Internet revolution had not come when Sachin was playing. At that time the number of radio or TV sets was also very less. Villages were not so hi-tech. Fans used to listen to the radio for hours sitting at the nook for live scores of cricket matches. Had the TV been on, there would have been a crowd. No religion, no caste. He had only one introduction and is… Sachin’s fans. If a fan wanted to know about the match, his question was – Sachin is (are) or out…. If (are) on the field, how many runs have been scored. The next question was about India’s score.
Actually, Sachin is the name of Vishwas. Had he been on the field, everyone would have believed that India would win. Had he been dismissed, the fans would have been disappointed not only for Sachin, but for India as well. This was the time when the thinking of the fans used to start from Sachin and end on Sachin. There used to be a queue at the TV shop for hours. The children used to bunk till their class. When Sachin’s batting started, the TV was on and the TV off as soon as he was out. It was not that the Indian cricket team lacked stars, but the faith that Sachin had was rarely achieved.
It may be a bit strange to hear that many times people used to bad-mouth their own hero after seeing him getting out cheaply. Sitting far away from Sachin, he used to explain that if he had done so, he would not have got out. Had he done so, the century would have been completed. India would have won… These talks used to go on for hours, while everyone knew that their mindless talks could not reach Sachin. It is also true that no batsman wants to get out. Especially when you are close to a century, not at all. It is possible that now is the era of social media, then Sachin reads the emotions of his loved ones, but it was not like that then.
Only Sachin can have the guts to carry the burden of dreams of crores of Indians on his shoulders for 24 years on a 22-yard pitch. When Sachin retired, the eyes of cricket fans around the world were moist. Everyone knew that Sachin is not just an entertainer. He is the soul of cricket and without him the imagination of cricket is incomplete. But it is said that every journey that begins has an end. Well, despite the retirement in 2013, there is still one line, which has not changed, and will not change among the fans… that is- Sachin, Sachin….
There is no doubt that there are many records in the name of Sachin, the name of the one who comes close to it will come in the category of greatness, but probably even these great records are not able to define Sachin. Despite reaching the pinnacle of records, Sachin does not have the ego which abounds in today’s IPL stars. The symbol of Sachin’s aggression was his bat, not the clenched teeth. Just as his records cannot be contained in a single book, similarly his personality is also unfathomable. He is an emotion in the form of a human being. He is such a person, whom every child would want as a father, every parent would want as a son/daughter, every teacher as a disciple. Well, the way Sachin has completed a century of centuries in his cricket career, Navbharat Times Online wishes that he completes a century in life as well….
Jeev Sharad: Shatam Shatam.
Sudinam Sudinam birthday.
Bhavatu mangalam birthday.
May you always be victorious.
Happy birthday wishes.
Source: navbharattimes.indiatimes.com
: Language Inputs
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