21st December 2012 was supposed to be the end of the world, as predicted by the Mayans way back in time. The same has been trending since last few days on Facebook and one of those caught my eye. It said, "The world is not yet over because Sachin Tendulkar is yet to announce his retirement". It was a funny one but little did we know that 2012 will it be when Sachin would do so. The coincidence is phenomenal, and it is the end of the world for me now when it comes to ODI cricket.
I am an ordinary mortal to comment whether the decision was right or wrong. It was his decision and I simply have to accept it. And he also has to accept that I won't be able to cheer for any ODI cricket match in future. I just have a single complaint, that he did not let me enjoy his last ODI match. Had I known that, I would have celebrated it in the grandest of ways possible. I am still coming to terms with the fact that he will never sport the blue jersey again, how can I?
It's not just the affinity towards him that makes me say all this. It's also the harsh fact that no one could replace him as a person. My dad stopped watching cricket when Sunil Gavaskar retired. He resumed it when he saw Sachin playing the way he did. In hindsight, I feel jealous of him now. This void could not be filled by any present day Indian cricketer. Yes, Indian cricketer! There are great cricketers still out there but my heart beats for Indian cricket, and none from the present day crop have touched my heart. I fear no one ever will. It feels like loosing one's love forever. Love, how many forms it can take!
To recollect some of his best ODI innings, I rate the 98 he scored in WC match against arch nemesis Pakistan as the best. I remember having my HSC exam going on during that time, and on the next day of that match I had to appear for my Biology paper. Back then I wanted to go for engineering post HSC so Biology was never really studied that much! On that day, me and my family had come to check out our Panvel house for the first time. We reached back home by afternoon and that's when the match started. Sachin's batting that day was formidable. The six he hit to Shoaib Akhtar was unimaginable. True to be a man of action, the way he guided India to victory that day was sheer class! Ofcourse my Biology paper did not go well the next day, unlike Sachin, I scored just 55 in my Biology paper :P
Hard to choose the next best inning, between the back to back 100's against Australia in Sharjah and first ever ODI 200 against South Africa. Both are formidable cricketing sides. After much thought, I would pick the 200 inning, as it came at a ripe age of 37. That was a flawless inning, in which he commanded everything that was to happen with the deliveries bowled to him. Dhoni just avoided being spoil sport that day! Twin innings against the Aussies were full of guts and glory. Aussies were like the lions of International cricket and only Sachin could tame them. Then, I would pick the craziest of his innings - 175 against Australia late in 2009. I still coax myself for going down to Pratik's home to see that match as just after I reached he got out. I feel I jinxed him and since then I have never watched Sachin live in action except for his 200. That inning (175) was like vintage Sachin, the man we always wanted to see. Talking about my favourite sixes, his hits to Shoaib Akhtar in WC, Andrew Caddick in WC, Shane Warne in Sharjah and Charles Langeveldt in his 200 inning were the best. When it comes to favourite fours, his hits to Brett Lee in CB series, Dale Steyn in 200 inning and Ben Hilfenhaus in 175 inning were the best.
Sachin's 100th century was equally emotional for me. I said it back then, and I say it now as well - just because it happened against Bangladesh doesn't mean we should take away his due credit. It happened, and all that matters. But it will never happen again, and that's the end of the matter for me. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, I will miss you the most in ODI cricket. And the day you retire from all forms of cricket will be the day this (cricket) world will end for me. For me, you are the best ODI cricketer the world has ever seen. I feel proud to have witnessed your era, proud to be a maharashtrian like you. But more than anything else, I am proud to be inspired by the kind of person you are. You are, and will always be my hero! God bless :)
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