One Man who inspired a Nation

So the day is finally here. The one whom people referred to as ‘God’ has finally decided to call it a day. A BCCI tweet that Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar has decided to retire after his landmark 200^th test spread like wildfire and the media went abuzz with Tendulkar documentaries regarding his innumerable achievements and the legacy he leaves behind.

Cynics were gunning for this call since the past one year as his bat has been relatively silent during this phase. He had not scored a century after the Cape Town test in 2010, his reflexes had slowed down, but the intensity was still the same. Little do the cynics remember that it was Tendulkar, who carried a team of not – so good cricketers during the entire 90s (even a 10 year old Virat Kohli would have played better than those). The Indian team during the 90s was the typical “Tu chal me aaya types” as once Tendulkar was out, the rest followed like a procession.

Circumstances were such that people began to feel that a country like India doesn’t deserve talents like Tendulkar as there is no one to back it up. It was only during the early 2000s, that the concept of ‘Team India’ really began to take shape with a bunch of fearless youngsters led by Sourav Ganguly. The Famous Five (Sachin, Ganguly, Dravid, Laxman and Kumble) were at their prime during that phase.

A World Cup win was the only dream Sachin had unfulfilled. It was a case of so close yet so far in 2003, but in 2011, the dream was realized as it was by far the best team India had seen after 1983. The calls began to grow for Sachin calling it quits in ODIs after that but he continued to play, scoring that historic 100^th century against Bangladesh, which incidentally was his last ODI tournament.

People say he played for records, which wasn’t the case. The records were made to be broken by him. The heart breaking 136 he scored against Pakistan in 1999 at Chennai, a match which India lost by 12 runs, still make you sympathies for him, and his twin centuries against Australia at Sharjah in 1998, make you feel proud.

When will he? How will he? Where will he? No one could predict it but it did come unexpectedly! The penultimate two times you would see the modern day Bradman in Whites! So it really doesn't matter whether is a duck or century one last time, just enjoy the privilage of watching the great man bat so u can tell your kids "I saw Sachin playing"