SACHIN TENDULKAR - Hats off to you, God of Cricket! You too are retiring. What a Life! = WHAT NEXT?

SACHIN  TENDULKAR

SACHIN TENDULKAR – in many ways – is ONE IN A BILLION. He is my favorite cricketer, just as, he is YOURS. Today, he is on every TV screen for so many hours, in place of movies, episodes, news and all other programs – for an unpalatable reason. He is signing off from CRICKET and  that is not a heart-warming reason for any one of us.

But that is how life is. We all retire from our professions some time or other. Sachin’s retirement is of course, tremendously special, because, a billion pair of eyes are watching him sign off from Test cricket. Perhaps much more than a Billion, if we include  spectators from all other cricket loving nations. Are Sri Lankans watching CHGM or SACHIN – it will be interesting to find out.

If you hadn’t sees SACHIN with TEARY EYES all these years, today was the day to catch him with teary eyes. 

Which were his best Partnerships in cricket - I don’t know. But, his Best partnership, as Sachin confirmed today, was / is with Anjali, his lifelong partner and wife. And, today, you could catch her with teary eyes too. That’s not all. You could see tears in the eyes of many young boys and many not-so-young BOYS AND ELDERS too.

He had always made people hilarious and made them go into raptures with his batting (and at times) bowling miracles. Today, he made people sad and teary–eyed, after making 74 runs at the crease. He walked back after those 74 runs. And, it was HISTORY.

I don't feel there is any need for me to recall any of his Greatest feats. I am anyway sure - he is the greatest Cricketer of this Generation. 

As I see from Wikipedia and other web sites - he was born on 24 April 1973; started his cricketing at the age of eleven; made his  test debut against Pakistan at the age of sixteen; was the first player to score one hundred International Centuries;  was the first player to score a double century in a  one day International; thus far the only one to complete 34,000 runs in international cricket; now quitting test cricket - after 200 tests ; Cricket Pundits can perhaps reel out many, many more Great achievements of Sachin Tendulkar – with greater accuracy and uptodate statistics. Unfortunately for them, there will be no more UPDATES. 

For me, what I Know of Sachin is enough indicator of his Greatness in Cricket and his greatness as a human being too. He undoubtedly is the most famous cricket legend from India – and perhaps from the world – for these 24 years that he has been around in cricket.

As is inherent in any such great sport -  money, riches and Fame also came to him naturally. He was the icon sought after by Ad Agencies for many products - Like Band-aid of Johnson and Johnson, Boost, Gillette, Action shoes, Pepsi, worldTel, Visa, Philips, MRF tyres, Adidas, Colgate Total  and so on, as I find from some of the web sites. There may be more and some of these here may be insignificant ones.

It is not that, he was beyond criticism in his life. He was criticized by many on occasions; like - when he requested for a Customs duty waiver on his Ferrari, which was gifted to him by auto major Fiat, or when he made a request to the Maharashtra Government to grant him extra Floor Space Index to set up a gymnasium at his plush house. But, in my view, these are trifles and small stuff.

He was bitterly criticized when he failed with his bat for long periods – on the  cricket ground. People cried for his blood. People said – he was more interested in his own statistics – not in his country’s winning.  Sometimes, even his cricketer colleagues had said that it was time he retired. But, all these happen, in any sportsman’s career. He can’t always be hitting centuries or Half Centuries.

A cricketer in his blues can hit plain Ducks, incredible zeroes, when people are expecting a century or a double century to shore up his Country’s image. Times are not always with anyone. 

But then, people expected centuries only from him – not even from Captain Dhoni, not also from any other recognized batsman in the team. Only Sachin was expected to hit centuries – and not hitting one – was regarded as an unpardonable sin. It is all part of the Love-Hate game with the Fans.

Any mad love is bound to have elements of hate embedded within. But, the hate is still love. Had Sachin quit then, the fans would have been madder.

Now, let us see the recognition that he got - for these achievements. 

Sachin was honoured with Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian award, and the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna award, India's highest sporting honour. Tendulkar won the 2010 Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for cricketer of the year at the ICC awards. In 2012, Tendulkar was nominated to Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Parliament of India. He was also the first sportsperson and the first one without aviation background to be awarded the honorary rank of Group Captain by the Indian Air Force. In 2012, he was named as an Honorary Member of the Order of Australia. 

I think, more and more honors will get heaped on Sachin - now that he is quitting the Test cricket.

Many call him God of Cricket. it is their love for him. For those who have nothing to do with cricket in the world, what does he mean to them? I don't know.

There is talk that he may be given Bharat Ratna. Does he deserve the award. He does. But, there is still time for it. Forget for a moment what India got from Sachin Tendulkar. Sachin Tendulkar also got much more from India.

So what? – readers  will ask. I have a strong request to make to Sachin. Think of Bill Gates. Think of Warren Buffet. Think of our very own Wipro chairman, Azim Premji. Think of Ratan TATA. They too earned. They too made equally great and permanent miracles, in their respective spheres. But now, they are sharing what people gave them – their riches, their compassion, their time, their heart - with the poorest, the suffering people of the world. 

Now, is your opportunity, Sachin. For all that I know of your humane nature, you may already be doing something in that direction. For doing some service to cricket, you will of course be the natural choice. But, for doing something to the poor and suffering people of India, You will have to choose yourself. Nobody else will do it for you. When you will choose yourself for the service of the poorest and the suffering, You will realize that you are REALLY THE GOD ON EARTH. After all, LOVE is God. Compassion is God. I wish you a long, long life, in the service of Humanity.

Yours

(V.VIJAYAMOHAN) 

NOW A FEW GREAT QUOTES ON SACHIN

“When Sachin Tendulkar traveled to Pakistan to face one of the finest bowling attacks ever assembled in cricket; Michael Schumacher was yet to race a F1 car, Lance Armstrong had never been to the Tour de France, Diego Maradona was still the captain of a world champion Argentina team, Pete Sampras had never won a Grand Slam.

    When Tendulkar embarked on a glorious career taming Imran and company, Roger Federer was a name unheard of; Lionel Messi was in his nappies, Usain Bolt was an unknown kid in the Jamaican backwaters. The Berlin Wall was still intact, USSR was one big, big country, Dr Manmohan Singh was yet to “open” the Nehruvian economy. It seems while Time was having his toll on every individual on the face of this planet, he excused one man. Time stands frozen in front of Sachin Tendulkar. We have had champions, we have had legends, but we have never had another Sachin Tendulkar and we never will.”      =  Time magazine

Beneath the helmet, under that unruly curly hair, inside the cranium, there is something we don't know, something beyond scientific measure. Something that allows him to soar, to roam a territory of sport that, forget us, even those who are gifted enough to play alongside him cannot even fathom. When he goes out to bat, people switch on their TV sets and switch off their lives.  =  BBC

The joy he brings to the millions of his countrymen, the grace with which he handles all the adulation and the expectations and his innate humility - all make for a one-in-a-billion individual. =  Glenn McGrath

I'd like to see him go out one day and bat with a stump. I tell you he'd do OK…. I just get the feeling because of his mental strength that Sachin will be definitely the best player of his era and probably the best 2-3 of all time.  =  Greg Chappell

I had to remind Gary Kristen often that he was in the covers to field against Sachin not to applaud him. =  Hansie Cronje

We did not lose to a team called India... we lost to a man called Sachin.  =  Mark Taylor, during test match in Chennai (1998)

Sachin was so focused. He never looked like getting out. He was batting with single-minded devotion. It was truly remarkable. It was a lesson.  =  Martina Navratilova - Tennis legend

On a train from Shimla to Delhi, there was a halt in one of the stations. The train stopped by for few minutes as usual. Sachin was nearing century, batting on 98. The passengers, railway officials, everyone on the train waited for Sachin to complete the century. This genius can stop time in India!  =  Peter Roebuck, Aussie journalist

The last time I watched Sachin was last week when he was on his way to a spectacular 175 and once again I felt that I was watching a player who comes but once in a century. It can be said that he is the Bradman of our times and I do feel privileged to have played a lot of cricket against him,”  =  Steve Waugh

He can play that leg glance with a walking stick also. =  Waqar Younis

I have delayed my shoots many times to watch Sachin bat = Amitabh Bachchan

There are 2 kind of batsmen in the world. One Sachin Tendulkar. Two all the others.  =  Andy Flower

Sir Don Bradman: "I saw him playing on television and was struck by his technique, so I asked my wife to come look at him. Now I never saw myself play, but I felt that this player is playing with a style similar to mine, and she looked at him on Television and said yes, there is a similarity between the two...his compactness, technique, stroke production... it all seemed to gel!"

Brian Lara : "The only batsman I would love to see by paying for the tickets and sitting in the stand just to watch him is none other than Sachin Tendulkar" and "Sachin is a genius. I'm a mere mortal"

Vivian Richards : "I think he is marvellous. I think he will fit in whatever category of Cricket that has been played or will be played, from the first ball that has ever been bowled to the last ball that's going to be. He can play in any era and at any level. I would say he's 99.5 per cent perfect."

"I have seen God, he bats at no. 4 for India," = Australian batsman Matthew Hayden

A placard at the SCG: Commit all your crimes when Sachin is batting. They will go unnoticed because even the Lord is watching.

Hashim Amla: Nothing bad can happen to us if we're on a plane in India with Sachin Tendulkar on it.

There are over 200 million illiterate women in India. This low literacy negatively impacts not just their lives but also their families' and the country's economic development. A girl's lack of education also has a negative impact on the health and well-being of her children.  =  Sachin Tendulkar

Schools across India do not have teachers, libraries, playing grounds and even toilets. I do not want to see empty classrooms, empty libraries. I do not want to see cattle grazing on fields meant to be cricket or football grounds.  =  Sachin Tendulkar

Today’s TV channels give the Stats as : 664 matches, 34357 runs, 164 Fifties, 100 Hundreds, 200 wickets. God of cricket

Hats off to you, God of Cricket! You too are retiring. What a Life!

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SACHIN TENDULKAR’S 100TH 100 = A TRIBUTE TO THE GREATEST CRICKETER = SACHIN, AN INDIAN FIRST =WHAT ABOUT FUTURE?

SACHIN’S

100^th 100

People do get sick…,do get old…,do become weak…,do become incapable of doing what they did effortlessly a few years ago…,and then …,they do fade out.

It happens to everybody. Many thought much the same thing – when  Sachin failed to get his hundredth hundred – for over a year.

Even Sachin must get older; lose concentration; fail (to play) consistently; and disappoint us consistently for over a year.. It was happening every time he batted during last one year or so. 

Yet, we (I) waited…,and waited…,and waited…some of his ardent supporters (many, including me) were not losing patience….but some were losing patience…

Many of the impatient men..the media men, the critics…all the off-field, arm-chair experts…, had started criticizing the Cricketing God…, stressing that older cricketers must fade out into cricketing oblivion – and probably, become enlightened bureaucrats, like K.Srikkanth…,or Sunil Gavaskar. Give chance to younger men..is their advice…, their argument. 

K.Srikkanth was himself drawing flak (as selector) on why he was not demanding strictly for the 100^th 100 from the little master. Tell him to – Get the hundred or get out. Something like that.

We must all be a little more understanding than that. After all, we can’t get another Sachin, to hit a century of centuries, in a century (of years).  It is now or never. This one Sachin or none else.

After 99 100s,  another small hundred will need to wait for its time. Sachin usually takes some time scoring that one run after scoring 99 quick runs to reach his ton. In same manner, he took quite some time, to take his 100^th century - after his 99th ton. 

If we knew that - it had to be against Bangladesh, we would have invited Bangladesh or gone to Bangladesh long ago – instead of wasting time on England, Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, South Africa etc. Bangladesh, any way is improving its cricket very well and is an increasingly unpredictable side. Congrats, B’desh for your win - especially after Sachin’s Century.

Had this happened an year ago - with the pressure off his mind, the little master would have again assumed the role of a master Blaster, and hit the Aussies and all others to the covers all through one year. The Maha’ Government would have pressured GOI for a Bharat Ratna for the Great son of M’Rashtra, who claims to be first an Indian and then, anything else. 

I like him much more - for this one statement, than for his 100 100s – because, not one in a hundred (or in a 100 100s) seem to feel so in India now a days. Youngsters (and not so youngsters) in India must all learn this one idea (or ideal) from Sachin and live by it. The country needs it - more than Cricket.

If that happens, Sachin will deserve B’Ratna too – but not for his 100 100s in Cricket. If a 100 patriots say  – be Indian ,Buy Indian (etc) – our Youngsters are in no great mood to listen. But, if Sachin of the 100 100s Fame, the cricketing God of our times, says that- our youngsters will surely listen.

Indian public mind – that is, our mind- is very peculiar. If MS Dhoni hits a 50 we are satisfied. We go into raptures (for a while). But, If Sachin hits 60  –we are dissatisfied. We condemn him. 100 is his Pass Mark. We are all unjust, cruel , biased, one-eyed monsters. We want a hundred from Sachin. Always. 

Otherwise – We may even throw stones at him – like some people sometimes do in Pakistan against Pros(Prostitutes) and we may cry for his blood. Give us a hundred or RETIRE!

This was the battle cry in some sections of media, on the streets, on the internet and all over the world – where the name of cricket is known, or at least, the name of Sachin is known.

Why is he not retiring, if he can’t even hit a hundred – many were asking impatiently. Don’t you have the guts to retire him – some openly asked the selectors. Yet others wonder openly – why are the older players like Sachin not retiring, making way, for younger players?

Some one else, other than Sachin, would have fretted, fumed, and retired in a huff, when such things happen. But, Sachin did have strong protagonists who fought the battles on his behalf, from his side. 

Show us some from amongst youngsters, who has done better than Sachin, even in 2011? Was he at the bottom of the scoreboard – or in the averages in 2011? If so, fine, retire him; fire him; but, if he is still among the top  5 even in 2011 – how can you retire him?

Locate the worst performers in the team – and FIRE THEM! Not one of the best performers, simply because, he is older than the worst performers. Admittedly, 2011 was virtually a washout for Indian cricket. Our cricketers FAILED INEXPLICABLY, but consistently. It was a Grand Team failure – with no one really shining. In Batting, bowling and fielding – we failed.  

Our bowling proved its weakness conclusively in 2011. It is proving to be so even in 2012 – as we saw against Bangladesh in which we lost - even after a marvelous century by Sachin.  We have just won a marvelous match today against Pakistan – by exceptional batting from Virat Kohli (183 –his 11^th ODI ton) , Rohit Sharma(68) and of course, Sachin (52). So,2012 can prove to be a turn around.

After the disaster against Bangladesh – who can say that Sachin should now be fired and the rest of the team retained????

In India most people are emotional, some are philosophical, but very few are scientific – in temperament.

When a team wins 4 matches in a row – we retain the winning team for the next series, or for the next year and so on – including all the duds in the winning team. When we win, we get intoxicated – and then, even the desert looks green. It happens to many teams perhaps – and we are not an exception. But, when we lose – everyone looks a dud.

We  search for those youngsters who are talented –  we encourage them when they do well – we drop them all of a sudden even after they do well – and then, bring then back when they are emotionally down – and drop them if they don’t do well..and it goes on in quirky steps. The Yuvraj Singh Ad says it all. 

Will Sachin hit another hundred Centuries? Well. Mr.Yogendra Yadav can put this to vote and find the result – which we all, already know.

But, Sachin can convert many Indians to the much needed nationalistic philosophy of “I am an Indian first”. When Sachin Bats on field with this LOGO ON -  He can perhaps convert a 100 100 100 Indians into saying and feeling this intensely.

It doesn’t matter how many hundreds and half-hundreds or even half-of half hundreds he hits – but, he must play on for a long time to come to do this – and get his Bharat Ratna – just for this one service. Not for a 100 100s with Bat and Ball – which deserves a New, highest SPORTS HONOUR / AWARD.

But, if he does get B’Ratna, I will still congratulate him. It is just that – I want GOI to search for people  WHO ARE DOING EXCEPTIONAL SELF LESS SERVICE for India, and there are a few who are doing that – and honour them with B’Ratna. 

To draw  a comparison – Bill gates deserves no (B’Ratna like) awards for creating his Microsoft and becoming Number one billionaire in the world. But, he certainly deserves such an award for giving up more than 1/3^rd (so far) of his wealth for saving the lives of millions of suffering people.

I love a few quotes on Sachin – and these are here :

·         A placard at the SCG: Commit all your crimes when Sachin is batting. They will go unnoticed because even the Lord is watching.

·         Peter Roebuck: On a train from Shimla to Delhi, there was a halt in one of the stations. The train stopped by for few minutes as usual. Sachin was nearing century, batting on 98. The passengers, railway officials, everyone on the train waited for Sachin to complete the century. This Genius can stop time in India!!

·         Barry Richards : Sachin is cricket’s God

·         Hashim Amla (South African batsman) : Nothing bad can happen to us if we’are on a plane in India with Sachin Tendulkar on it.

·         Mark Taylor : We did not lose to a team called India…we lost to a man called Sachin – (in Test match at Chennai 1997)

·         Harsha Bhogle : If sachin plays well…India sleeps well.

·         Kris Srikkanth : He is the only match winning batsman we have

·         Ranatunga : You get him out  and half the battle is won

·         Sachin Tendulkar : I want to give my six hours of serious cricket on the ground and then take whatever the result.

·         “To Sachin, the man we all want to be” - - What Andrew Symonds wrote on an aussie t-shirt he autographed specially for Sachin

·         “The joy he brings to the millions of his countrymen, the grace with which he handles all the adulation and the expectations and his innate humility -all make for a one-in-a-billion  - individual” - -Glenn McGrath

·         “Even my father’s name is Sachin Tendulkar.” -  -Tendulkar’s daughter, Sara, tells her class her father’s name after the teacher informs them of a restaurant of the same name in Mumbai.

·         Question: Who do you think as most important celebrity ?
Shahrukh: There was a big party where stars from bollywood and cricket were invited. Suddenly, there was a big noise, all wanted to see approaching Amitabh Bachhan.  Then Sachin entered the hall and Amitabh was leading the queue to get a grab of the GENIUS!! 
-A quote of Shahrukh Khan from one of his interviews

·         “I WILL SEE GOD WHEN I DIE BUT TILL THEN I WILL SEE SACHIN “ - -Displayed on a banner at a cricket ground

·         “Sachin cannot cheat. He is to cricket what (Mahatma) Gandhiji was to politics. It’s clear discrimination.” - -NKP Salve, former Union Minister. This was when he was accused of ball tempering.

·    “There are 2 kind of batsmen in the world. One Sachin Tendulkar. Two all the others.” -  -Andy Flower

·         I have delayed my shoots many times to watch Sachin bat" - Filmstar Amitabh Bachchan.

·         "I don't watch cricket much but I admire Sachin Tendulkar. I like the way he has conducted himself over the years. He has been such a huge star for so long but has not had a single controversy against his name." - Olympic bronze medallist boxer Vijender Singh.

·         "The best thing about Sachin Tendulkar is that he's completely rooted, down to earth, and a thorough gentleman. He's probably the best thing to have happened to Indian cricket and maybe Indian sport as a whole." - Indian tennis star Sania Mirza.

·         Sachin is 99.5% Perfect.. I'll pay to watch him play. - Viv Richards

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