I always knew that his reflexes were becoming weak, the widening gap
between his bat and pad, that he would not be able to face the wild
swing of Dale Steyn in SA, that he is a human being after all and he
would retire one day, but hasn't Sachin always made us believe the
incredible? In year 1998, I was about 9 years old when I switched on my TV one evening to see a short man holding a MRF blade in his hand and occasionally adjusting his abdomen guard; taking his stance in Sharjah's isle and smashing Australia's sweat on every ball that was bowled at him. There were moments of disbelief and sheer pleasure as the white ball kissed the black skies every now and then. Tony Grieg would fall off his chair to say, "What a player", Steve Bucknor would raise his arms over and over again as if to say "I would shred all my weight tonight", but the class never stopped, not even took a small kitkat break.
Year 2000. ICC Knockout trophy in Kenya. The little man went berserk against Glenn McGrath. In a short innings of 38, he gifted tears to the Aussie bowlers. All this became a commonality of my life during those years. I would cycle my way back to home, throw my bag and just sit to watch Sachin bat not moving an inch all this while. Yeah I know there were 10 other players in the team as well. But, mind it, it was just Sachin who could grab my attention. Always. I would often imitate Sachin's stance during School matches trying to play the backfoot drive like him but failing to even match his shadow.
Talking about the man, who could forget his knock against Pakistan in Madras, or the unbelievable 97 in the World cup 2003, the majestic 175 against Australia, the classy 200 in a one day against SA in 2010. The 2011 World cup win was the ultimate triumph. But he has been a real superstar off the field as well which makes him the greatest of his time.
And a little mention to MRF here, it was an era when Sachin became synonymous to MRF and MRF to Sachin. Well Played.
There have been other good players in my generation like MS Dhoni, Kevin Peitersen, Virat Kohli, AB Devillers. Greats like Ricky Ponting, Rahul Dravid, Wasim Akram, VVS Laxman, Anil Kumble but none could give me adrenalin like Sachin did. Absolutely None
I loved the game so much that for once I was inspired and took the field to be like him, strolled around in a few professional games but then pulled myself back to be an "aspired" engineer and later an MBA from an IIM. But I was average, he was genius. I became a couch potato but my love for him and the game never stopped.
Time has sure traveled when yesterday I was "informed" that Sachin has announced his retirement. He has made a timely exit, the pain is a little less and not all of a sudden. But one just cannot imagine cricket without him. Just cannot.
I may be plastic in talking about players and sports, but Sachin is my God and my love for him is pure and always will be.
With you, a fan retires too.
