Beneath the helmet, under that unruly curly hair, inside the cranium, there is something we don't know, something beyond scientific measure. Something that allows him to soar, to roam a territory of sport that, forget us, even those who are gifted enough to play alongside him cannot even fathom. When he goes out to bat, people switch on their television sets and switch off their lives.
He has been playing for the country with full dedication for the last 20yrs.. 20years!! isnt that amazing? The list of his records is endless. He holds every batting record in the world except the highest score in test cricket
For the past 15 years,his wicket has been the most priced wicket for every opponent. He has won a number of matches for the country. In the late 90's the Indian team was defined as Sachin Tendulkar and the others,the same applies for batsmen-There are two types of batsmen in the world.. Sachin Tendulkar and the others. He has redefined world cricket. During a cricket match first there is Sachin Tendulkar then daylight and then the others.
He used to be compared to Sir Don Bradman. But now Sir Don Bradman is compared to him.If Sachin plays well India sleeps well. That's the effect he has on the minds of the Indians. Don Bradman played 52 tests in 20 years whereas Sachin's played 162! After every record he breaks,people ask what next? He has now become an IAF officer-an honorary group captain to be precise.Opposition captains always say'if you get him out, half the battle is won'.
Dont bowl him bad balls ,he hits the good ones for four- Michael Kasprowicz
There are 2 kind of batsmen in the world. One Sachin Tendulkar. Two all the others.-Andy Flower
"We did not lose to a team called India...we lost to a man called Sachin"- Mark Taylor
The best thing is that his best knocks hav'nt been against weak oppositions. He has taken on the best teams in the world. Be it Merv Hughes, Marshall, Ambrose, Walsh, Akram, Waqar, Imran or Lee or Warne or Muralitharan or Steyn ,he hasnt spared any great bowler in the world.
The centuries at Perth and Sydney in 1992 at the age of 18 established his name as one of the greatest to play the game.That was the time people started talking about his greatness.Consistent knocks over the next 4-5 years made his wicket priceless.Then came the Sandstorm knock,regarded as the greatest inning in the world.India failed but Sachin did not. The late 90's were like nightmare's for team India- the culprit- match fixing. A bookie after being caught said,'You cannot fix a match until Sachin Tendulkar is out'. That said all sbout his pride and love for the country and his greatness.
He has carried forward the hopes of a billion Indians.He hates losing,he is the fastest sprinter in the team.He makes the bowler bowl to him where he wants it.The recent example of this being his 200* against arguably the best bowling attack in the world.Who can forget the 2003 World Cup match against Pakistan ? That wasnt a cricket match-it was war..it was peace .When he hit that six over third man to Shoaib Akhtar,everything was forgotten-Kargil was forgotten,India-Pak conflict was forgotten..every Indian clapped proudly for the little master.A cramping Sachin managed to score 98 from 75 balls.
There is so much to write about him,and even after so much writing,the sad thing is that he does not know me.
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