December 2013 Editorial: I Was Alive When Sachin Played Cricket!!

Before I even begin, let me confess that I don’t qualify to write even a single statement about him. I am neither a cricket nor a Sachin fanatic. But the recent surge of emotions that I along with the rest of the world witnessed is compelling enough for me to write a few words about this Bharat Ratna awardee!! Recently the social media expressed conflicting views on whether Sachin was a true worthy recipient of the most prestigious award bestowed upon any Indian for his contribution and great work in serving this nation. “Kapil Dev’s World Cup winning team in 1983, taught us to dream, but Sachin enticed us to dream big and achieve big through dedication and commitment, he was the catalyst in making people sit up and notice India as a world force, at a time when the ‘India’ story was just beginning and hence he is the worthy recipient of the Bharat Ratna”. A lot of us will wholeheartedly agree to this statement quoted by Raj Mankar my cousin and a cricket enthusiast and an ardent Sachin fan. But there were some other almost contradicting views in media. They said – “Fine Sachin was a talented cricketer, he has many an unbeatable records to his name, but for all this he got name, fame and money…. Tons of money! What did he do for India to deserve this honour devaluing the prestige attached to this award?” (Quotes picked up from social media). “If it is for sports, then, why not Dhyanchand, the hockey wizard, Milkha Singh, athlete, PT Usha and so on?”. Well, this debate may go on, but a unanimous verdict is sure in favour of this honour bestowed upon the Little Master. Cricket to me is just a game that is played in our by lanes and gullies, a sport that bonds two eleven member teams that we see in countless parks, maidans, and stadia. International cricket to me is an extension of the teams to the countries. The popularity of this sport in India has converted its sports value to one of the highest entertainment quotient that any sport could boast of and that media can ever have monetized on. If Bollywood is a source of entertainment, in a cricket crazy country like India, cricket probably enthrals our people much more than Bollywood. In that comparison if the country has been OK with legendary singer Lata Mangeshkar being awarded the Bharat Ratna who has given Bollywood some of the most melodious songs and who has been the voice of the Indian Heroine for the longest span in the history of Indian Cinema, then Sachin Tendulkar surely is a legend in his field of sports and entertainment keeping his audience in awe and forever inspired by his sheer talent, humble values and the dignity in which he has conducted himself throughout his career. Simply translating Bharat Ratna in English would mean India’s Jewel, which he surely seems to be! I may have partially observed him very frivolously passing by the TV set when cricket crazy fans in my home sat watching him play. And the one common attribute that he always reflected was his modesty whether we won or lost because of him or in spite of him; he always came across as the most humble player on the grounds. I may not have any clue of his achievements in statistics, but the outpour of emotions during his 200th test match which announced his retirement sure symbolizes the love, respect and affection this country has for him. It clearly brings out the passion, determination and the love he has for the game that he has consistently and rightfully maintained in a long span of 24 years, probably the longest sports career span we may have witnessed. To have the nation and the world stand still and watch him swirl his bat, to sustain the performance for that long a career with feet firmly held on ground is an achievement in itself. “Speaks volumes of his middle class maharashtrian value system” says Raj Mankar. It was indeed an amazing experience for me to see all my cricket crazy family and friends turning into these super poets and writers overwhelmed with this cricket phenomenon! My nephew, Nishad Vijayakar who probably posts only when he has something to say on cricket in his status on his facebook profile has this to say for him – “Only Sachin Tendulkar can make you feel happy, proud, sad and disappointed at the same time. Unfortunately though after tomorrow, we will no longer be able to watch the God in his temple (any stadium) with his weapon (bat). I am one of the lucky few who actually got to watch the God's last innings live!! We will miss you Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. You have made the whole nation proud and happy. Couldn’t have asked more from you — feeling blessed.” Raj Mankar – “End of an era! Not only his cricket, but even his farewell speech was exemplary. It speaks volumes of the entire persona!”…. I remember a picture that The Times Of India published the very next day of his speech, where we could see Sachin referring to points he had jotted down for his speech. The points were nothing but people whom he wished to thank. And the fact that he did not have a well scripted speech shows that whatever he spoke was from his heart. Akshay Kothare another ‘sachinist’ and my brother in law – “Cricket will be now known as AS (After Sachin) and BS (Before Sachin)” Very emotionally he admitted that he along with the rest of the fellow fans in Wankhede had moist eyes when Sachin took his last leap! Another friend very emotionally declared that Sachin was the reason to bunk college, or work and fight it out for passes to get into a stadium and watch the God of cricket play, and that never in the future will he enter a stadium to scream crazy slogans for any other cricketer. Such craze, madness, love, respect, admiration for a legend who has left an indelible mark in the hearts of innumerable fans! He has carved a niche for himself in the history of World Sports. While the nation mourns at the loss of such talent from Team India, I am sure the whole world is waiting to know what the little master chooses to do in his life’s second innings! While he may not have influenced my life in any way, but those few days of Sachin’s farewell surely shook me to look up and notice this wonder. Very few people can command such worldwide attention even from people like me, who are least interested in the game. His effect on people around me and the country as a whole, surely calls for my salute to this legend and nudges me to proudly declare that “I was alive when Sachin played cricket!” “Give me some sunshine, give me some rain, give me another chance I want to watch Sachin play cricket again!” – Song recomposed by Nishad Vijayakar!