Sachin Tendulkar
Cricket is easily the biggest craze in India. To quote a famous ad, people here literally live, eat and drink cricket. And all of them have only one person’s name on their lips – Sachin Tendulkar. This 37 year old genius has set records that put India in a very significant position on the map, and rocked the world all over. A match is not complete without the master blaster amazing the world with his stupendous performance. His boundaries are legendary. On his best days, he has scored the most number of runs and created world records by blasting out any ball that was lobbed in his way. He is every bowler’s Mount Everest, and every batsman’s icon. There was a period of Indian cricket, when the entire outcome of the match and the question of India’s victory depended on Sachin Tendulkar. He is the Einstein of Cricket – a true Maestro, a hero and a force to reckon.
The Birth of a Legend
Sachin Tendulkar was born on 24th April, 1973 in Mumbai. His parents encouraged him and his brother to play cricket and other sports. Sachin was considered to be a child prodigy. Even in his early days, people swore to one another that this boy would one day, become a legend. His skills as a cricketer were growing dynamically. It was evident that he had been gifted by god. He once attended the MRF pace setter foundation to train as a fast bowler. An Australian there was unimpressed with his bowling, and asked him to focus on his batting instead. Under the guidance of his cricket coach at school, Sachin continued his training, and redoubled his efforts. His coach used to ask people to bowl to Sachin continuously after placing a one-rupee coin on the stumps. He promised to give the coin to anyone who could bowl Sachin out. At the end of the day, when even the bowlers would get tired, the wise coach would give to coin to Sachin. Sachin still treasures these coins as his most prized possessions.
Milestones in Early Years
Sachin Tendulkar was one of the youngest players ever to play international cricket. His innings with Vinod Kambli – long time friend and colleague – was legendary. They together made 664 runs in the first innings alone – unbeaten. They managed to reduce the hapless bowler into tears, and the opposition refused to continue with the innings. Sachin’s overall score in that tournament alone was 1000. He was applauded as the next big icon in cricket. Sunil Gavaskar, the then cricket captain and star player of Indian cricket, gave Sachin Tendulkar his own ultra light pads. This greatly encouraged the Master Blaster to work harder ay his game, and become the best for his country. He went on to break Brian Lara’s record of maximum number of runs in a single innings of test cricket in 2008. Sachin Tendulkar currently holds the world record for the maximum number of runs scored by any batsman in cricket.
Style and Strategy of Play
Sachin Tendulkar’s style of play is a combination of aggression and passive strategic placement. He does not flourish his bat unnecessarily. His shots come from a poise of perfect balance and comfort. The raw aggression he displays in his game is daunting. He is especially famous for his perfect straight drive shots and his punch style of hitting the ball. He does not believe in wasting time at the crease. He shoots with just the perfect amount of force, with a mind blowing placement. His strategic thinking has led him into the tactics training of the Indian Cricket team. He has suggested several interesting placements and shifts in bowling orders that have proved to be highly successful. There was a period when he was given the responsibility of captaincy. But the Indian team was at its worst form in those days, and thus, it did not do well. His own form wasn’t great either. His captaincy seemed to overlap with the period when he gave some of his worst performances. He soon passed the baton over to Saurabh Ganguly, after which he resumed his Master Blaster style and performance.
Sachin Tendulkar represents what all geniuses are made of. Unlike other cricketers, he never poses for attention, or tries to create unnecessary publicity. He never plays for himself. His game reflects his dedication towards the game, and passion for his country. His calm, balanced nature and cool attitude has won the hearts of everyone around him. His personal life is a true reflection of the strength of his character. In spite of being a huge celebrity, he has remained faithful to the woman he married 15 years ago. Success never goes into his head, like it does for other celebrities. His contribution to the world of cricket will be remembered forever. He is a true reflection of what a perfect person should be, and is rightly called the Heartbeat of India.
By: Anindita Chatterjee
Tags: Cricket, Heartbeat, India, Master Blaster, Sachin Tendulkar, Sports
