Five life lessons we can learn from Sachin Tendulkar's career

Grit and determination

Sachin was ready by the beginning of the 1989 season to be picked in the Indian squad which was to travel to the West Indies, but the selectors wished to protect him, only 16 then, from the dreadful pace battery of the mighty Caribbeans which had Ambrose, Marshall and the likes.

And Sachin was disappointed, he wanted to play. When asked what would’ve happened if they hurt him, he said, “I’d get better the next time.” How’s that for attitude?

In 1989, the selectors just couldn’t look away from the outrageous numbers that Sachin was producing and selected him for the tour to Pakistan. In the last test of that series, the pitch was lush green at ­­­­­­­Sialkot and the intimidating Waqar-Imran duo were spewing venom.

The second ball that Sachin faced was a bouncer from Waqar which hit the batsman right on his nose, and he collapsed, blood gushing from his nostrils and partially unconscious. The then physio Ali Irani and the non-striker, Navjot Sidhu both pleaded him to leave the ground.

Sachin, a tender, young 16-year-old kid, away from home, away from comforts, stood up and said, “Main khelega” (I’ll play). The next ball from Waqar and Sachin pummeled that with a straight bat, one bounce and…the rest as they say became a part of a glorified history.

Imagine all the sick days all of us have called at work, all those languishing mornings where we didn’t wish to get out of bed irrespective of the job at hand. Sachin as a young batsman, who was playing his first ever series could have easily went off the field, no qualms. But he chose to stay and fight and make a gritty 57.

The next time you feel there’s a hardship that should keep you from work, or you feel life is being unfair, compare that to the pain of a broken nose in front of bowlers who could repeat the same feat again, on one’s debut series. Sachin could’ve easily cursed God for his fate, instead, he became one himself, decide for yourselves!

Champions emerge through trivialities, to become classics.