Thank GOD!

Buzzing of an old alarm clock, Waking up of three men in the home at 4 on a chilly winter morning and Tiptoeing out of the bedroom on the way to drawing hall. The grandfather switches on the TV set. The boy who is in the first year of his teen-age parks himself relaxing in front of the screen.  With the toothbrush in hand and a smile on the face (Insensitive to the chilliness of the marble floor), he is amazed by the lush green outfield (with fascinating check pattern) of The Basin at Wellington.  The father prepares delicious Ginger tea as he joins the two. Next what they witness is termed as ‘Perfection’ in the dictionary of the lovers of the game, a young man named Sachin Tendulkar had just played a Picturesque straight drive. Three Generations, Sipping of Tea on a winter morning, Game of Gentlemen and the Legend- Sach are my distinct memories of the man who has had a limited but substantial progression to become The God by now.

He moved on to make 113 in that innings and though India lost it thanks to the likes of Nash and Cairns; I was quite happy because my faith in my Hero and his talent was strengthened. I have had (or listened to) many discussions about The technique of Gavaskar, The aggression of Richards and The elegance of Viswanath but there was something about Sachin even then that told me that He is beyond all these. The relationship had started long before when he hit a century against Srilanka in January, 1994 which made me decided to watch the 3^rd test match of the series at Motera in Ahmedabad live. Kapil Dev broke Hadlee’s record and Azhar hit a stylish ton but it initiated my strong following for the man who eventually became synonym of batsman-ship in Cricket.

The English Summer of 1996 and The magnificent 169 at Cape Town under pressure against the bowling attack of Donald and Pollock, convinced me more than ever about my dedication at the Summer Cricket coaching camp that I joined for three consecutive years then. The only reason I enjoyed the solo net-sessions there was the fact that it was the only time when I could believe that I can also stroke a Cover drive and a Straight drive with the same stance and elegance!

What happened during those three years (1996-98) can just be experienced! 523 runs from the little maestro and the sad exit at the Eden gardens, the rivalry with Shane Warne and The epic Sharjah Century (and Tony Grieg’s animated commentary) are just a few of the events. I remember me and my friends hanging at the window grills of certain houses in staff-quarters at the school cheering for Sachin and the courageous acts (back in class 5-6) of getting late to the class!

The next year brought one of the most memorable centuries from him when he scored 140* against Kenya in World Cup. The man had lost his primary source of inspiration- his father Ramesh Tendulkar but had the guts to be back on the battlefield immediately to win a much-needed match for his country then. He looked at the heavens in his customary style but the eyes could communicate the pain. The moments when you are proud of yourself because of someone else!

The memories galore even after: Almost a dream-run in WC 2003 (The unforgettable sixes against Caddick and Shoaib), Uncountable Paddle Sweeps, An on-sided 241* at Sydney after a rough patch (“Class is Permanent”: Boycott), Fighting 175 against Australia (The Fr. Enright Common room atmosphere!), 200* against SA at Gwalior (and the madness in XL canteen), Virat Kohli & gang lifting Sachin after winning WC2011 and off course the most talked about 100^th 100 at Mirpur.

An innocent introspection tells me that I have not been a person who has found it easy/comfortable setting role model(s) for himself. But I am really amazed the way I have been able to think about Sachin not just in critical moments but even in normal times to sustain self-motivation. If it was just about talent, I think the likes of Lara and Laxman are more gifted. But it is more than the talent, he represents the journey of a boy coming from an ordinary family who has achieved milestones (via passion & commitment) that are never achieved before and are most likely not to be achieved!

I am an agnostic at heart but I admit after all these years that in a nation as diverse as India, Cricket surely is the most popular religion and if there has to be a God here; it has to be Sachin. While he has been addressed as the GOD quite frequently by his fans, Sachin has been about small things to me. Average height (rather small for a sportsperson), Childlike smile, Remarkable dedication, Strong preparation, Chewing nails when tensed, Listening to Kishore da, Ethical conduct irrespective of surroundings, Mentoring the youth, Passion for the game and Love for the family and country- Sachin is that common to me! No wonder a billion Indians can relate to him and love him blindly. There have been, are and will be Indian sports persons who are great and/or legendary but the way Sachin has carried the weight of expectations is impossible to match.

Like any common man, I have had plenty of days in my life when I was down/sad/in bad mood because of trivial/non-trivial issues and there have been occasions when I was short of motivation; Sachin is the one who has brought a smile on my face on more occasions than anyone else and has provided the inspiration to do well wherever I am heading in life! This is my humble attempt to say thanks to The GOD (if there is any) that he made a gem of a human being known as Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar and brought him to the game of Cricket (and not Tennis). I owe a million thanks to the icon for being the Best friend, Guide and Entertainer for me over more than 18 years now.

Sachin- Wishing you a very Happy Birthday and I pray that you continue to lead your life the way you want it. As I keep on focusing your message of “Chase your dreams because they do come true!” I would end it by:

“Thanks for being SRT”