The Mayans had us believe that doomsday would come in December. After a month travelling through India I’m convinced it’s being reserved for the day Sachin Tendulkar retires from Test cricket.
A rumour sweeping the subcontinent is that the Border-Gavaskar Trophy series against Australia will be his last – meaning we should brace for a disaster of biblical proportions given the effect it’s having on the public.
Only time will tell if the whisper proves true but one undeniable fact is how unprepared this cricket-crazed nation is for life after Tendulkar.
To understand the impact he’s had on the consciousness of his country one only has to chat with any of the billion or so people here, for which cricket is akin to religion.
A wheat farmer in rural Rajasthan couldn’t make out a thing I was saying before I muttered the word ‘Tendulkar’, which prompted a bow of his head in an act usually reserved for Hindu deities.
Sudeep Gavde, a 28-year-old insurance broker from Mumbai, explained that many in spiritual India saw the Little Master as celestial, “he’s like a God and I don’t say that flippantly, I mean people genuinely see him in a divine way,” he said.
He is possibly the most admired celebrity that has ever lived with a following that would have made Elvis blush. If India was as developed as the Western world his Twitter followers would exceed 500 million!
It’s why his inevitable retirement will strike at the heart of the nation on a scale most Australians will find astonishing.
Tendulkar, 40 in April, made his Test debut in 1989 as a 16-year-old against Pakistan (he was bowled by Waqar Younis for 15 in Karachi).
For the hundreds of millions of Indians living impoverished lives he has been an infinite well of hope, happiness and pride ever since – the one certainty in an uncertain world.
Many have never watched a Test without him, including Ashan Mehta, a 27-year-old street vendor from Pune. “Even talking of Tendulkar retiring is a very sensitive issue for us, we are all quite emotional about it,” he said. “If he retires the sense of loss will be overwhelming because for so many people like me we have not known life without him, and cricket is life here.”
Tendulkar has been showing steady signs of decline not unlike Ricky Ponting did before he called stumps on his masterful career in November.
His feet, so fleet and light for so long, have stopped moving. He has not made a Test century since 2011, and may no longer be seen as the prized scalp by opposition – something Ponting also experienced in his twilight.
On Friday he scored an unbeaten 140 for Mumbai against a Rest of India team at Wankhede Stadium, a sign there could be fight in the old dog yet ahead of the First Test in Chennai starting February 22.
In doing so he passed 25,000 first-class runs and equaled the great Sunil Gavaskar’s all time record of 81 first-class centuries.
In typical Tendulkar fashion he is remaining coy with the media and hasn’t hinted at a looming announcement about his future.
In any case, when that day comes, it will signal the end of the world as they know it in India.
Mark Murray is a Melbourne-based journalist and lifelong sports nut. He is currently on the subcontinent covering Australia’s cricket tour of India. Follow Mark on Twitter
k77sujith
Guest
Nice read. The problem with Ind cricket is that thoughts evolve more from the heart rather than from the head. This is why Tendulkar has been given way too much freedom and power in picking the number of games as he wishes. Thats totally unprofessional. Hes a legend no doubt, but if I wanted someone to bat for my life, it would be Dravid who has won matches for India and is someone you can rely on. More importantly, a team man to the core.
Damngoodoval
Guest
What a legend he is. An awesome record and derserving of his status. The writing has been on the wall in his last 2 series against England mind you. Love the fact that jimmy Anderson has got him out more than any other bowler at test level
Pope Paul VII
Guest
He ought to announce before the series starts that he will retire at the end of the series. People might actually turn up to watch him and he can singlehandedly save test cricket on the subcontinent.
Frankie Hughes
Guest
The main problem for Tendulkar and India is that at first class level, Tendulkar is still scoring 100s rather easily. As a given hes destroying spinners and seam bowlers. At Test level, he seems to have lost his tempo. I don't think he's finished, as he's still looking good at times. But if he has a 4th consecutive poor series, I think I would be correct to pull up stumps on an epic career.
nmj1654
Roar Rookie
Great article. Even as an Australian I have so many great memories of Tendulkar, especially watching him bat alongside Sehwag, Gambhir, Dravid and Laxman during their glory days against the dream team bowling duo of Warne and McGrath. It'll be a sad day for Indian cricket when he retires but it'll herald a new era - another great Indian batsman will take his place and front up for years against Pattinson, Cummins, Starc, Siddle and co. Can't wait.
Jason Cave
Guest
India has shown it takes a while for them to get over the retirement of their no.1 player. Think of Bishen Bedi, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev....and now Sachin Tendulkar. The greatest possible compliment paid to Tendulkar came from the greatest player of all time, the late Sir Donald Bradman, who said in a interview with Ray Martin that Tendulkar's batting was eerily similar to his. If you put a DVD of Tendulkar's batting style, and compare that with Bradman, you could understand what Sir Donald meant by that.
During 2012 Sachin Tendulkar scored 357 runs in 15 innings, at an average of 23.80 with only two fifties. During 2012 Sachin Tendulkar scored 756 runs in 17 innings at an average of 47.25 with 1 century and 5 fifties. The century was against SA in January of 2011, since then his form has slowly deteriorated. That is Tendulkar the Batsman. I think the biggest problem for Indian supporters are to seperate the man Sachin Tendulkar, with the player. As a player his form has been dipping dramatically for the last two years, and from a players perspective it is time, the man Sachin Tendlukar will live on in Indian history forever.
Mark Murray
Roar Rookie
Thanks mate, glad you enjoyed it.
Australian Rules
Guest
I interviewed Greg Chappell on his return from his coaching stint in India and I recall 3 stories which highlighted the manic level of celebrity that attaches to Indian cricketers: 1 - Sachin loves fast cars but had to sneak out of his house at 4am to drive his Ferrari on the highway for 30 minutes before quickly return home unnoticed. 2 - One day Dhoni went for a haircut and 100,000 people turned up at the barber's. 3 - Locations of team meetings were always kept secret for safety reasons. When the details of a restaurant meeting were leaked prior to a big series, the team turned up only 20 mins later to find 1 MILLION people already filling the streets surrounding the restaurant. Scary stuff!
Mark Murray
Roar Rookie
Absolutely. If this is to be his last series I just hope he announces it after I have boarded my plane back to Australia - will be absolute pandemonium here the day it happens.
dcnz
Guest
Mark, good journalism mate.....keep writing! (from a current journo).
Hayden
Guest
That's amaizing herm dog great read
Australian Rules
Guest
It is difficult for most Australians to truly fathom the impact this will have in India. If he announces this Aust series to be his last, the sheer frenzy of emotion and public outpouring will be almost unbearable...for both sides. Gotta happen at some stage I guess.
JGK
Roar Guru
I wonder if he won't try t get to 200 tests.
AndyMack
Guest
One of the best, no doubts. Will be a sad day when he goes, but to see his performances suffer at the end of his career is sad too, let hope he makes a few runs (not too many) against aust and then calls it a day.
thomas may
Guest
great read mark!