthday, Sachin!!

From a Sachinomania patient!!

A fan writes an open letter to his God – Open letter to Sachin Tendulkar on his 43rd birthday