Sachin Tendulkar: The evolution that brought about a revolution

Sachin Tendulkar

Cricket has witnessed several great feats of batsmanship, but three achievements stand apart from the rest. First is the phenomenal average of Sir Don Bradman. Second is Brian Lara’s epic 400. And last but not the least, Sachin Tendulkar‘s century of International centuries.

As an Indian, Tendulkar’s achievements stand apart from the rest. In this part of my three part series about three great Indian cricketers, I look at the prolific career of India’s most favourite son. From Manchester to Mirpur, prodigy to phenomenon, the name says it all. He has given many a cricket fan an experience he/she would never forget. Matthew Hayden once famously remarked that he had seen God play. He obviously remarked about the genius named Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar.

Sachin – For age old grand fathers this name brings about symphonious melodies by Sachin Dev Burman. For Indians as well as cricket fans all over the world in the 90s, this name ignited their face with happiness. For his countrymen, he was their eternal saviour, the master blaster. He was like God for them. For bowlers across the seven seas, he sent shivers across their spine causing goosebumps.

From a bubbling teenager to a person who could single handedly make the people of his country skip a beat, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar went through them all. His first century at Old Trafford signified the arrival of a talent the country had been waiting for. He was long said to be the replacement for the legendary Sunil Gavaskar. A fellow Mumbaikar, Gavaskar was India’s first batsman who posed a threat to oppositions.

He came on to the scene when India’s batting woes were at their peak. Vengsarkar’s form dipped. Srikanth wasn’t one who you could trust the innings. Although Azhar was at his prime, he didn’t have any one to support him. Then came the rise of a prodigy. He was a boy wonder. He was the youngest of the lot but he showed character like a senior pro. He was one of the few exceptions to the general trend of confused Indian batting at that point of time.

Much was said about him in the Bombay cricketing circles, but it was a test that will forever remembered for Graham Gooch’s efforts did he light up the world. He was the second youngest Test centurion at that point of time. But what was most notable was his defence. Even during the fourth innings pressures, he was hardly fazed. He faced the English bowlers at good seaming conditions with rather ease. His defence brought about a rapid resemblance of his dedication and determination. He carried on the same way demolishing bowlers and scarring them forever.

His battles with the great Aussie attacks of the 2 decades were unprecedented. His straight drives were immaculate. He cut with precision. He drove hard. He pulled with fury. He danced down the track. He punished them all.

Sachin is easily one of the most gifted batsman in the history of the game. And the Aussies were his most favourite opposition. Tendulkar’s tryst with the Australians had a distinct nuance of familiarity. The Aussies in the 90s had a potent bowling attack with the likes of Warne, McGrath, Damien Fleming, Michael Kasprowicz, Bret Lee and Stuart McGill at their disposal.

His most famous rivals were Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath. McGrath would always bowl in the corridor of uncertainty which Tendulkar often found difficult to negotiate. His accuracy more than pace troubled almost every batsman and Tendulkar was no exception.

Tendulkar was a batsman who liked to dominate bowlers and McGrath didn’t allow him to do the same. McGrath has got the better of his rival from the subcontinent quite a few times but it was the Mumbaikar who often came out on top. And it is often said that Tendulkar doesn’t fire when it’s needed the most and McGrath nailed the final nail in India’s coffin when he got Tendulkar out rather cheaply in the 2003 World Cup Final in South Africa. Sachin has had his days too. His fluent 126 in the Madras zest in 2001 brought out the best in him against the accuracy of McGrath.

Then comes Shane Keith Warne. The name itself signifies brilliance. His first ball in Ashes career turned out to be the ball of the century. That’s enough said, isn’t it? Warne was a proven match winner. He could decieve ny batsman and outfox him on any given day. His battles with the charismatic were legendary.

When Warne came to India in 1998, much was expected. But Sachin brushed away everything and carted him all around the park. Warne simply had no answers to the genius. During that series, Tendulkar didn’t give Warne even a smidgeon of a chance of gaining an edge over him as everything came right of the middle of the bat. He confronted Warne in a show of mastery.

Sachin Tendulkar’s battle vs Shane Warne was stuff of legends

Tendulkar’s heroics often went in vain as he didn’t have a good bowling unit to back him. The Madras test against neighbours Pakistan is a very good example. There was an avalanche of runs scored by Tendulkar and his partner Nayan Mongia after the tea break. The Indians were poised to win the match. But they eventually lost it due to reckless shots by the people who resurrected the test in their favour – one being Sachin himself.

Much has been said about ‘that’ shot. Many still don’t accept that he had a back spasm and the Madras heat added to the pain. That the Indians met with such a rough and pitiless end at Chepauk in their first skirmish against Pakistan at was not an eventuality the near full house at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai expected after Sachin Tendulkar went into another planet scoring another of his brilliant centuries. But the exit of Tendulkar, who already had a place among the pantheon of Indian cricket, sounded the alarm bells.

He even overcame personal bereavement to conjure up a match winning century against Kenya at Bristol in the 1999 World Cup. The name Sachin Tendulkar brought joy and he made sure that cricket was marketable. He changed the face of cricket. Mark Mascheranas and him changed cricket forever. His innings immediately after the 26/11 attacks was inspirational. He gave the nation something to think other than the attacks which demoralised the nation. He often was the vital cog in the Indian batting. His innings’ lighted stadia’s all across the world. From Wellington to Wanderers, Newlands to the WACA, he conquered them all.

Sachin Tendulkar came at a time when India was in need of a player who showed class, was dedicated, determined and disciplined and someone who could finally put up to opposition bowling attacks. He not only did that, but even exceeded the expectations of all.

My 5 favourite Tendulkar innings are:

1: 175 vs Australia in Hyderbad2: 119 vs England at Old Trafford3: 136 vs Pakistan at Chennai4: 143 vs Australia at Sharjah5: 98 vs Pakistan at Centurion

He along with the players who constituted the ‘fab 5′ of Indian cricket made a platform and have provided a good foundation for the future of Indian cricket.

The baton has been passed to the next generation which consists of very promising cricketers like Virat Kohli, Ajinkya Rahane, Shikhar Dhawan, Ravichandran Ashwin, Rohit Sharma, Cheteshwar Pujara, Bhuvaneshwar Kumar and Mohammed Shami. Words cannot define the value Sachin has had for Indian cricket and with that being said I bid adieu.