JOIN USSachin scales mount 17,000
The packed house in the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium and million others glued to the television certainly would have wished to see the man, owner of nearly 30,000 international runs, scoring seven runs that took him some more miles away from all his competitors.
The much-awaited occasion arrived when Tendulkar clipped Ben Hilfenhaus off his pads for three runs as crowd erupted in joy. It was also apt that the maestro brought the runs with that particular shot, his bread and butter shot through the years.
There were no fist-pumping or other aggressive gestures, but his celebrations ended in just a dignified wave of bat acknowledging the gathering and his mates in the dressing room.
In a way, the subdued celebration was a synopsis of all those qualities Tendulkar displayed for the last two decades -- dignity, level-headedness, and whole-hearted dedication to cricket.
It is difficult even for a normal person to maintain those qualities over a long period of time, and it might have been tougher for Tendulkar to do that. The stifling intrusion of a zillion fans, constant attack of flashbulbs and intense scrutiny from laymen and pundits, and think Tendulkar has gone through this routine for 20 years.
The Mumbaikar, however, has done remarkably well to cope with this heavy burden, maintaining a calm exterior, but more importantly his love for cricket remained undiminished. Tendulkar’s quest for excellence is intact and his work ethics even in nets serve as a lesson for younger players. Yuvraj Singh, who entered the international arena 11 years after Tendulkar, agreed to the point.
“Even at this stage, he wants to improve with every game. For him, there is no end to getting better, no matter whatever he has already achieved. He is an amazing man and I don't think any other player can go on to play for 20 years or more like he has.
“We are, in fact, tired of planning celebrations for him. Every week, the guy goes on to make some record,” Yuvraj had gushed after the Mohali match.
Another modern day great, Ricky Ponting, said, “It has been remarkable to see him play for 20 years and all the while he has been a role model.”
So let’s raise a toast for a true champion, and magnificent individual.