<p>"Sachin, Sachin! Sachin, Sachin!"</p>.<p>This became a chant, a manifestation of euphoria, an exclamation of the pride of a cricket-crazy nation when a 5-foot-5-inch Maratha with a bat tucked under his arm entered the cricket field. He would momentarily look up at the sky before briskly approaching a 22-yard strip and stadiums across the world would reverberate with his name. For almost 24 years, Sachin Tendulkar enchanted a nation where cricket is considered nothing short of a religion. Every time he batted throughout his career, Sachin united a nation of more than a billion. </p>.<p>When 16-year-old Sachin first arrived on the international stage in 1989, it was against arch-rivals Pakistan who had in their ranks Wasim Akram, Imran Khan, Abdul Qadir and a debutant fast bowler who went by the name Waqar Younis. Indian cricket was waiting and hunting for a batting superstar after Sunil Gavaskar's retirement. India was quickly ascending the cricketing power summit and needed a superstar who would uphold the nation's ethos, who would serve as India's answer to the rest of the world. Above all, the country needed a saviour at a time when its batting prowess was threatening to diminish, with the arrival of the rest of the 'Fab Four' still a distant dream. </p>.<p>Sachin's career can be best defined by a unique ability to rack up runs even in the most adverse conditions. His mind-boggling numbers of 15,921 runs in 200 Tests at an average of 53.78 and a mammoth 18,426 runs in 463 ODIs at an average of 44.83 made him one of the greats in the cricket pantheon and created an undying aura that led fans to bestow on him the 'God of cricket' crown. Sachin's greatness, however, lies beyond the numbers. </p>.<p>He served as a beacon in Indian cricket. He was the team's batting mainstay along with Mohammad Azharuddin before the latter's calamitous exit from the sport. Even after the arrival of the likes of Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag, he remained the fulcrum on whom the balance of the match rested. His stature approached a mystical realm when the nation paused and watched him bat with bated breath. The people danced with joy every time he amassed a century and cheered with gusto when he dazzled in the ODI World Cups. He conquered every foreign territory and 'a billion dreams' sparkled with him.</p>.<p>In a society overwhelmed with the effects of globalisation, Sachin Tendulkar, draped in a coloured ODI jersey under floodlights, represented the dream of an India that was struggling to find its identity. He transcended the spectrum of sport and became the personification of an ideal Indian: A doting father, a loving husband, a caring son, a devoted student with the utmost respect for his <em>guru</em> Ramakant Achrekar and someone completely dedicated to his craft. Sachin's rise coincided with the meteoric emergence of another Indian superstar of the 1990s Shah Rukh Khan. Both men portrayed the hopes and aspirations of the Indian middle class. </p>.<p>Sachin has left a legacy that is exquisite and graceful, much like his picturesque straight drive. Today, seven years after his retirement, the nation comes to a halt in the middle of a crisis to applaud Sachin Tendulkar on his 47th birthday. </p>
<p>"Sachin, Sachin! Sachin, Sachin!"</p>.<p>This became a chant, a manifestation of euphoria, an exclamation of the pride of a cricket-crazy nation when a 5-foot-5-inch Maratha with a bat tucked under his arm entered the cricket field. He would momentarily look up at the sky before briskly approaching a 22-yard strip and stadiums across the world would reverberate with his name. For almost 24 years, Sachin Tendulkar enchanted a nation where cricket is considered nothing short of a religion. Every time he batted throughout his career, Sachin united a nation of more than a billion. </p>.<p>When 16-year-old Sachin first arrived on the international stage in 1989, it was against arch-rivals Pakistan who had in their ranks Wasim Akram, Imran Khan, Abdul Qadir and a debutant fast bowler who went by the name Waqar Younis. Indian cricket was waiting and hunting for a batting superstar after Sunil Gavaskar's retirement. India was quickly ascending the cricketing power summit and needed a superstar who would uphold the nation's ethos, who would serve as India's answer to the rest of the world. Above all, the country needed a saviour at a time when its batting prowess was threatening to diminish, with the arrival of the rest of the 'Fab Four' still a distant dream. </p>.<p>Sachin's career can be best defined by a unique ability to rack up runs even in the most adverse conditions. His mind-boggling numbers of 15,921 runs in 200 Tests at an average of 53.78 and a mammoth 18,426 runs in 463 ODIs at an average of 44.83 made him one of the greats in the cricket pantheon and created an undying aura that led fans to bestow on him the 'God of cricket' crown. Sachin's greatness, however, lies beyond the numbers. </p>.<p>He served as a beacon in Indian cricket. He was the team's batting mainstay along with Mohammad Azharuddin before the latter's calamitous exit from the sport. Even after the arrival of the likes of Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag, he remained the fulcrum on whom the balance of the match rested. His stature approached a mystical realm when the nation paused and watched him bat with bated breath. The people danced with joy every time he amassed a century and cheered with gusto when he dazzled in the ODI World Cups. He conquered every foreign territory and 'a billion dreams' sparkled with him.</p>.<p>In a society overwhelmed with the effects of globalisation, Sachin Tendulkar, draped in a coloured ODI jersey under floodlights, represented the dream of an India that was struggling to find its identity. He transcended the spectrum of sport and became the personification of an ideal Indian: A doting father, a loving husband, a caring son, a devoted student with the utmost respect for his <em>guru</em> Ramakant Achrekar and someone completely dedicated to his craft. Sachin's rise coincided with the meteoric emergence of another Indian superstar of the 1990s Shah Rukh Khan. Both men portrayed the hopes and aspirations of the Indian middle class. </p>.<p>Sachin has left a legacy that is exquisite and graceful, much like his picturesque straight drive. Today, seven years after his retirement, the nation comes to a halt in the middle of a crisis to applaud Sachin Tendulkar on his 47th birthday. </p>
