iSporter Saurabh Joshi pays tributes to his cricketing God Sachin Tendulkar on completing another great feat, topping up 20 years of setting the highest benchmarks, Read on...
24th February is a special date in the history of world cricket. In 1988 on this date a 13 year old school boy entered the record books by sharing a 664 run partnership with his best friend Vinod Kambli for Sharda ashram School. 22 years later on the same day, that same kid has obtained the feat of greatness by being the first cricketer on the planet to score an ODI double hundred. We are referring to THE GREAT SACHIN TENDULKAR.
His innings of 200 not out was a huge feather in his cap. The innings was full of class, elegance and a statement “people you have a long way to go to even get close to how I bat” I think the existing and future cricketers can only dream of it! There was sense of nervousness when he was in his 190’s, at one point I thought Hashim Amla was my man of the match as he saved that hard smack from Dhoni on the square leg boundary on the 2nd ball of the final over. Else the way Dhoni was going was worried whether the Master would get his chance to achieve glory.
The legend Sunil Gavaskar said “I would like to touch his feet”, Shane Wane tweets “Nervous for my good friend Sachin everything crossed for you mate”. These words have come from the stalwarts of the game for this occasion, so this has to be some feat!! Some achievement!! Some event!! And an event it was, On the 298th ball of the Innings that nudge to the point for a single brought life of all the cricket lovers round the world to a pause!!
However, nothing changed for the man himself, 200 runs in an ODI innings just seem to be like another innings! the routine removal of the helmet, looking up at the heavens and thanking the almighty, such is the simplicity of this little Genius
Ex-cricketers criticized him time and again and all that the legend did was to not react and just let his bat do the talking and all that the critics did was chew their criticism and take a bow to the master blaster
One can go on talking and writing about his feats and records and the time and pages won’t be enough, but what is commendable is his 20 years is the way he has maintained himself, never got carried away by glamour and always was miles away from controversies. The phrase “great things happen to good people" seems to have been designed for this great man.
The level of commitment that is displayed each time he takes the field is breath taking, He may be 36 but when on field he still is a teenager, ever so involved in the game. The 20 year journey has not been an easy one, especially when in most of those years he single handedly carried the burden of expectations of a billion Indians. And how well has he handled that! During this journey he has gone through career threatening injuries (Back and Tennis Elbow) but this champion changed his style of play time and again. The expansive shorts were reduced to cheeky paddle sweeps and deft touches. However, while changing his style he still ensured that bowlers are still scared to bowl at him.
The twin centuries against Australia at Sharjah in 1998, Century against Pakistan in 1999 at Chennai, The disciplined 241 against Australia at Sydney and The 175 against Australia in 2009 while chasing a huge target are some of his many great innings which could never be erased from the memory.
At 36, He is only going stronger (touchwood!!) last year has seen him 6 and 4 centuries in Tests and ODI’s respectively. Highest run scorer in test match cricket, Highest run scorer in ODI cricket, Highest number centuries in both versions of the game and now the only player to score a double hundred in ODI. Wonder how many more records are going to be created!! or should I say how many new benchmarks is he going to set for himself?
Sir, Thank you for entertaining us for the past 20 years, I wish and will pray that you continue to do so for years to come. You bring happiness to billions in India and around the world, so much that when you are on the field our emotions and reactions are based on your little gestures and reactions
Someone made a very apt statement
“I know how the God looks like, He is 5.5, a Maharshtrian and he plays cricket, He is none other than Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar”!!
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a guest
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... very well written. Not being a cricket or Sachin fan, I cant say that I share your enthusiasm. But now i can certainly relate to all the hype around me. |
a guest
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... Robinhood! Great article buddy. I think this has come out much better than the last one. I almost got goose bumps while reading. well done...i can probably sing the song "who let the dogs out". well done. great flow. kept the interest high and words going.. Looking forward to the IPL now! Don |
a guest
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... Dat was rockin dude.i loved d way uv mentioned sachins game changin frm time to time n i really wana knw whos d 1 who said those concludin lines cz only a genious cn tink of smetin lik dat for d forevr genious we know.i also completly agree wid u sayin dat our emotions r majorly dependent on d way he reacts to situations.a billion people smile whn ths livin legend smiles on field.sch is d greatness of ths ENTERTAINER. Viral Doshi |
a guest
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... 20 yrs 4r 200... n Dhoni only increased the nervousness of billions of Sachin fans world over... well only sachin can do it...hopefully he also gets d same 4r test match in kitty.. no praise is too great for this living legend....N not to forget his dream of India lifitng world cup.... well written... u start writing for sports magazines...... |
Saurabh Joshi
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... @ Nupur... Thanks a lot... I think u should start following cricket.. its not that bad  @Don, thanks a lot sirji... jus trying my best.... and IPL is defi on its way..) @ Viral - Thanks viral.... we have discussed him every alternate day in phone... i guess some of it has definately come out in this so an extra thanks to u.. Cheers @ Nittul - Thanks Nitul... have a long way to go..) |
a guest
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... Very Well written. You research to the depth of the case and write very brief and nice. Your article makes me update on that thing and aware what is going around in cricket world. Waiting for more articles on IPL Sheetal |
Sohel Topiwala
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... Emotion oozes from every word of this article. For once, I think there is more heart than head ! As I told u, Sachin doesn't need any approval or endorsement from you or me or anybody. However, there's one thing I wanna say. Dhoni's captaincy and Sehwag's batting have helped Sachin a lot in recent years. The pressure is off him. Nothing wrong with that. I mean for how many years does one expect a one man team. But, when one credits Sachin, lets remember the ancillary things around him that have also helped him succeed. Touchwood ! That he plays long and wins India the 2011 World Cup. But hey before that, I want the IPL FINALS FOR MUMBAI INDIANS ! Tucha mailaa..:-) |
Saurabh Joshi
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... @ Sheetalben - Thanks for reading the article... will surely keep things coming.. @ Sohel - Yours was the most anticipated comment....appreciate you think that he does not require any endorsement. and i think you missed mentioning Gary Kirsten i think he has been a great help too.. I think Sachin was the first one to say that everybody in the team have helped him reach where he has so dnt think even that requires a mention...)) well sinc eits a team sport i dnt think he can win the world cup or the IPL... he can only be a part of it and contribute towards it.... cheers sohel... thanks again.... |
a guest
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... This is an excellent piece of writing. I am sure most of us INDIANS feel the same thing about Sachin....He is the reason to say "I am proud to be an INDAN"...there is no doubt about it....Sourabh I really enjoyed reading your article..Keep writing dost..Rgds Prashant |
a guest
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... good write up saurabh... although neither seen his inning nor a cricket fan....i certainly feel sachin is a GOD of cricket world... shaunak |
a guest
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... Well written dear...Im so sure tht mst wld agree wen u say tht his simplicity is wat keeps the charm goin...N yeah all sachin critics....next time pls think how many ever times u can b4 utterin a word against our lil master.....he was, is n will always remain the Legend in the truest sense !!! Hail Tendulkar ! N saurabh keep writin ))) Good luck Pilu |
Kundan Singh
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... i have a great video from the Delhi office cafeteria erupting when the genius steered the ball to point and got to the double. Mathew Hayden summed it up " Ive been God and he bats and No.4 for India" Kundan |
a guest
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... Phenominal.... It feels gr8 to have witnessed such an ICON play so effortlessly..specially when he is one amongst us representing the tricolor. We are proud of him. And the apt statment is made by Abhishek Bachchan... ..Shruti |
a guest
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... Saurabh i think this should have been a great honour for you, getting an opportunity to write for a truly amazing humble genius of the game. you have done a tremendous job in writing down the greatness of this man... i am truly amazed with the words you have used because i can really make out that every word seems so small for this man but still you have managed to portray a really good picture of his career history in short and sweet manner.. great going saurabh..keep on writing , it was really good reading and felt like reading more and more but it was aptly wirtten by you that time and pages wont be enough for SACHIN RAMESH TENDULKAR.. Harshit |
a guest
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... Its very well written SJ.... Without any doubt SACHIN is the BENJAMIN BUTTON of Cricket...!!!! gets younger and younger day by day...!! I wish to see a century from him in this IPL season..!! and I am sure that would be there in his mind too...!! Bhawik Kamani |
a guest
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... Awesome Saurabh...im sure this was straight from ur heart coz it touched mine...one of those men that the world shall never see again for generations...these men r born once in a lifetime of the universe...and its so true.."Good things happen to Good people".. Way to go buddy...u made my day.. One of those small fans that the master has...and will always have...Ravish |
a guest
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... Very well wriiten Saurabh...Just fab...I mean to write on the god himself is the most challenging job as you have to cover up so many things in brief..I just couldnt stop smiling while reading the article..And u wr bang on whn u wrote abt the emotions of Indians when he is on the field....Whn i got to knw abt his double century, I felt so proud that I exist in the era, in which i can witness such greatness...Such is the charm of the little master.... Reetu Doshi |
a guest
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... "24th February is a special date in the history of world cricket. In 1988 on this date a 13 year old school boy entered the record books by sharing a 664 run partnership with his best friend Vinod Kambli for Sharda ashram School. 22 years later on the same day, that same kid has obtained the feat of greatness by being the first cricketer on the planet to score an ODI double hundred. We are referring to THE GREAT SACHIN TENDULKAR." ..... wat a flying start that was dude!!!! I was unaware of this fact!!! cheers bro.... the level of research u hav done and the way u have presented The GOD... astonishing.... sky is the limit for u....U INTO YOUR FINAL GEAR... GO GO GO!!! Cheers, Rishi. |
Saurabh Joshi
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... @ Prashant - thanks a lot @ shruti - Ohh din knw it was Abhishek... thanks for the info... @ Harshit - seriously man was too difficult to keep it short.... it indeed was a honour @ Pilu - thanx u r a inspiration... Remember u told me that there should be one article on this feat... here it is fa u....) @ BK - U were a help dude... he really is the benjamin Button of world cricket @ Ravish... This was a special comment.. those few lines just showed ur following for the man @ Reetu - Thanks for ur positive feedback, It was great fun writing this.... and with emotions weve experienced it all @ Rishi... My My never expected Mr Rishikesh to take out some time for small people.. jus kidding... thans for ur feedback All of ull please register to this site. It has some fun articles.... |
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