Genius

Sorry dear reader,

My new post "I Offer my soul to you" is still not ready so for the time being,I dedicate my blogspot to a phenomena called "Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar"




"Beneath the helmet, under that unruly curly hair, inside the cranium, there is something we don't know, something beyond scientific measure. Something that allows him to soar, to roam a territory of sport that, forget us, even those who are gifted enough to play alongside him cannot even fathom. When he goes out to bat, people switch on their TV sets and switch off their lives " BBC on Sachin




Jab main chota ladka tha.. . When I was a child

1988, Mumbai, February 23-25

Tendulkar, 14 and Kambli, 16, compile a 664-run unbroken partnership for Shardashram Vidyamandir against St Xavier's at Azad Maidan. It remains the highest partnership recorded in any form of cricket. Kambli made 349 not out , Tendulkar made 326 not out.

" Achrekar sir's assistant ran all around trying to attract our attention so that he could tell us to declare. Sachin kept telling me not to look at him " Vinod Kambli


First Blood

1989, Sialkot, 14 December
On that last day of the last Test of his first Test series in Pakistan Sachin gets hit on the nose by a Waqar delivery. Sachin falls down, gets up and wipes away the gushing blood. Eventually he scores 57.

" It didn't feel nice, with blood flowing from my nose, but I couldn't leave. I told myself, I want to thrash this bowler "
Tendulkar





Topping the Test

1990, Old Trafford, 14th August

At 17 yrs and 112 days Sachin becomes the second-youngest centurion in Test history. His 119 not out against England helps India draw the game. It still remains among his most valuable Test innings.

"How could anyone so young be so good at the highest level"
David Frith, cricket writer



Sachin ka favourite...

1992, Perth, 2-3 February
India is struggling at 135 for 6 at the WACA, the bounciest cricket pitch in the world. Tendulkar scripts a counter-attacking gem of 114. It is his favourite innings.

" It's a great pity that an innings which deserved a viewership of a hundred thousand is being watched by such a small crowd "
Richie Benaud





The Bowler

1993, Kolkata, 24 November
With South Africa needing just six runs to win the last over of their Hero Cup semi-final against India, Tendulkar bowls a sensational last over giving away just 3 runs and fashioning an Indian win.

" I had on apprehension, that in trying to restrict the batsmen I would end up bowling a wide or a no-ball especially before I come in to bowl the last ball, I was ultra cautious "
Sachin Tendulkar





Mera number aa gaya

1994, Auckland, 27th March
Opens in an ODI for the first time against New Zealand. Goes on to make 82 off 49 balls.

"Tendulkar was editing the highlights too fast "
Jeremy Coney




1995, Mumbai, October

Signs a 5-year contract worth Rs 31.5 crore with World Tel which makes him the richest cricketer of the world.

"I'm betting on the power of Sachin and the power of the Indian economy "
Late Mark Mascrenhas, World Tel Chief





1996

Named Indian skipper at the age of 23.

"My gut feeling is that responsibility will see greater consistency from him and less throwing away of the wicket to casual shots "
Sunil Gavaskar





The Pink Slip

1998

Tendulkar is sacked from captaincy after a 15-month tenure during which India won just 3 out of 17 Tests.


" We removed Sachin because he could not take the pressure of batting and captaincy "
Ramakant Desai





Iski to gayee! (Reuters)

1998, Sharjah April 22-24

Scores two back-to-back tons against Australia to help India reach the final and win it.

" I'll be going to bed having nightmares of Sachin just running down the wicket and belting me back over the head for a six "
Shane Warne







True grit (Reuters)

1999, 30-31 January

With an injured back, Tendulkar makes 136 chasing 271 against Pakistan. When Sachin gets out, India need 17 more runs. Eventually, India fall short by 12.

"It was one of the finest innings played under pressure. He is the best batsman in the world "
Wasim Akram







'Careful with that ball Sachin'
(Reuters)

2001, Port Elizabeth, 19 November

Tendulkar is cautioned and fined by match referee Mike Denness for ball tampering in the 2nd Test against South Africa. The resulting outcry in India and the impasse between BCCI and ICC forces the latter to review the decision.

"You have to think five times before you make such a decision"
Chetan Chauhan


2002

Tendulkar's batting genius pulled India out out of trouble in the third and final Test against the West Indies in Kolkata. The little master's unbeaten 114, his 31st Test ton, helped India avoid an innings defeat. Tendulkar delighted nearly 60,000 spectators with his rich stroke-play as the Windies pace-attack looked clueless.

"Sachin denied us a win "
Carl Hooper



Fanatical Flames (Reuters)

2004 -World Cup

After a public backlash following a disastrous performance against Australia, Tendulkar played the interlocutor, pleading to the fans to maintain calm in a rare public statement.




"We will fight till the last ball is bowled, please support us "
Tendulkar





Mocking the attack (Reuters)

2004- World Cup
It was a merciless Sachin that took on Shoaib Akhtar head on. The result: The faster Shoaib bowled, the quicker his deliveries screamed to the fence.
Run odyssey
An effortless clip to midwicket off Dutch bowler Edgar Schiferli, and Sachin Tendulkar eases past Javed Miandad as the highest run-getter in the World Cup.
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" Tujhe ko pata hai tune kiska catch chora hai! "
Akram to Razzak, after the latter dropped Tendulkar

Merlin of Multan





The Reaction!

Bamboozled
Sachin Tendulkar celebrates after dismissing Moin Khan off the last ball on the third day of the first Test match against Pakistan at Multan.

"What we (Zimbabwe) need is 10 Tendulkars"
Paul Strang

2004- India's tour of Pakistan
Five days of hard play. Runs scored 194; wickets taken 2. Critics called it unsporting when the Master Blaster spoke to the press about the missing six runs. Sachin's performance at Multan is testimony to the fact that all ends well if he plays well.

"I waited a long time for this win'"
Tendulkar


Consensus is that Sir Donald Bradman was the best batsman ever to play Cricket. Sir Don did not play one-day Cricket but if he did, he could easily be Sachin Tendulkar.






Fooled!



2004- India's tour to Pakistan
Moin Khan plays for a leg-cutter. But to his horror, Tendulkar's delivery -- the last of the day -- does not turn and goes through his legs onto the stumps.


" You take Don Bradman away and he is next up I reckon"
Steve Waugh


Here are a few things in the realms of fantasy but which could well become a reality in the years to come:

1. Tendulkar will be the first Indian sportsperson to be granted Bharat Ratna.

2. The Reserve Bank of India will mint a special 100-rupee coin with Tendulkar's face on one side. The figure 100 a symbolic tribute to the master.

3. A stamp and a first day cover featuring Tendulkar will be among the many honours that will come his way on his retirement.

4. Cricket's showpiece stadium, the Eden Gardens, will be renamed after Tendulkar.

5. The great venue in Kolkata will also play host to Tendulkar's benefit. The over 100,000 people at the watch will be a new record for any benefit anywhere in the world.

6. Cricket's World Cup will have a permanent trophy. It will be named after Tendulkar - statistically the greatest player ever in the abridged version of the game.

7. An ageing MF Husain will pay tribute to Tendulkar by publicly painting a picture. It will show Tendulkar wrapped in the Indian tricolour galloping with horses, with Tendulkar ahead of the horses!

8. Tendulkar will be made chairman of the selection committee despite the presence of several seniors in the committee.

9. After serving as selector, Tendulkar will become the BCCI president - elected unopposed after nation-wide clamour by the players.

10. Bandra, the place where the hero spent all his life, will be renamed Sachin Tendulkar Nagar.

11. The Sahitya Sahawas building where Tendulkar grew up will be deemed a heritage building by the Archaeological department. And the house where he lived till recently will be thrown open to visitors one day in a year - on his birthday.

12. The MRF-Sachin Tendulkar Cricket Foundation will be the Mecca for young hopefuls all over the world with some of the best names in the game as coaches.

13. Tendulkar will enter the Guinness Book of World Records for being the subject of more books than any other cricketer in the world.

14. A Sachin Tendulkar Museum will be established in Mumbai which will become one of the great tourist attractions.

15. By the time he retires, Tendulkar would have moved into a fortress of a house that will find tourists flocking to get a darshan of the demi-God.

16. Political parties will make a beeline to have him in their party, but Tendulkar will stay clear. Tendulkar, however, will take up the post of Sheriff of Mumbai.

17. April 24, Tendulkar's birthday, will be declared as Ekta Din. A day when all differences - political, linguistic, religious etc - are set aside to foster national pride. That is what Tendulkar was able to achieve when he was at the crease and that is what the day aims to achieve in his honour.

18. Tendulkar will net more income from endorsements and other promotional activities in retirement than the highest paid active Indian sportsperson.

19. India will have its own Mt Rushmore in the hills of Lonavala. In a fantastic tribute to two of the greatest sons of the soil, the Maharashtra state government will commission a top sculptor of the day to etch the faces of Tendulkar and Gavaskar carved on the rocks. The 80-foot sculpture will give a spectacular look for travellers on the Mumbai-Pune Highway amid the sheer drop of the Western Ghats.