To the Boss
Times change and yet it doesn’t.
Nineteen years, hundreds of crores wealth, and all sorts of records later, the entire world is still waiting for that one big scandal which can fill your face with cow dung, one big dissent on the cricket field which can be broadcasted the world over to embarrass, one wrong statement to the press in anger. You keep them waiting as always. Don’t let them win.
In all these years, your arms has seen more tennis elbows than you might want, you are not the tormentor you were, but your legs and your running between the wickets is still intact. You still score almost just as quickly.
Prime Ministers have come and gone but your batting average and strike rate has been the same. How I wish we had such constant GDP numbers. India has seen many a hard hitters, many a technically correct folks. You were the only one who can consistently hit hard while being technically correct. Two decades and that has not changed an iota.
Pontings may come and go, but if I were to choose between watching a gorgeous woman in nude or your trademark straight drive in full flow, I will choose your straight drive. That won’t change any soon.
During your early twenties they said you are throwing away your wicket, then in your late twenties they said you are not attacking enough, then you were discovered as selfish, now you are seen as that old guy. Indians wanted you and India win every single match. But all along the problem was always with you. You made such expectations look realistic. In the nineties, you made us forget that the game is played by eleven folks, with bat and ball. The entire country switched off the TV and went back to work once you got out.
First it was the Pakistanis, nowadays your own countrymen want you to go. Yet Shane Warne sings your praise as always. He should know since you had given him more sleepless nights than his own wife.
Retire you will one day. Your records will be broken as all records will be. You will die like all humans one day. But the master class you have given us on how a young middle-class guy should handle fame, wealth, adulation, media pressure, world class opposition, and the hopes and anger of one billion people will remain etched in our memories for ever.
My only request to you. All is well that ends well. If push comes to shove, veto them by hanging up your boots. Your greatness is more important than a few thousand runs. Don’t let them win. I know you won’t.
October 18th, 2008 at 5:58 am
Pontings may come and go, but if I were to choose between watching a gorgeous woman in nude or your trademark straight drive in full flow, I will choose your straight drive. That won’t change any soon
Great words about the master batsman! Loved it ..
October 18th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Karthik
Thanks man. Times change… cricket does not occupy my pscyhe the way it used to… but my respect for the cleanest, most committed, least controversial, most well behaved super star of the cricket world in the last two decades has remained the same.
I don’t know if I’ve seen a Karma yogi. But the boss should be somewhere close.
October 18th, 2008 at 1:45 pm
For thhose who like it in Thamizh..
http://www.sanakannan.com/sachin.html
October 19th, 2008 at 1:19 am
Not to take anything away the man. But …
Like most prodigies he turned out to be something to talk about, not someone who actually decisively changed the fortunes of his team. Post-Gavaskar most of the gains have been from better captaincy and other factors. The correlation between an India win and a good performance from him is rather weak. His inability or unwillingness to be the captain at a very early stage also shows a certain type of selfishness - maybe he wants to retain his pristine glory and not be blamed for anything. Nobody can dispute though that he has been responsible for many moments of great pleasure, some of the hair raising variety. Here’s some proof that genius is most of the time of showcase value, not of utility value. That fits in very well in a feudal society that puts a tremendous value on symbolic actions and Icons.
October 19th, 2008 at 1:21 am
I meant “not to take anything away from the man”.
October 19th, 2008 at 6:19 am
BNB
>>The correlation between an India win and a good performance from him is rather weak.
First we need to define what is a good performance. A 40? or 50? or only a 100+ will do? Expectation from him are so high that a 50 from him will not be construed as good enough, while a 50 from Steve Waugh will be remembered for his fighting qualities. We have unique themes for every great player and we only remember those knocks which are consistent with that themes IMHO.
People talk about second innings average without knowing that Steve Waugh had a second innings average of about 32 while his first innings avg. is 50. That does not make him any less great. You say this and people will say it is not about statistics. As if second innings avg is closer to science fiction but not statistics.
http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2002/aug/21guest.htm
I lost interest in Cricket post 2005. I don’t follow it with the earlier intensity in the last two years.
But in general I think its not a great idea to play for 19 years. He started early. The folks who were somewhere in their professions were over the hill while this guy just keeps going.
I think a lot of Indians are just bored of seeing him on the cricket field because they are moving on while this guy simply refuses to leave the arena.
The attitude is, ‘Have you not scored and earned enough, why dont you just get lost!.’
October 19th, 2008 at 6:41 am
BNB
On an unrelated note:
I think the Aussies in this series should’ve won the First Test.
They should not have let the Indians to pile up 450+ in the second one happening now. All these happened because they dont have two bowlers of the calibre of Glen McGrath and Shane Warne. Lot of test matches are won by the componding power of misery for batsmen… for which you need great bowlers.
That simply cannot be compensated by good batsmen like Ponting, Hayden etc. This does not make Ponting any less capable or talented.
You will have an opposition which should’ve been bundled out for 300 go on to pile up 450, then you are under pressure, you also lose time to plan and press for a win, you find your strategies not working because the bowlers are not great enough… and suddenly your own records will look less flattering.
If Ponting should continue to look as awesome as he is made out to be, he should be fortunate to have great bowlers in the next year or two. Otherwise I would be very interested to see his records in the next five years.
October 19th, 2008 at 7:04 am
Boss, I thought the first-half second half argument was reserved for tamil movies. Looks like a first innings second innings argument works for cricket as well
Seriously though, regarding Aussie domination there was a marvelous article in Mid-day last year, can’t seem to reach their archives. I wrote a post referring to it here:
http://broken-news.blogspot.com/2007/04/no-prima-donnas-down-under.html
October 19th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
A well knit, hard fighting team is better than any individual, however talented he might be.
India is there is more Hero worship per capita…totallly agree.
That started from Ayodhya days…. seruppu vechu ellam aatchi nadandhirukku…
‘Potri paadade penna.. thevar kaalade mannee’ nu paate iruku la.
That apart, I dont think there is anything wrong with appreciating a performer. That’s not contravening the Aussie culture. Infact from what I see, the Aussies like our man much more than any other Indian cricketer.
October 27th, 2008 at 12:03 am
great post!
An entire Indian generation has grown up watching the genius of Tendulkar. I am one of those die hard worshippers.
Long live the legacy of Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar.
October 28th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
pradeep
I agree man. thx!