At 16yrs, Sachin was first selected as child actor with the thought of modernize him as hero after 5 or 6 years but his performance is as such that he stroked his way to be hero of unceasing hope for Indian people within next 2 years and it was unremitting for decades now.
Sachin Tendulkar is a hope in darkness
Sachin Tendulkar, just read the name again and again, you will feel the joy of pride filling the hearts and drops of hopes in blood. He is a magician because for my generation (I am 21yrs old now) and for generation 10yrs before me, the years passed with him and moments of life came from watching him. Those are the moments that never die and procure joy in his remembrance. I think Sachin arrived within me from Sharjah 98. I was too small to be aware of his greatness when he thrashed Warne to all park in 97 or playing a lone hand in world cup 96 or people say about Perth 114*, Sydney 148, Napier 88 and more.
Not only for me, for all Indians Sharjah 98 is special. I still remember the victory celebrations of Sharjah finals, “I was jumping in joy and shouting hell out of my breadth, streets of my village filled with people in joy and a monster 5000 wala lit up by one of my neighbor from which each crackers bursting in joy and making their joy felt with sounds of dum! tip! tap!”. It’s like festival out there for an hour or so that people forget all their sorrows, body tiredness, tensions and enjoying the moment at midnight. Many still remember the words of Steve Waugh after the match, “We won with ten, but lost to one”.
There are many such enjoyable moments given by Sachin but some led to tears due to his team mates. If Sachin himself says the one moment that never forgets, then how can we? Yes! I was talking about that match at Chennai in 1999. First test between India and Pakistan after nine years, serious back injury problem yet Sachin played the match, dismissed for duck in 1st innings, left stranded for 82/5 in 2nd innings chasing 271 runs and then a heroic century was soon turned into tragic by his teammates that had him weeping in dressing room. When he is playing, everything seems possible for India. He is just like god that you always wish good things from him and yell at him when bad things happen.
But in spite of all this, people still criticize of him being selfish. I don’t know what they really made of. It’s like questioning a mother feeding milk for child so that child will feed her later. Not many remember that only after January 2002, Indian people have got the rights to fly their national flag in home, office and organization on all days of the year. Sachin stickered the tri-color flag to his helmet even before 2002 and he was the first to do that also. People find silly reason for criticizing him that they failed to realize that Indian team had 10 more players along with him. In world cup 2003 final, Sachin got defeated and India surrendered. But in world cup 2011 finals, Sachin failed but India prevailed. It’s great for Sachin and good for Indian future. To say about Sachin, we need a book because he gave that many moments in our life. He may or may not be the best, but he will go down as the first son of India.
The silence in stadium when Sachin gets out must be the loudest in the world. Sachin Tendulkar, a hope in darkness!
Tags: Chennai, Cricket, India, Sachin Tendulkar, Sharjah
