Sitting inside an enclosed media centre and listening to music on maximum volume, you could still hear the chant of “Sa-chin Sa-chin” through the headphones even before Tendulkar entered the playing arena.
Mumbai Cricket Association had opened the gates nice and early to ensure each fan was inside the stadium to watch Tendulkar walk out for his 329th and final Test innings.
Nearly every person who entered the Wankhede Stadium kept on standing and cheered their hero to the crease. For the next 15 minutes they continuously screamed “Sa-chin Sa-chin” and refused to sit down. Even a defensive shot was greeted with a roar.
It was once in a lifetime experience, and it’s highly unlikely India will ever experience such an atmosphere or such an audience for a Test match again.
For all those that turned up, the shots Tendulkar played during his outing will remain in their minds forever, none more so ever than the shot that bought up his 68th Test 50.
It was the trademark Tendulkar straight drive played with a full face of the bat and it just raced to the boundary.
For that spilt second, you felt like freezing time.It would have been the fitting gift for a man who has managed to freeze a nation of over a billion people for nearly a quarter of a decade.
But to halt time would be a fantasy and perhaps those who believe there will be another Tendulkar are living in a fantasy world.
Back in the real world Tendulkar stroked his way to 74 before playing a deft late cut into first slip’s hand. Tendulkar was out. The brief walk back once again told a story of man that just simply loved playing cricket.
Once he realised he was out, the disappointment on his face was evident. But the primary reason for the dismay was because he had executed the same shot only couple of overs ago against the same bowler.
So annoyed was Tendulkar that he started to scurry off the ground. His natural instincts took over, he was mad at himself for not been able to execute the shot, the cricketing brain was still in action and it seemed like Tendulkar had almost forgotten this was his last innings.
About three-quarters through his journey to the boundary rope, the cricket brain finally halted and he acknowledged the fans for one last time. It was not the prolonged goodbye many would have expected as the master rushed up the steps.
But once again, the walk back to the pavilion showcased Tendulkar was so engrossed and dedicated in his batting that all other factors was extraneous.
His short and quick exit represented only a minute amount of his remarkable Test career, but it was the last sign of a true batting genius.
Without the great Sachin Tendulkar, Test cricket will never be the same in India again.
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