Sachin Tendulkar: The evolution that brought about a revolution

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.