There are many more qualified and experienced people than me who have been pouring in tributes to the God of cricket, Sachin Tendulkar … and right fully so. And yet here I am, another one of those million die hard fan of that man, trying to write something on that same man. But this will not be about his achievements, batting technique, him as a human being, etc…. simply because I am not qualified to do so. Rather it will be about asking some basic questions, which only that man can answer.
What made you feel Sachin, that at that young age of 16+, you could take on the world all by yourself ? I know young blood always boils … always think that I know everything and others are damn fools… but still, inspite of that don’t care attitude, how can one think of actually facing the greats like Akram, Waqar, Imran, Walsh, Hadlee’s of the world… it’s like as a boy entering the job world and thinking that I am at the same level of a CEO and take him heads on…. wow!
How is it that you continue with the same passion on your job day in and day out without feeling bored, tired? Even in charity matches, you have been dead serious.. didn’t you feel not motivated even for a single innings or a match? I am sure the answer is no… wow!
How is it that you do not have a single gossip or scam your entire career, when you know the entire media is clicking every moment and actually waiting for a great masala story to emerge ? Even the greats like Tiger Woods, etc had their own quota of blemishes … some minor and some major… but you never appeared as a news headline apart from cricketing reasons… wow!
You went through the era of betting in Indian cricket and was probably most impacted during your captaincy … and that’s one record which does not look great. Yet, you never went public taking names, never threw muck to anyone… knowing very well that your records as captain is going down the drain… any mortal person probably would have reacted violently to save his own back… and yet, you kept the calm image forever through out your cricketing career ….. wow!
You have played against so many players, you have played under so many captains, you have played with so many players… and yet, it is rare to find even one person criticizing you for doing something that is against the spirit of the game. Yet you have faced so much sledging and abuses on the field by so many players… wow!
You have been a super star, a God like figure for such a long time… and I have seen that a star even for five, six months develop an ego so big that often it engulfs his own achievements… and yet, you have been the most loved team player in all teams, even when you are led by people who are so much younger in age, both in years and achievements … and never it appeared that your ego is coming to the forefront … wow!
Actually I can go on with so many such questions that I myself will feel fatigued… yet, after each such question, the answer will be a simple wow!
You truly have inspired generations !
The World of Endless Ramblings 