Honestly, Sachin Tendulkar retiring was not a big deal for me. I respect him immensely as a human being, but owing to my lack of interest and knowledge in the game of cricket, I am not really going to "miss" SRT play. However, I do know one crazy fan, who watched cricket all these years for the one single man, no prizes for guessing -- Sachin Tendulkar and have revered him from then on. So I leave it to her , to express her true feelings on an occasion that made the entire nation cry. Over to Ambika :
‘Sachin Tendulkar Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar Thank you Thank you Thank you’, those were the words of the commentator when Sachin was caught out at 74 in his last ever innings, his 200th test match. And I was watching in awe, watching the packed stadium where every single person gave that man a standing ovation, between that thunderous applause his biggest fan Sudhir watched his hero walk back with moist eyes. As the camera followed Sachin up till the pavilion, I sat wondering how many Sachin lovers, like me, would have bunked office or called in late just to watch their ‘God’ bat live one last time in the Indian jersey, how many would’ve queued up early morning outside the stadium and how many would have felt lucky to have witnessed him play. What is it about this man that people across the globe have such a high regard for him? Then came the speech, that heart-felt speech that brought tears to our eyes. He hadn’t written down anything apart from the names of the people he wanted to thank, every word he said was what he truly felt, it was pure gratitude. And that moment when he went and touched the pitch stirred a million emotions in me; it reflected his strong value system and his utmost respect for the game. The gesture was unexpected, it was perhaps the last time he would be standing in those 22 yards and he was grateful for everything it had given him, whatever he has achieved was because of cricket and he genuinely wanted to thank the game that made him the icon he is today. 24 years, a career spanning 2 decades, with injuries, with the harshest critics, with controversies, this one man stood tall through everything and focused on what he loved doing the most – playing cricket for India.
He mentioned in his speech that his father always told him to chase his dreams but not look for short cuts and to be a good human being. To quote Andrew Symonds who gave him a t-shirt saying 'To Sachin; the man we all want to be”.
For me personally, apart from all the records, the trophies, the awards, the one characteristic that makes him so special is the person Sachin is, it is who he really is. Despite the enormous amount of admiration, the hero worship, the craze, the media frenzy, he remains so grounded and humble. His honesty, his integrity, his devotion towards the game is what separates him from the rest. In 24 years of living with a celebrity status in a cricket crazy nation, not once has he been dragged into any controversy or lost his cool or snapped at the critics or media. There must have been times when he would have been frustrated angry and a complete mess after all he has always been under a constant pressure of performing, he always had a billion hopes resting on his shoulders. Yet he always maintained a calm and composed demeanour, flashing that innocent smile while he let his bat do all the talking. His attitude shows in his game, it has been his only passion, the only dream he ever had – to play for India. Passion – a word we all use so frequently but what we don’t realize is what goes behind it. It calls for years and years of hard work, perseverance and sweat, being focused, dedicated and staying strong enough to fight all the failures on your way to success. He could have taken it easy, he was talented and was already a part of the Indian team, but he did not miss even a day’s practice. In every single match he played you could see the child in him come alive, his enthusiasm was unbound. He could have rested after breaking a few records, after all his name had already gone down in history, but he went on because he loved the game he was driven by his passion and considered himself blessed to be able to play for his country. He faced the most difficult bowler’s right from his debut; he played against the strongest opponents, the rudest teams who would take to sledging and abusing on the field. But that man remained unfazed and determined, he answered all those bowlers simply by playing his square drives and master shots for sixes and fours. I am sure he must be laughing it off later because surprisingly he shares a great camaraderie with the players across all teams and everyone respects him and looks up to him.
“When you bowl at him you are not just trying to get him out, you are trying to impress him. I want him to walk off thinking ‘that Flintoff, he's all right isn't he? I feel privileged to have played against him” – Andrew Flintoff
“I have seen God, he bats at no. 4 for India in tests” - Mathew Hayden
"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." - Brian Lara
His hunger to win, his zeal to play, his eagerness to excel and his love for the game is an inspiration to all of us. Not only is he an amazing sportsman, he is also a gentleman with wonderful qualities which reflect in his affection for his family, the warm bonding and protectiveness for a son who is bound to face comparisons on every ball he hits. He managed to shield his children from the limelight all these years and I am sure they must have been taken aback seeing the adulation, recognition and tributes showered on their father from across the world. What a proud moment for the entire family, for the mother who watched her son play for the first time in 24 years, for the brother who sacrificed his own career and nourished the same dream, for the coach who pushed him harder each time and for the father who made Sachin the brilliant man he is today. It is truly admirable to see a middle class man achieve so much success and fame by being righteous and honest towards his work and continue to be shy, modest and down to earth. He breaks the myth that looks, stature or wealth make a man, instead sound principles, morals and good virtues maketh a complete man. I guess these were also the reason he was put on a pedestal of God and he has not let any act spoil his name or done anything to let down a billion ordinary people who worshiped him. His longevity, consistency is inspiring as he has been compared with cricketers across generations with him being the only constant. He has the power to make time stop. He is the only person on planet who unites India and I don’t think anyone else can ever do it this way. We all have our Sachin moment, the nail biting, the wow what a shot, the joy when he would walk to the crease, following some silly superstition while he would bat,the sadness at his wicket, and many more such cherished memories that will stay with us and countless stories that will be passed down to the generations to come.
He said his farewell was scripted by the almighty, I believe he is the almighty in some form. He is a legend and he is truly blessed!
“His shots, His drives
His squat, His smile
His style of raising the bat, His persona on the field
His humility, His honesty
His jersey number, His die-hard fans
Everything about Him is irreplaceable
Sachin Tendulkar ... You will remain the God of cricket forever!!”
- Ambika Jugran
Thank You Ambika for an amazing post!!
