Well, 33 doesn't seem too old for a cricketer does it? But then you look at this shy, small and twinkle eyes character from Mumbai and consider that he's played for the country from age 16, you kinda have second thoughts. An amazing individual, he's got fans from all parts of the globe, and not just for his cricketing abilities alone. His conduct of affairs off the field has been just as much awe inspiring. Of course, he is primarily...a cricketer. And who can forget the reception he got when he strode on to the field all of 16 years of age - a school kid. He was selected directly into the Indian team after scoring a mammoth 664 in the local Harris Shield trophy alongwith buddy Vinod Kambli. As history will remember, such was his hunger for runs that these school lads decided that they are going to amass as many runs as they could and actually refused to look at the players enclosure where the team coach would be sitting. Meeting the gaze of the coach would mean obeying instructions to declare the innings and so they just kept on piling the runs.
And then a billion hearts wouldve swelled in wonder when he hit the Paki veteran legspinner Abdul Kadir for consecutive sixes. It was like an open challenge to the senior players abilities to bowl against a school kid. Then there was the innings he played to enable India to reach the finals of the Coca-Cola Trophy in Sharjah against the mighty Australians. His rapidfire 143 not only ensured that lowly India qualified for the finals but took them within a whisker of victory, an unimaginable feat. It is still a treat to watch the horrified expressions on the faces of Kasprowicz, Tom Moody and Glen McGrath to see their best deliveries getting treated with
utter disdain by the master batsman.
Another innings that comes to mind is the 179 he made against the South Africans to avoid follow-on. India were 4 wickets down batting second and it was all but certain that India will keep up to their away record against the Proteas. And then he comes to the ground, stakes his claim to the pitch and plays an amazing knock that gets them near the South African total. He finally got out to a stupendous catch by debutant Adam Boucher on the deep midwicket boundary. It seemed as if the ball caught Boucher's hand instead of vice versa and the shock was apparent on Sachin's face, but walk he did, to the dressing room, not with his head high for India wasn't out of trouble. But he also didn't hang his head down in shame, for it was a valiant effort, one of the best innings he's played.
And now, when there are calls for his retirement, I just feel like blasting those skeptic voices and tell them to recollect the days of sheer entertainment that has flowed from his bat. There have been days when people have prayed to the Gods for delivering the Sachin saviour and days when many have slept a contented sleep, happy that India has beaten fancy opponents, all because of this demure whizkid.
There aren't many people who are gifted with a genius for something and get the chance to do it for life. Sachin means cricket and it's unthinkable that he will go out in this way from the Indian cricket scenario. I just recollect the TV ad he did for the defunct 'HomeTrade' where he hits the cherry out of the empty stadium and the catchline goes 'Life means more'.
And then a billion hearts wouldve swelled in wonder when he hit the Paki veteran legspinner Abdul Kadir for consecutive sixes. It was like an open challenge to the senior players abilities to bowl against a school kid. Then there was the innings he played to enable India to reach the finals of the Coca-Cola Trophy in Sharjah against the mighty Australians. His rapidfire 143 not only ensured that lowly India qualified for the finals but took them within a whisker of victory, an unimaginable feat. It is still a treat to watch the horrified expressions on the faces of Kasprowicz, Tom Moody and Glen McGrath to see their best deliveries getting treated with
utter disdain by the master batsman.
Another innings that comes to mind is the 179 he made against the South Africans to avoid follow-on. India were 4 wickets down batting second and it was all but certain that India will keep up to their away record against the Proteas. And then he comes to the ground, stakes his claim to the pitch and plays an amazing knock that gets them near the South African total. He finally got out to a stupendous catch by debutant Adam Boucher on the deep midwicket boundary. It seemed as if the ball caught Boucher's hand instead of vice versa and the shock was apparent on Sachin's face, but walk he did, to the dressing room, not with his head high for India wasn't out of trouble. But he also didn't hang his head down in shame, for it was a valiant effort, one of the best innings he's played.
And now, when there are calls for his retirement, I just feel like blasting those skeptic voices and tell them to recollect the days of sheer entertainment that has flowed from his bat. There have been days when people have prayed to the Gods for delivering the Sachin saviour and days when many have slept a contented sleep, happy that India has beaten fancy opponents, all because of this demure whizkid.
There aren't many people who are gifted with a genius for something and get the chance to do it for life. Sachin means cricket and it's unthinkable that he will go out in this way from the Indian cricket scenario. I just recollect the TV ad he did for the defunct 'HomeTrade' where he hits the cherry out of the empty stadium and the catchline goes 'Life means more'.
