General Discussion 8 - Page 4

Sach Ka Samna

Hmmm…………… so what are you thinking, this is a Crime-Kanoon report??????

Or…………………… a CID Story by me??????????

Or ……………. A game??????

No need to worry, It's none of them! It's something else………….. & it's very pleasant!!!!!!!!!

It's a different kind of "Sach" !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Such a "Sach", that everyone would like to "Samna" it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wondering, what it might be?????????

Think……… think…………….. think……………….

Tring………… Tring………… Tring…………

Anyway, stop thinking!!!!!!!!!! This "Sach" is none other than…………………………..

!!Sachin Tendulkar!!

As we all know, 24^th April 2011, is the 38th Birthday Of The Little Master. (Those of you who doesn't know this,………. Tum sab jail mein sarak te rehna…….. phnaasi ke order aane tak!!!!!!!)

I had told you that I would write a small article on him. Well, here it is! It's not about how many centuries Sachin has scored till date, or an article filled with statistics………..

It's………… It's about how I see him. It's about a phenomenon………. from the eyes of a fan who has never set his foot on any cricket ground as a spectator! A boy who loves cricket by heart, but till date has watched all the actions on 22 yards on his TV set or PC.

Okay…………. Enough prelude. Let's get to the main point.

The first time I remember seeing Sachin in action was possibly the '99 world cup. I was only 6 years old then……. So not much I can remember (Yaadash chali gayi!). The match was India vs Kenya. I was stunned to see a man hitting hundred just days after the loss of his father. On that day, I felt then………. that this man was special.

Then……… then it all started going on. Matches after matches, bowlers after bowlers continued to be perished by his bat. Milestones after milestones began to be achieved. Old records were broken, new records were set --------- by him. 10000 runs in ODI or Tests…… crossing Sunny Gavaskar, reaching 50 Test Hundred…….. scoring 200 in an ODI match…………. Orange Cap & Century even in the shortest format of the game ------ all these sound like a fairytale. But, as we all know, this is 100% reality! Nothing is our imagination or dream.

I remember the day, the final of 2003 world cup. India had lost. At the presentation ceremony, I saw a pair of eyes looking straight at the world cup trophy. Those eyes were filled with grief & despair. Although he won the Man of the Tournament, there was no smile in his eyes.

Again, another horror arrived ------- in the form of 2007 world cup! I saw a man locking himself up in a room, eating only half a sandwich & keep staring with his blank eyes to the ceiling after being exited in the group stage. Possibly on that day, a small change was seen to him. Because after that day, Sachin Tendulkar started not playing all the matches. The matches he played, he shone in almost all of them.

Then, 2011 came ------ a chance (possibly the last) to fulfill Sachin's dream. A few days before the World Cup, Joginder Sharma (famous remembered for bowling a superb last over in the Indo-Pak final of the 1st T-20 WC) jokingly tweeted : " Mere paas T-20 WC, IPL Championship hain, Champion's league Trophy hain!! Sachin, tumhare paas kya hain?? "

The words were………………. well, horribly true! Joginder of course has a huge respect for Sachin, but somehow, Sachin took this as a challenge. Now he can proudly state : " Mere paas World Cup hain! "

Many times Sachin has been criticized badly (very natural for a cricketer). & every time he has done just one thing : Let The Bat Do The Talking. In this way he has silenced all of his critics……. Although it's painful to see him getting criticized by some *%&# people nowadays, even it is seldom.

There is an amazing fact about Sachin. At the start of his career at clubs, he was more known for his bowling!! Surprising it maybe, but Sachin has a huge variety in his bowling. He can do Offspin, Legspin, Breaks, Googly, Flipper, Wrong Un, Medium Pace ------ all of these! Many times he has shone with his ball too.

Sachin's track record as an Indian Captain………. Well, not good! But each & everyone admires his mastermind. In a Ranji Trophy Final match, Ganguly was alone taking away the match from Mumbai, with captain Amol Muzumder looking helpless. Sachin himself started instructing, & finally his mastermind overcame the barrier called Ganguly! Whenever India is fielding, you can see him walking up to the players, discussing & giving advices, cheering up everyone. In this way, he plays a bigger mind behind.

Many cricketers has agreed on one thing : If there is Sachin, there is no worry! Be it in the dressing room or in the 22 yards…………. His presence always brings relief to others. Just like the appearance of Dumbledore or The Phoenix Song creates a huge hope in Harry Potter.

At home, he is very much like us. Opens the door when someone rings bell, takes care of family, looks after studies of his children ------- in short, just like us. There is such a simplicity inside him……………. I mean, just look at his smile!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have met Sourav Ganguly a few times. Once I had asked him about Sachin. Ganguly & Sachin were possibly the best Opening Duo of all time in ODI cricket. He has spent a lot of time with Little Master in the 22 yards. So I had asked him, " What makes Sachin different from others???? "

Sourav replied me very simply : Dedication & Passion for cricket. For Sachin, Cricket is Life, Life is Cricket. Very rarely he misses a practice. At practice, often he spends at least 1 Hr. more than any other player --------- even at this age. His hunger has increased with his age --- something that doesn't usually happen. At full practice, he does at least 2 hrs. of knocking.

Sachin can't stand one thing -------- disrespect. He doesn't mind much getting beaten in a good delivery……….. but if the bowler starts showing disrespect to him, Sachin just slaughters him. Ask Ashok Dinda & S. Sreesanth!!!!!!!!

Now he is standing on the verge of another record : The Hundred Of Hundreds. We all know, he will achieve that soon too. Then he will set another record, another, another…….

I had told you that this will be a short article. Well, I can't make shorter than this!!!! This is very much similar to Nuclear Decay ------- one which will never stop!!!!! But I have to stop now, because looks like it going to be a Water Of India!!!!!!

One Last Thing : Sachin……………. Keep smiling!!!!!!