200
Posted by Guhan | Filed under Sport
Wednesday, 24th Feb 2010 was the day when the world witnessed 200 runs scored by the greatest batsman to play Cricket, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. Standing 5 feet 5 inches tall, Sachin is a class apart. Ask any bowler in world cricket, he would have surely had a night mare or 2 about bowling to Sachin.
Today, I had to miss office and a team outing because of a bad cold and an infected throat. But no regrets after watching this stunning innings. I was glued to the TV watching Sachin toy with the South African bowling. Not even a single chance, not a single slog shot nor a sign of nervousness during his innings. 36 years old and close to 20 years in professional cricket, Sachin was as hungry for runs as anybody. There was great article in Times of India by Rahul Dravid about today’s cricketers lacking the hunger to succeed and how they have way too many opportunities to fail. All of the new breed of cricket, the so called Young guns can sit down and watch this Sachin innings at least once a week. They will learn what it means to have passion for a game.
Even after batting for 50 overs, running hard for his runs, Sachin walks out on to the field encouraging his bowlers and settling down in first slip. Today’s cricketers are plagued by injuries and comforts that even if they were to score 50 runs, they choose to get a massage and allow for a replacement fielder to take their place.
There was a board in Australia held up by a fan that read “I have seen god, he opens the batting for India”, such is the respect Sachin commands. Never dogged by controversy, never got into an argument with a bowler, no fights, just goes about his business of scoring runs. I think Sachin is the only sportsman for whom an entire nation prays to do well. There was a phase in his career when people doubted his talent, and suggested that it was time he retire. People expect so much of him, I cant even begin to imagine the pressure he would need to handle every time he takes guard. And its just unbelievable that he most of the times lives up to the insane expectations of the cricket fans, and has done so for 2 decades with humility, passion and such style. He is undoubtedly a great role model. He is one batsman every bowler in the world wants to bowl to, just so that they might have a chance to get him out and go into the history books, but at the same time, have night mares the moment he takes guard.
Every time I bat in the cricket matches I play, I just wish I get to hit the ball as well as Sachin would. It would be hard for anyone to match Sachin’s talent, even harder to even come close to his achievements and all most impossible to be a better ambassador of cricket. All hail Sachin Tendulkar, the master blaster.
