After the emotion-filled Mumbai Test yesterday, crowd favourite and record-wrecker Sachin Tendulkar received India’s highest civilian honour, Bharat Ratna.
After all the pre-Test hype on his 200th and last Test, a century would have pleased his billion admirers.
Unbeaten on 38 at stumps on the opening day of the Mumbai Test, a century appeared possible.
He was reaching the target with sweet timing; cover drives and straight drives dominating, but was caught in the slips, 26 runs short of his 52nd Test and 101st international hundred.
His fans’ expectation is a burden Tendulkar has carried lightly on his shoulders for over 20 years. It was beyond belief in his final Test; like Atlas holding the celestial sphere on his shoulders.
How can he retain his cool as spectators chant “Sachiiiin, Sachin” every time he touches the ball?
But it reached a crescendo as he came out to bat.
With centuries from Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma, as well as 74 from the old master, and 10 for 89 in the match from spinner Pragyan Ojha, India won the second and final Test by an innings and 126 runs in two and half days.
Last week they had also trounced the Windies in Kolkata by an innings and 51 runs in two and half days.
India won the series 2-0.
The Mumbai Test was virtually a ‘Sayonara Sachin’ Test, with attention focussed only on him as Pujara and Sharma were treated by the commentators and crowd as also-rans, despite their match-winning hundreds.
Man of the series Sharma has played only two Tests and has hit tons in both, his Test average being an incredible 288.00.
But the on-field performances paled in comparison to the post-Test presentation. Sachin did not have enough hands to receive Trophies, medals and memorabilia galore.
Then he gave a stirring, emotion-charged speech.
He thanked his parents, wife Anjali, his two diamonds (daughter Sara, aged 16, and son Arjun, 14), his brother who still gives him tips to bat better, coach Ramakant Achrekar, whom he regularly visits and addresses as ‘sir’, his doctors and physios, media and photographers and finally the crowd, who went “Sachiiiiin, Sachin” for the final time.
As Anjali had earlier said wiping tears, you can have cricket without Sachin but cannot imagine Sachin without cricket.
With that humble and sincere address, the scorer of most runs and centuries in Test and one-day internationals and many other records moved away from the spotlight but not without touching the soil which made him a legend.
Who will break his record of 15,921 runs in 200 Tests (next best is Australia’s Ricky Ponting 13,378 runs in 168) and 51 centuries (next best South Africa’s Jacques Kallis, 44 centuries in 164)?
Ponting is retired, but 38 year-old Kallis is still playing.
As Kallis has scored 13,140 runs, he needs to score 2,782 runs and eight centuries to go past Tendulkar. It is possible but unlikely.
Also, Tendulkar’s 18,426 runs and 49 centuries in 463 ODIs is way ahead of next best – Ponting’s 13,704 runs and 30 hundreds in 375 matches.
Among cricketers still playing, Sri Lanka’s Kumar Sangakkara, aged 36, is closest, with 11,798 runs and 16 centuries in 354 ODIs.
Not far behind is Kallis, having scored 11,498 runs and 22 centuries in 321 ODIs.
Tendulkar’s ODI records will stand for many, many years to come.
Happy retirement Sachin. You have earned the Order of Australia, Bharat Ratna and affection of a billion cricket lovers from all over the world.
Sparsh
Guest
Ronan, Pujara was supposed to get a long run in the test side when he made his debut in 2010. But right after that he picked up a nasty knee injury while fielding that derailed his test career for a couple of years. He had to undergo surgery and physiotherapy and played no competitive cricket for a very long time.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
To quote Greg Baum from SMH, "If Ian Botham can be seen as the Errol Flynn of cricket or Viv Richards as the Martin Luther King or Shane Warne as the Marlene Munroe or Muralitharan as the hobbit then Tendulkar is surely the game's secular saint."
Prosenjit majumdar
Guest
''and it would still be unfair cuz they're all true legends of the game and i don't wish to show disrespect to any(of 'em)''
Prosenjit majumdar
Guest
When asked who's better,him or sachin..he replied 'you should rather ask me to compare him with sir viv or ponting'..
Prosenjit majumdar
Guest
I was watching his interview by rajdeep sardesai yesterday,and he avoided those comparisons with some mature diplomacy.
Prosenjit majumdar
Guest
Lara hasn't said sachin is the greatest ever..and probably never will.,unless ofcourse he forgets his original idol..sir gary and his feats actualy exist
Shiv
Guest
Perfectly summed up.
SB
Guest
As Brian Lara said Sachin Tendulkar is The greatest cricketer in history and cricket's version of Muhammad Ali. It's the career to end all cricket careers. And he just had the farewell to end all farewells.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Prosenjit, All were great. Sobers: easily the best all-rounder and best cricketer of all time. Bradman: The Mohammad Ali of cricket. Or was Mohammad Ali the Bradman of boxing?! Any new generation of magnificent batsman will always be compared with Bradman. Graeme Pollock: among the most graceful batsmen I've seen, along with Gower, Mark Waugh, Neil Harvey, Azharuddin, Greg Chappell, Ricky Ponting and Sachin. Viv Richards: the most destructive batsman. Ian Botham and Brian Lara would come next. Greg Chappell had all the strokes he executed with panache. Ian Chappell was one of the finest captains from Australia. And a very good batsman too. Sachin had technique, strokeplay, records and CHARISMA. He has to be the most adored cricketer ever.
Prosenjit majumdar
Guest
How would you rate sachin in comparison with sobers, pollock, richards and chapell..equal..better?@ kersi
Praveen
Guest
Sachin was a legend off the field as much as on it
josh
Roar Rookie
I was never really a massive Tendulkar fan. But his retirement speech was a great example of his character. I also took to the time to review his stats. They were quite impressive (understatement of the year). Was as good away as he was at home, actually had a better record away from India. Only averaged less than 50 against three teams (Pakistan, South Africa and New Zealand oddly enough). Against each country his home and away stats didn't deviate too far from his overall average against that country (e.g. Averaged 55 against Australia, with an Australian average of 53.2 and an average in India against Australia of 56.9) Thoroughly deserves the 'Little Master' title.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Prosenjit, Yes, I've seen Garry Sobers and Graeme Pollock bat. Also Viv Richards, Neil Harvey, Greg Chappell, Sunil Gavaskar, Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Rahul Dravid, VVS, Martin Crowe, Matthew Hayden, Javed Miandad, Steve and Mark Waugh, David Gower, Brian Lara... As indeed Sachin Tendulkar. But I cannot say who was the all time great among them. It's like saying who was the greatest among Mozzart, Bach and Bethoven. They were all immortals. Sachin Tendulkar had the technique of Gavaskar and the strokeplay of Lara. Sachin had that charisma, coming on the scene at 16, stroking centuries in England and Australia at 19 and remaining on top till he was 38 in 2011. He won over spectators' and critics' hearts as perhaps no one else did. I know I have not directly answered your question, Prosenjit.
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Ronan, The Obama quote is taken from the current "Inside Cricket" magazine. Yes, I also think very highly of Pujara. His batting average is highest among contemporary cricketers.
ak
Roar Guru
Such a great man. Yet so modest. Even after 24 years the pat from his school coach was something that he yearned for. When the Bharat Ratna was conferred on him, his reaction was to have a prayer and bow before the Almighty. That is Sachin Tendulkar. Great but modest. His speech tells you that and the way he walked up to the pitch to say a silent prayer to a place he regards as temple. No wonder he is so loved. A truly common man's icon. Dignity personified. It is a story of a man who inspite of being so successful did not forget all those who played even a small role in his development as a cricketer and a person. Simply great.
Ronan O'Connell
Expert
Haha is that a real quote? That's great. Nice piece Kersi it's such a pity he didn't get that extra 26 runs. Tendulkar has been one of the world's great sportsmen and deserves every possible praise, not least because of the utterly crushing pressure heaped upon him for the past 20-odd years. Amid the clamour to label Kohli the next Tendulkar I'm endlessly impressed by his no-fuss counterpart Pujara. I remember his Test debut against Aus 3-4 years back...he came to the crease with India in a potentially losing position and batted with a calm which was truly beguiling. I could not fathom why he wasn't a lock in the Test side from then on. He is my favourite non-Aussie batsman.
Prosenjit majumdar
Guest
Kersi, surely you've seen so many batsmen play in your life,that may even include sir gary and pollock at their best..how do u rate sachin?
matthew_gently
Guest
I was mightily impressed by his speech at the end of the match. Check it out YouTube if you have a spare 20 minutes. I think it gave away the key to his career: an extraordinary ability to block out the maelstrom around him, and just express himself.
duncan
Guest
His record speaks for itself. To have been as consistent as he has over twenty + years is just remarkable. I personally would have liked to seen him retire two years ago as he would have been at the peak of his game. Unfortunately he and nearly every other top batsmen has waited until their form was so bad their position couldn't be justified anymore. My biggest regret was never been able to see him in the nineties when he was unbelievable as India didn't tour Australia until 2004 . Cricket won't be the same without him
Kersi Meher-Homji
Guest
Thank you, all you Roarers. I just came across a tribute by US President Barack Obama -- of all people -- on Sachin: "I don't know about cricket, but I still watch cricket to see Sachin play. Not because I love his play, but because I want to know the reason why my country's productivity goes down by 5% when he's batting." Now India's productivity may go up by 15%!