'Impossible Is Nothing...' reads the billboard of a product, at the south extension shopping area. Sachin Tendulkar endorses that brand. Bleary eyed, I pick up the newspaper at my doorstep to learn that Tendulkar has been dropped from the one day squad. That billboard cruelly sneaks into my mind as I go through the concerned article.
My thought starts to take a journey backwards in time. Some of the most thrilling moments I have experienced as a cricket follower can be credited to the little master. Starting from the first one. Incidentally, my first memory of watching a cricket match on television is that of a festival match during the Indian tour to Pakistan in 1989. Tendulkar, as a 16 year old, smashed five sixes in that match. Three of which against the celebrated leg spinner Abdul Qadir. Since then, I have been hooked to the genius.
The pleasure of watching him bat is an experience common to all cricket followers. In fact he made the viewers go through a gamut of emotions while he was at the crease. The adrenaline rush, the visual pleasure of his stroke making, expectations fulfilled, pride, disappointment, anger..... his innings had it all. Alas, it all ended with the final of the World Cup 2003. Since then, Sachin has ceased to be the entertainer.
Last evening, I learn from the paper, he was at the marriage ceremony of Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai. Assuming he was aware of his exclusion, it is difficult to guess what was going through is head while he was there. But if he was looking for some inspiration he didn’t need to look far. Amitabh Bachchan had a smashing first innings in his film career. The second, that began with the release of the film Shahensha, was anything but praise worthy during its initial phase. But, with time, he began to find his feet. As for Tendulkar, his second and not so impressive innings began after the world cup 2003. He has battled injuries and bad form for four long years now. The time has come for him to script the last phase of his career. How long and successful it will be, entirely, depends on him. I wish him all the luck.
As I sign off, the phrase ' ALL GOOD THINGS COME TO AN END' begins to build its case against Tendulkar in my head.
Note: An interesting article, on Abhishek and Aishwarya marraige, by Satyabrat Sinha can be found on his blog Itinerant
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