It was during 90’s when both consumer electronics as well as paper industry saw an upward surge in India with the arrival of a Child Prodigy, a Genius and a Master – Sachin Tendulkar. During then the people crazily went for buying spree of TVs sets to discover him, people crazily started writing on him to read about him. They felt there was something special about Sachin even though he was in his early days. Durng then, the internet had just started making waves however the only way common Indian could get the news and info on their beloved player was through newspapers. So, there definitely was a toll on the paper industry, but then nature was all smiles for the special son, Sachin.
Sachin's Humongous 200
Why is that India always has a special place for Sachin in spite of 20 long years? And to add more, it was during the same period where India saw many celebrities, stars and great politicians emerging to stardom. And the Answer is, yes they certainly did hold the headlines but only for a certain period of time and certainly not the way what Sachin is consistently holding it for 20 strong and long years. There is something special about him and it’s not just by mere craziness and adulation which India generally showers on any high profile person. Period.
These days Indian cricket is certainly flying very high and why not when the Aviator of the Indian team is in such a terrific form where in his every outing he is flying more than 100 flying hours.
The way Sachin is batting this year 2010, is just out of the world, It’s been close to 4 months since the commencement of year 2010, but the world has already witnessed 4 consecutive 100s in tests and a Humongous 200* in Odi (and this is just the beginning, he will breach it two more times for sure).This is purely because of the genius of Sachin which he delivers at his will and against the time. Because of these special knocks, his existing fan database got upgraded with new fans in terms of trillions across the globe. Even Atheists started calling him Almighty. Sachin has played 3 big knocks in Odi in less than a year (Read: 163* Vs New Zealand in March 2009, 175 Vs Australia in November 2009 and 200* Vs South Africa February 2010).
On the first two occasions he trained himself to breach this 200 mark but missed out on both the times. His innings of 163* against New Zealand in New Zealand came to an end mainly because of the cramps and injury which he suffered while playing and where as in the second attempt against Australia, may be the total runs put by Australia on the board fell short in achieving one and during the search for his quest he eventually lost his wicket. But finally he made up the 2 lost opportunities on the third occasion when he blasted 200* against South Africa this year. His last 2 innings were resulted as Anti-Climax and Climax in Indian win.
The Genius of Sachin delivers Valorous 175 and Humongous 200*:
It took me more than 6 months (ever since he played that knock of 175 against Australia in Hyderabad) and exactly 2 months (for his knock of 200* against South Africa in Gwalior) to finalize the two apt adjectives for these 2 thunderbolts (valorous 175 and humongous 200*). Though any dictionary, word power or the thesaurus for that matter literally fails to describe the magnitude of Sachin’s batting. But I still somehow managed to find the adjectives which at least remotely justify his knocks(If we have witnessed valorous act by Sachin at Hyderabad we were also equally privileged to witness Humongous 200* at Gwalior).It took almost a month to get the outline to pen down and then of course a tree was cut for writing this scripture.
Australia has scored more than 340 runs on many occasions against India. On three occasions where Sachin tried to lead the chase and missed out were. First, when he got out for a score of 4 runs in world cup final, 2003 when Australia set a target of 360 to chase. That was the heart breaking dismissal for India and Sachin, who single handedly took India to the finals (after solely promising in front of the press when India lost the match against the same team in the league phase, then Sachin said “I will play till last ball”).Second, in the same year when India played a tri series (Ind-Nz-Aus) in India when Australia once again set a target of 348 to chase. Sachin scored 89 during the process, but India couldn’t win the match. Third, of course the recent his knock of 175 of 141 balls which comprised of 19 boundaries and 4 sixes. When he scored his 7 first runs he crossed yet another milestone of accumulating 17,000 runs in Odi. This knock was as heart breaking as what we saw in world cup final 2003. In this match he almost took India home, He just fell when he tried playing a Scoop shot which bounced a bit and eventually was caught by Hauritz of McKay bowling.
This scoop shot is more of a suicidal than a survival. This particular shot shattered the dreams of Pakistan in T-20 world cup, 2007 when Mishbah-ul-haq attempted to fetch the winning run by playing the scoop which eventually landed in the hands of Sreeshanth of Joginder Sharma bowling. But here in this case India still had a chance of winning the match as they still had 3 overs, 3 wickets and 18 runs to score after Sachin’s departure but in the end it was typical Indian fallout.
The tail enders played a spoil sport and changed the near most perfect Climax to an Anti Climax for the Indian victory and of course for Sachin.
What a heart breaking sight for the Emperor to see his empire coming down, the moment he left the battlefield.The empire which he had built from start to (almost) finish wasn’t blessed to see the victory flag hoisted. The soldiers from his dynasty failed to cross the enemy line by their winning march.
This is not the first time where India lost from a winning position, but this was something Sachin was yearning to finish it off by himself. In his career spanning of 20 years few times he came close to taste the victory but results have always been on the flip side. The moment he left, India lost and his critics wore a wicked smile on their face. Yes, Emperor was disheartened but remained determined for his next conquest.
Everytime he tries to educate his team that India is no more in the reforming 90s but already taken a big mileage in the globalization but his team always remains as adamant as any other and they still want to have their repast of 90s. Period.
Incidentally it was Mahatma Gandhi who first started his social-justice movement ever in South Africa when he was thrown out of the train and rest is history. Co incidentally Sachin too started his revolutionary march against the same country to breach the 200 mark ever and the history of breaching 200 and setting a new benchmark will be rewritten two more times before he retires from Odi.
If the former made his nation to follow him and create the history by getting freedom then the latter made the nation to stand still and witness the history by reaching the Double hundred. Both resulted humongous. It took almost 40 years to shrug the Atlas. It took 40 years to score a double hundred ever in Odi which was eventually scored by the only deserving player cricket has ever seen.
I made few wishes way back in 1999 that 1) Sachin should score 50 100’s in both the forms of cricket 2) He should be the first to score double hundred in Odi and Lastly a world cup under his belt. Wish No#1 is on its way, wish No#2 accomplished and the last, all more important wish to win a world cup takes all my focus now.
During his knock of 200, Right from the beginning Sachin looked in a sublime touch. Every shot he played were impeccable, every stroke he hit were flawless. Sachin stamped his authority throughout his innings. This knock of 200 in 147 balls had 25 boundaries and 3 huge sixes which fetched the greatest victory ever on South Africa. India won the match by 153 runs. This was a perfect climax for the Indian victory and also for his quest of reaching 200 mark.
One common phenomenon which we got to see in both the innings was he scoring almost 50% of total runs of the team. Whether while he was chasing against Australia or when he was front ending to set the benchmark for South Africa.
The Genius of Sachin in both the innings was palpably clear. This Genius dialed G,“G – Grudge and Gracious” while playing both the knocks. If he was holding grudge while playing his valorous 175 against Australia, then he was equally gracious when he was playing his Humongous 200*against South Africa.
Sachin’s Valorous 175
On a curious note, how often an opener has been a finisher or which is that opener who has been consistent finisher for that matter? If Cricket is a team game, then the team should demonstrate the same. Why blame someone who tried winning it for his team and why Critics are so much eager to see the results on the flip side. But these innings shut those critical big mouths, which once were ready to hand over the retirement to Sachin without his consent.
During 2005-06 Sachin had the worst phase of his career and it was during the same time his critics had the golden opportunity to criticize him and they didn’t miss even a single such chance even during his injuries. These not so good cricketers but turned critical specialists for Sachin has always tried to sneak peek into this batting omnibus and remained critical. Sachin has been the reason and also the difference to everyone and everything. Even to the critics for that matter. During then critics earned rich meals and not just the bread, by writing against him.
Ever since the year 2007 dawned, since then (in the last 3 years) the sheer genius of Sachin smashed every mirror, trapped every elephant and enlightened every all rounder. There is a famous saying in management subject called “ Total quality management” and the saying goes “change is inevitable” and that glimmer of change is visible among these critics these days, hope so at least let me not be on the flip side for their change. These days the same critics are not that happy as they are earning just a piece of bread for their livelihood because the people who were right behind Sachin during his worst phase has changed the attitude of the people and made them to read good things about Sachin.
In the end…
Dear Sachin,
The whole nation has been behind you in the thick and thin of your personal and professional life over the years. The happiness what you have given to the nation is irreplaceable. Nation has blessed and wished you in all your endeavors. Today, the nation once again gears up to wish you(b'day) and bless you. This decade you have already given us great happiness in the past 2 yearss, may you continue with the same zeal and serve the same happiness for us which you have always done over the years. congrats to you my Dear Sachin, All the best, God Bless.
No comments:
Post a Comment