About five years earlier, I couldn't imagine an Indian team without Sachin. I couldn't believe that he could retire from cricket. An aura enveloped the ground when he came in to bat. When he got out, we turned off the TV. Whenever I saw the letters MRF, I remembered him. The name Sachin caused a burst of energy to run through my body. Ironically, the game of the the English instigated patriotism in many Indians and Sachin Tendulkar played pivotal role in the process. Every young boy idealized Sachin. Sachin was not a mere man for them. He was a symbol. For every boy , Sachin was himself. Or in him, he could see a future Sachin. If sporting capabilities only are taken into consideration, Sachin cant be called the greatest. But he was at the right place at the right time. He came at the time when the whole of India was searching for a national sporting hero. At once, he captured the imagination of a whole population. There was an Indian whom Indians could be proud of. He embodied the spirit of India- he was humble and yet bold, austere yet destructive, meek yet domineering. Never did a nasty word or a deed come from him; not from Sachin. He was as dedicated as a saint. This saintliness separates Sachin from other great players. Wherever he went, he kept his dignity intact. During his span of 24 years as a cricketer, he never for once got into bar brawl or came in news for licentious behaviour. When the match-fixing issue rocked Indian cricket, he kept the faith of millions of fans. He never appeared in ads promoting alcoholic drinks. He probably knew the impact he had on kids. The country closely followed its icon through the years, his every dip in form, his injuries, his comeback: everything was subjected to precise analysis and argument. The whole country lamented at his every cheap dismissal and every house-hold passed through nervous moments once he crossed the nineties. His decision to retire came as a surprise to many, as a shock to many. But anyway,the timing was perfect. I doubt if such a farewell had been given to any sporting icon in any sport, let alone in cricket.
Now is the age of ruthless cricket. The image of cricket as a gentleman's game is fast fading. The past generation cricketers are finding it hard to cope with the changing trend in cricket. Sachin epitomized the cricketing culture of his age. The age had fierce competition, but the players respected each other. Team members had deep mutual understanding. Playing for the country was their primary aim. Now-a-days, money rules cricket. Talent is of course more now, but talent is never polished and perfected; talent nowadays is not long lasting. By comparing Sachin and Virat Kohli, we can understand the difference between the two cultures. Virat is a very promising player. The record of Kohli now and the record of Sachin at Kohli's age reveals the class of Kohli. But Virat cannot possibly attain the stature of Sachin.
By the retirement of Sachin, an era has come to an end. He is now a legend. As time passes, it gets bigger and bigger. A fifty years hence, we would be proudly saying to the coming generation that we lived in a time when Sachin played. He is a part of the country's psyche. I now remember the moments in my memories which was glorified the little great man and say from the bottom of my heart: Thank you Sachin!
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