Cricket’s God

24^th Feb 2010 will be etched in the pages of history of world cricket, deeply, strongly and eternally. That’s the day Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar made a double hundred in ODIs, scoring the first one of its kind since the 16^th century when cricket was documented to have been first played (The record Scorecard!). 442 matches and 20 years is as long as it took, a time period when anything could have happened –from being wiped off the face of cricket to be adored as THE BEST. And Sachin chose the latter. Yes, it was surely his choice that has seen him all this far. It was on this same day in 1988 that he and Vinod Kambli made a 664 run partnership that stunned and silenced the nation. Today, 22 years later, he has stunned the world.

He dictated terms in Gwalior on Feb 24^th, treating the bowlers with disdain. Carried his bat through the innings to earn his 200 – take special note that he had no by-runners. I would have preferred to be in India at my hometown amidst family and friends watching this match.. the shouts, the screams, the cheerings, oh my God, I certainly missed the fun. Nevertheless I did see a huge uproar – in the form of Facebook and Orkut updates.. each person raising to the occasion with innumerous posts for the master blaster, for the GOD of Indian cricket, for the epic writer of World Cricket.

A full length dive by a man nearing his 37 at the first ODI to save a boundary sent India one up in the 3 match series. Two days later he scripted another wonder. Only this man can do it, the little master, the master blaster.

Could anyone who has lost his father come back immediately and play for the team? This man did it for India in the '99 world cup, scored a century and dedicated it to his father. Any cricket fan's eyes would have had a drop of tear that moment then.

Could anyone be more humble than him? Loads of talent, abysmal passion and commitment. If someone said "Failures keep you humble", time to rethink on changing the phrase!

Awards are now just secondary to him - Any podium that acknowledges him with an accolade will only be too small for this great man.

"I don't get tired, If you practise every day, you get used to it" - Sachin [Ref: Cricinfo]. Truly inspiring statement. Take a bow master.