Guest Article: What is Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar?

This Article was written by a friend for the cricket blog which me and my room-mate Pattrow maintains. Just couldn’t stop the urge to post it on my personal blog too. Enjoy the article:

What is Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar?

Apart from the fact that you were born in India there is one more reason that makes you proud of being an Indian, it is Sachin. It is that Sachin Tendulkar is an Indian. It is that Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar puts on that blue jersey which makes you proud.

Some people become talented. Some people are born talented. Then there are some people who are gifted. Sachin does not fall in any of these categories. Sachin Tendulkar is beyond talents and beyond being gifted. He is, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar.

There are some people on screen you wait to see. There are some people on screen for whom you skip other things. Then there is Sachin who makes you leave everything, mind you, everything else and watch the screen. Sachin Tendulkar makes you hide the remote because you cannot take your eyes off him. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar makes you hug your television set, quite a few times, many a times.

There are some people who break records. Then there are some people who make new records. When Sachin plays, you don’t watch the score-card, you watch him. Sachin Tendulkar is beyond records, beyond statistics. So, when an under -19 or gully cricket is happening, one says...see that shot was like the Master Blaster’s. One doesn’t anymore compare him to anything or anybody. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is the comparison.

There are some people, who when they fall sick make to the front page of national dailies. Then there are some people who when they fall sick, comments are taken from doctors and made the headlines. When Sachin falls sick, the whole country prays for him. When Sachin Tendulkar falls sick, quotes from fans, common masses across the nation make the news. When he had a tennis elbow, there were front page infographics showing what exactly has gone wrong in a certain ligament of the posterior side the elbow. It is then, that people, newspaper vendors, tea-sellers, pan-shop owners, who have no clue, absolutely no clue about what those photos are, discuss those intricate biological diagrams, test reports and x-rays, knowing that they do not understand a word of it all. They do it because of one simple reason; those graphics are of Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar.

There are some people who play. There are some people who play exceptionally well. Sachin is crusader on the pitch, so even if we lose, we know there is this one man who inevitably fought till the end. Sachin Tendulkar is the hope on the pitch, the hope that as long he is there at the crease, a miracle can happen anytime. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is the smile on the pitch.

There are some people who are role-models. There are some people who represent a sport. Sachin is the other name for cricket in India. Sachin Tendulkar is the super-hero of millions and millions of kids and youngsters, a super-hero of his own kind who wins the combat by sweeps and strokes. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is the photograph of a man with his bat held up under the tag, C for Cricket, on a worn out poster to teach kids alphabets.

“Sach is life.”

Info: Writer is an admirer of Sachin and a potential journalist. Also the writer badly wishes to know what you think of the blog entry.

PS: If you are feeling the urge to describe the two big O’s of Sachin then feel free to drop your article with your intro at cricketwithoutballs@gmail.com

Carrying-the-Bat

On a sweaty, boring Chennai Sunday Mr p talks to Mr P

p: Dude we know so much about cricket!

P: Yeah we are so cool.

p:We also have a Terabytes of statistics stored in us!

P: Yeah we are so cool

p: Dude, I saw a dream last night where I saw god giving us instruction to free this planet from the brutalities of Stuart broad

P: Yeah God is so cool

p: and he also told me that in the Kaliyuga – internet will be the most dangerous weapon. So he advised us to open a blog and use it as brahmastra over all the Stuart Broads, Rameez Razas, Arun lals and Paul harris-ss.

P: Yeah , Brahmastra is so cool.

p: so lets open a blog….watsay?

P: Yeah Blog is so cool.

Who knew that this great conversation will change the course of history in the coming time and will be the reason for new cricket blog - http://cricket-without-balls.blogspot.com/

So friends the p and P is none other then me and my room mate and we request you to have a look at this blog completely dedicated to cricket. To give you a brief idea about blog:

“We are bunch of cricket maniacs, more of a two-some pair, born and brought up by cricket fanatics and befriended by cricket maniacs throughout life and belong to a country which has donated precious talents like Venkatpaty Raju, Ashish Nehra, Nayan Mongia and Ajit Agarkar to the gentleman’s game.

We talk about Sex (Yes.. we do talk about it), Fashion (rather... Whatever MS Dhoni thinks is fashion), Drugs (err …. Performance Enhancing Aids) and Entertainment: by entertainment we mean – the batting abilities of the Indian lower order batsmen, the acting abilities of Harman Baweja and the PCB. We worship Sachin. Despite that our blog will be clearly biased towards Shahid Afridi, Paul Lee Harris and Ashish Nehra. We love to discuss Avataar, Rameez Raja and Lalit Modi too; given the constraints that Laxman Sivaramakrishnan and Shilpa Shetty leave enough room for them.

We love numbers especially those that represent Chris Martin’s batting record or Navjot Singh Sidhu’s fielding records. So, do not be surprised if our statistics defy every rule that Euclid or Pythagoras created.

Caution (!!!) –
The only secrets that we reveal are ‘Victoria’s Secrets’ and all predictions that we make have already been made by Baba Ram Charan Bhojpuri in the Dwapar yuga.

We don’t believe in copyright, which should be evident from the fact that we have shamelessly ripped off the name of the blog from here.

We are ardent believers in the power of ‘Open Source Revolution’ (even though till yesterday we assumed that Ubuntu was the name of Nina Mercedes’ pet penguin) and we invite entries from anyone out there who wants to be another Sreesanth with the desire to display his booty-writing-skills.
Just reach us at cricketwithoutballs@gmail.com.

Only condition: Nothing against Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar and Kamran Akmal.”

LOL

For the past few weeks life has been so damn busy that only thing for which I try to sneak free time is reading articles on Sachin. It has been my only entertainment source and specially completing 20th year and all the media limelight and tones of articles is taking up all the time. Personally, the record of 2 decade doesn’t excite me because I have been cheering all through his career and I don’t need a day when I should stop and look back at all the great moments. The time to retrospect is still not here and I don’t want to feel that way now for sure.

The only thing that forced me to write today is a comment from Imran Khan. In his own words- “If there is one area in which Sachin is ahead of his contemporaries, it is focus. Inzamam-ul Haqwas possibly even more gifted, but Sachin was more successful due to his commitment and focus”

Dude… are you serious ? Only ‘focus’ ? ? That’s all he has ? ? Or it is the only English word you know?

And who is this Inzy??

The same guy who is famous for getting himself out in the most bizarre fashion possible. I guess I remember him falling on to his own wicket after an attempted sweep shot. Yeah, now I remember. He is that same fellow who starts every prize presentation ceremony with "Bismillah(In the name of Allah)” followed by a rape session of the English language along with “ladke acha khele” & “allah ka shukra hai”

I so badly want to rape this moron named Imran khan, always living in a self created illusion that Inzy is the best and that he was the one to identify him. I agree he is good, probably best in the last decade of Pakistani cricket. But for being great- you need much more than focus. You should be able to balance yourself atleast, that is for sure. If you don’t want to join the party, sit back and watch a hugh grant movie. Dont start blabbering around.Rameez is perfectly doing this job on your behalf. I am sure, it must be a dream job for him. Saying anything and getting paid.

There is so much more to write but deadlines, CFA & CAT…..whoof!!

I should get back to work.

Master, Idiot and a friend

Today was the day when the long lasting wait of 11 years comes to end. The day which will be marked in history, in memories and in cricket books forever. The man has showed his metal again. Proved again why he is a genius. The master was always there but today it was blaster yet over again. You can feel from the moment he threw the ball on ground in disgust after taking a superb catch off the last ball. The fire was there. Determination oozing from the body language.

The target was never supposed to be achieved but it was a matter of good fight for all the world except one. He who was sure that nothing is impossible. Rest of the team was trying to be a part of a lost battle but a single soldier lead the whole battle alone. He used all his experience. Gave strike to sehwag, took control after he departs, torn away the debutants, conserved his energy for a while foreseeing the fierce last round. Everything was way too perfect, completely planned. The sprain was not there, the straight lofty shots over the bowlers head were back and even a pull displayed a long forgotten weapon.

But no matter how much you plan or get determined, the body asks for his debt. But today there was nothing which could come in between him and his target. The army was strong on papers but the target to conquer defeated them without even trying. The master then used the new soldiers who were unaware of the fear, who was there happy on the chance of being on the other end of the master. But sight of a single man fighting alone, gave the strength to them which they never would have imagined.

Pointing was helpless, hauritz was torn apart and Watson was ineffective. The victory was near but a desperate attempt to reach it faster took it all away. The rest was just a trump of cards running wildly on the field in the hope of win. But ozzies was cautious and they made no mistake. Still the master has taken the pride of victory from them. The game will be remembered for just one person and his brilliant efforts.

In our society we used to play cricket like everyone. We used to keep a brick as the bowling end stumps and the probability of hitting it was like 1/Avogadro number. Consequently, we used run to the middle of the pitch each time the ball connected the bat and still managed to return safely. Especially if the other team consists of players like Lala, Munna, Raju and Kallu. May be its time for Jadeja to realize that international cricket has nothing similar to galli cricket. There are 3 stumps (covering a total area of 0.1 sqaure metres) at the bowling end to aim at while the opposition has players like Ponting whose probability of missing the stumps is as much as the probability of seeing Halley's comet. Stop running around you fucking idiot.

It was all the fucking nostalgic feeling all over again today. 1 more great friend left the place for a better future. I never thought after coming out of IIT. I could meet a person with such a same frequency but I was way too wrong. It all started with the little break session, followed by combined studies and then reached to 24*7 fart level. Mudit was the finance god as it was told me but he was much more than that. The greatest taste of music I ever seen in a person, a friend, a mentor, a philosopher (yeh to LOL ho gaya). Okay to be very true, he was one more guy in my life with whom I have evolved in life. I realized so many things about people, about world and about myself. Life in Chennai was so much fun with him and it will not be same now. It so fucking awful when you are not the person leaving the place. But nothing can fade away the memories of the night we ‘Stripped’ [not literally, its just the tag given to the night of self exploration). "ek baar 3 log bike par ja rahe the"....... i promise they will go again some day

All the best dude!! Keep rocking the world!!

PS: LCP rocks [:D]

The match that was!! (Eng v/s Neitherlands)

I know its been quite a time for this match but I was busy travelling, giving exams and roaming around that I couldn’t manage to put this. So anyways here it is:

Its always been said if you win the match there is a single ‘man of the match’ but if you loose its always collective responsibility of the team. But this was a classic example of how a single person can manage to let the match slip. I always believed that Ajit agarkar was the most choot bowler in world cricket history who after bagging more than 250 wickets also,considered nowhere near a decent bowler but Stuart Broad denies the world’s most choot bowler to agarkar and became undisputed champion. Here it is what happened.

The last over is going to be bowled by Stuart Broad. 7 runs needed

Ball 1: Broad fields and should run him out - but misses! That's the fourth run-out opportunity they've missed tonight alone

Ball 2: Broad fields and does a Jonty Rhodes, diving onto the stumps. But as his right hand (holding the ball) hits the turf, he releases the ball and missed it again- it's his hand which smashes the bails! Not out

Ball 3: Broad's dropped a wellied smash to a full toss! High above his head and it took a while to reach him.

Just two runs needed ... off one ball!

Ball 6: Broad has all three stumps as he collects it in his follow through. But he misses, and they run an overthrow. They're through and Netherlands have scored a brilliantly, outstanding upset here for the first match at Lord's!

Sachin fanaticism

Its 2.00 clock in night and I have just finished watching sachin 5 innings back to back. CB series final I & II, Sharjah Final 1998, Sharjah Qualifier match 1998 and the latest one 163 off 133 balls.

Believe me, there is nothing better than watching sachin play. I have tried everything and I literally mean everything in my life and trust me, nothing is anywhere close to it. Any day I will choose watching sachin over sex, dope, movie, music, fart …..

I believe this cricket + sachin fanaticsm is in my blood. My dad is the biggest sachin fan in the world I have ever seen. So many times I have seen him bunking office. Every time sachin hits century, my dad calls me and we congratulate each other, discuss the inning and update our statistics. I used to have a graffiti notebook completely dedicated to sachin. After I came to IIT, the notebook is still updated and the task has being done by my dad.

Its not only my dad, my whole family is crazy for cricket. I have got cousins who had broken their bed by jumping after India – Pakistan world cup 1996 match. Even all my uncle, aunts and infact my grandfather is a big cricket fan. I still have the fond memories of the day when none of our family members were allowed to move from their positions when sachin is batting or the match is in crucial stage. I remember one incident when India- SA match were going and it was in very crucial stage and my uncle came to out place for watching the final over. But since nobody was allowed to move he stood outside from complete last 5 overs. Though we were shouting and giving him the updates regularly but none of us dared to leave our places.

I really miss those days watching cricket with the whole family in one room. But anyways I am thankful to god that I am in the company of the same intense fans of cricket over here in IIT. All my friends, we bunk classes, miss grub, miss the afternoon nap or any damn thing and watch cricket. I have spend countless nights with my friends discussing/ googling/ wiking sachin statistics.

But lately I am loosing my interest in cricket and its just sachin which interests me. I hope things will change and I will start enjoying the whole match again.

PS: I bunked my school for the first time in Seventh grade after lunch hours just to watch sachin completing his century. I still remember he got out somewhere in 80’s. Damn!! Infact Double Damn!!

Harsha Bhogle on Sachin after he crosses 12K

It was a predictable, if slightly delayed, ascent. Sachin Tendulkar stands atop cricket's Everest but he isn't looking down at the cricketing world. That would be unlike him for he looks upon this game as a vehicle of fulfillment, as a servant rather than a master. There is a delicious irony to it. One of the most humble devotees of the game is himself an idol to so many.

Of course, he knew he was going to get there. Elbows and ankles and many lesser known joints that he brought into public consciousness were the only hurdles. He has always maintained that if he played enough he would get the record.

And so away from the public eye, in these last two or three years he worked on getting his body back into shape. Each time it was a more uphill battle than before, each time the odds against him returning as an equally good cricketer diminished but he kept trying.

He winced and he grimaced but his commitment to the game he loves saw him through. Tendulkar's phenomenal success lies as much in toil and perseverance and such hardy qualities as it does in the many gifts he has been bestowed with.

Yesterday he needed only 15 and instead of laying out a red carpet, Mohali did better. Daljit Singh gave him an excellent wicket to bat on, where the ball was coming onto bat and where shots could be played. This is where, these days, we see the original Tendulkar; on slow, low pitches where he has to bat to save a match he is like a miscast actor. Even there he delivers his lines, comes prepared, does what he has to but that is not him.

He would have loved the fact that he got to the record against Australia. They seek his wicket, the Aussies, they don't give him an inch, but they respect him mightily. Earlier this year in Australia, he got a standing ovation at every ground he played on and admitted later that it moved him enormously. Now he got 88 and showed he can still bat! An irreverent young generation, in a hurry to erase legend, will have to wait longer!

He is still only 35 but because he started so young, and couldn't sign a tour contract till he had scored three Test hundreds, it seems he has been around forever. On his first tour of England, he batted against Eddie Hemmings who started his first-class career seven years before Tendulkar was born. Now he shares a dressing room with young men who were in their nappies, or sometimes found even those unnecessary, when he scored his first century! But the zest, the limitless energy, the obsession with cricket hasn't dimmed. That, in itself, is extraordinary.

All his life he has had to confront mighty expectations; his own, which are scary, and those of his adoring fans which are probably scarier. It is a burden all great men have to carry and only some do lightly. Every time he has dropped a notch, India has moaned. We put up with corruption, don't mind poor toilets, manfully live through terrorism but cannot allow Tendulkar, in the end just a man, to fail occasionally. And yet the same people have loved him like no other cricketer in the history of the game has been loved.

The incomparable Don Bradman became part of folklore because he brought cheer to the people in depressing times. History has brought such depression upon us again as people see their savings evaporate, seemingly harmless cyclists become human bombs. There is much misery in our times. But there is also Tendulkar, who you know will be earnest and honest in his effort, who will let you forget your existence for a while, playing a real man in a real world.

Only a few are given the opportunity to spread such cheer. Through diligence and toil, and magical ability, Sachin Tendulkar has done that.

"Sachin Quoted"

"Sometimes I need to look at the scoreboard to figure out whether I'm batting hundred-plus or whether I am on zero." Sachin Tendulkar struggles to distinguish between his standing ovations for entering the pitch and then for getting his half-century and century.

"I now know what Sachin Tendulkar feels every time he bats in India."
Adam Gilchrist soaks it up while batting in his final Twenty20 in front of a packed MCG

"Commit all your crimes when Sachin is batting. They will go unnoticed because even the Lord is watching."
A placard at the SCG when Sachin Tendulkar was on his way to a magnificent century

"He loves India. He has named his child India. His biggest player is actually Tendulkar. Right now I'm hoping Tendulkar does not hit a catch to him because he will probably drop it to watch him bat."
Irvine Romaine on team-mate Lionel Cann, who is just a bit overawed by being at the World Cup

"You can never say that he is out of form. He is a volcano waiting to explode and we hope he doesn't do that against us in the one-dayers."
Daryl Tuffey hints that Sachin Tendulkar's modest form may be the calm before the storm

"Nothing bad can happen to us if we're on a plane in India with Sachin Tendulkar on it."
Hashim Amla, the South African batsman, reassures himself as he boards a flight

"Sachin Tendulkar is, in my time, the best player without doubt - daylight second, Brian Lara third."
Shane Warne delights the Indian press with his views on batting greats of this era

"Sometimes you get so engrossed in watching batsmen like Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar that you lose focus on your job."
Yasir Hameed tries to zero in on the exact reason for dropping a vital catch in the third Test at Rawalpindi

"Sachin was so focused. He never looked like getting out. He was batting with single-minded devotion. It was truly remarkable. It was a lesson."
Tennis legend Martina Navratilova joins the Sachin Tendulkar fan club after watching him bat at Sydney