How do you describe someone possessed by a desire to keep on excelling even after reaching the pinnacle of success? To step out carrying the hopes of 1 billion people on his shoulders? Guess its simple, “Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar”, more than apt to describe someone with these qualities.
Circa 2006, the time when Sachin was out with his tennis elbow injury, not scoring runs after his comeback. Talks about retirement cropping up. How does one keep himself motivated? How does one ignore all that and time and time again prove that he is not among the mortals who will vanish without a fight. No, never.
To statiscally put his performance into picture, the recent year has been one of his best years in international cricket in which he has scored test centuries and ODI centuries both, eventually bringing his tally to 93. A century of centuries does not seem too far away.
His 200* apart, why do people watch his batting? The Indian team today has many big hitters, many technically sound players (not to say his technique is faulty). What is that, that makes a cover drive from his bat look even more spectacular? Why is that, that the fine leg glance looks especially sweetly timed ? Why do people still expect Sachin to score a century always? Guess, the answer is simple. The sheer joy and happiness he provides through his batting. The big willow, waving in his hand like a wand, weaves sheer magic in the entire cricket field. I bet that some of his shots would even be admired by the opposing teams on the field.
People always had complaints that there isn’t any one outstanding mark in Sachin’s records. Lara has the 400* in Tests, Sir Don has the impossible average of 99.4. But today, Sachin has the 200* in ODI. Almost as old as the format itself, he has achieved this milestone.
But beneath all these huge records, marvellous statistics, there is still the same curly haired boy, who loves the game today as he loved it when he first started playing it. A true champion, excellent student of the game is what Sachin is. Getting better and better with age. God Bless you, Sachin.
