An open letter to irritated Sachin Tendulkar fans

Sachin Tendulkar fans are only disgracing themselves by abusing Maria Sharapova

Dear Sachin Tendulkar fans,

As you all know few days back, Maria Sharapova who is a Russian born Tennis player, settled in USA was unfortunately subjected to a question “do you know who Sachin is?” to which she honestly replied “I don’t”

Yes, Sachin is our idol, and it is disheartening that a famous tennis star doesn’t know one of the greatest cricket players in the history of the game, but don’t you think our reaction to the whole matter was a bit too farfetched?

Cricket is a game which is played by very few countries around the world and outside the sub-continent the game is not well publicized or popular like we know it.

Now if you are offended that the Russian – Sharapova doesn’t know an Indian star – Sachin Tendulkar, tell me, how many of you know of Lev Yashin or Boris Mikhailov or Alexander Popov?

We may know about the existence of games like baseball or rugby, but how many of us can name the best players to have graced those games? Why is it so? Is it because we are completely ignorant about the games or is it partially due to the unpopularity of such games in our country?

How many of us know about the famous Superbowl without having to search about it? I’m pretty sure the number is very insignificant compared to our huge population.

Sachin is our answer to the likes of Michael Schumacher or Cristiano Ronaldo or Tiger Woods or Rafael Nadal. We know of the stars of other sports because of its huge popularity and reach around the world, but cricket is pretty much non-existent to a huge majority of countries around the world.

Taking out our anger on Sharapova’s social media account is not helping Sachin in anyway, the way we have done it will only harm his good name. She would have learned by now who Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is. Sharapova’s reply to the journalist’s comments was not out of arrogance or to insult Sachin. You can maybe call her ignorant about one of the richest sportsperson and nothing more.

It is a sincere request to stop attacking her on her social media accounts so that she knows who Sachin Tendulkar is, such an act will only tarnish the image. And Sachin being the man he is might end up apologizing to her for our acts, do you want that to happen?

I am ending this with the hope that you will realize the mistake

Sincerely,

One of many die-hard Sachin Fans