The Little Master

I am sure everyone knows who holds that title, at least every Indian on the planet knows who holds that title. For the rest of you who don't know 'God', his name is Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar.

I am not an avid cricket fan and so this post is not going to have facts and trivia. But if there was one reason why I would watch a cricket match in which India was playing, it was to watch Sachin Tendulkar play. I would have said "I love to watch him bat" but he is pretty good with the ball too.

In India cricket is a religion and the deity that is most worshiped is Sachin. If there is one sport that pulls people together even in the face of secular violence, it is cricket and in most cases it would have something to do with Sachin playing a wonderful innings.

And just like the wonderful country, my family was also obsessed with the sport. My father played for his college team, his brother played in the Ranji trophy (State level championship) and every cousin of mine was either a good batsman or a bowler. I was born into a family that lived, ate and slept cricket and I loved it.

Every youngster I ever grew up with wanted to be a Sachin Tendulkar. I would rarely hear the name any other player that they looked upto. I was no less fascinated. I was amazed at how he held a (custom made) bat which was considered to be the heaviest in the sport and still whack the ball around with such ease. I've seen him score 50s and 100s and in most cases single handedly win the game for India with his innings.

Like every other sportsperson, he too had his bad days and a slump in performance. But somehow all of us hoped and prayed for a quick return to form and when we were patient with him, he never failed to deliver the goods.

And earlier this week 'God' smiled at all of us. On 24th February 2010 Sachin R Tendulkar became the first player to ever score a double century (200) in a one day international match. There were a couple of players who had almost reached this milestone but it was as though Sachin was the only player who was destined to take the title.

I remember back in 1994, I ran into Sir Vivian Richards (one of the greatest cricket players from the West Indies) at Disneyworld, Orlando. I asked him for an autograph and he gave it. I cherished that day. But all that changed on the 24th of Feb. I think this day deserves to be cherished by each and every one of us. I think this is a day that all of us can talk about to our children and our grand children and if we are lucky enough, maybe even our great grandchildren.

I have many reasons to be proud of the fact that I am an Indian, but knowing that 'God' is a fellow countryman just puts everything else in a whole new perspective.