THE SACHIN PHENOMENON
What’s with all the hype around Sachin’s last series, I was wondering. The series has been rechristened ‘SRT 200’. Against whom? Doesn’t matter. It’s hard to believe there are 21 other players playing too. For the moment, it’s all about one man. What has he done? Well in the last few days, he has sent the ticket sites crashing. Made umpteen STAR SPORTS channels broadcast something related to him. The news channels aren’t far behind either. Caused a mass illness to all office-goers today. The hashtag #ThankyouSachin is going viral in the twitter world. He has long claimed the baton ‘undisputed hero’ of the nation. It seemed all planned. Almost like a play. ‘It’s written’. Indians love emotions more than anyone else in the world, and what better thing to bring emotions than a farewell. This is a giant farewell to their beloved son.
But it was starting to get boring. In the first match, he got out cheaply, albeit to a questionable decision. The build-ups to the second match were nothing short of dramatic. I was wondering, why all this frenzy? Then comes the second match. Then comes the 10 WI wickets. Then comes the two Indian wickets. Then comes – THE MOMENT. I begin to think, well may be its worth it. Wankhede has become a live wire. A circle of mesmerized humans, all dancing to the tune of the ONE performer in the middle. Towards the end of day’s play, he plays a crisp straight drive. His trademark. I think he feels for the ball and doesn’t want to hurt it. A gentle push and pulls his bat back slightly almost as if being courteous to the ball. That shot has made the day of the millions watching. I gasped. What a miss it would have been, if it is not happening. I sit glued to my laptop where I am watching the live online streaming. Please don’t ask from where? Does it matter? Life has to take a step back when he is playing. With him he takes everyone watching him to the middle.
Rewind a couple of weeks back. The decider ODI match between India and Australia had just started. Batting first was India. The young openers Rohit Sharma and Shikar Dhawan started for India and Clint McKay bowled the first over. A single, a couple and a wide. 4 runs. Quiet start. And before the second over started I switched the channel. An hour or so passed without me checking the score. When I tuned in again Indians were picking up speed. The run rate was more than healthy – 97/0 after 15 overs. That’s quite good, right. But it failed to kindle further interest in the match and I switched off the TV.
I can’t help but imagine the situation had the same match happened ten years back maybe. 2003. Tendulkar would be opening against Glen McGrath and Brett Lee. Not a single ball would be missed. Even restroom breaks would be during the drinks break in the match. What has happened now, I thought. Maybe ODIs have become boring after the slam bang T20s. But no, even T20s seem to be duller these days. Maybe the quality has gone down. But wait, these guys aren’t bad either and they are winning more often. India is the current No. 1 ODI team. A lot of Maybe's. Things have changed, of course. A lot of things. And one of which is Sachin Tendulkar isn’t playing. Is it that big a factor? Now I know the answer.
Now comes the second day’s play. Sachin not out overnight, resuming on 38. There is tension all round. Who’s who of India is in attendance. Tino Best tries his best to upset the aspirations of the crowd. The crowd wants a Sachin special. No. 101. On 48 he awkwardly ducks under a Best bouncer and tries to upper cut at the last minute. Best shows his frustration. The crowd boos and oohs. Best joins the play. He is the vicious villain now. The daemon may be. Then God slays demon the next ball. Another trademark straight drive. Gets to 50, the crowd applauds and loud cheers all-round. But not the loudest. They are preserving the loudest for D moment. Yes, they want more and the way they are applauding to his half-century gives it away. The Sachin Phenomenon at its peak.
For those who grew up watching Sachin in the 90s, they can feel the Sachin phenomenon! There are a lot of other legends and good players who aren’t playing too – Rahul Dravid, Ganguly, Sehwag (not likely to play) and so on. But Sachin not playing seemingly is making a stronger impact than the rest. The impact has left a gap psychologically on the cricket watching public. The Sachin shape gap may eventually be filled by someone else from the cricketing perspective. But the psychological gap on the cricket spectators and followers is going to last for a while. Such is his power and charisma. He lived the dreams of a billion people. People rose and fell with him. He was in the realm where no other sports person has ever been to. And now for one last time, he is in the realm again. He is living the dreams of a billion people again.
The Sachin Phenomenon lives on. May be for one last day. There seems nothing better to do right now, than to watch this man for the rest of his last innings. Fingers crossed. It may be the best script yet and the best climax yet. I gasp again! No it’s not. It ends with a fluent 74. And Tendulkar has lived up to his tradition of getting out to a part-timer. Perhaps he thinks it is not right to fight an uneven battle. There is eeriness all round as he walks back. Can cricket ever be same again?
More than the wins, centuries, runs and records, the aura, the humility and the character that he is, will be missed! Sachin Out. TV off. Life resumes for a billion people!!
What’s with all the hype around Sachin’s last series, I was wondering. The series has been rechristened ‘SRT 200’. Against whom? Doesn’t matter. It’s hard to believe there are 21 other players playing too. For the moment, it’s all about one man. What has he done? Well in the last few days, he has sent the ticket sites crashing. Made umpteen STAR SPORTS channels broadcast something related to him. The news channels aren’t far behind either. Caused a mass illness to all office-goers today. The hashtag #ThankyouSachin is going viral in the twitter world. He has long claimed the baton ‘undisputed hero’ of the nation. It seemed all planned. Almost like a play. ‘It’s written’. Indians love emotions more than anyone else in the world, and what better thing to bring emotions than a farewell. This is a giant farewell to their beloved son.
But it was starting to get boring. In the first match, he got out cheaply, albeit to a questionable decision. The build-ups to the second match were nothing short of dramatic. I was wondering, why all this frenzy? Then comes the second match. Then comes the 10 WI wickets. Then comes the two Indian wickets. Then comes – THE MOMENT. I begin to think, well may be its worth it. Wankhede has become a live wire. A circle of mesmerized humans, all dancing to the tune of the ONE performer in the middle. Towards the end of day’s play, he plays a crisp straight drive. His trademark. I think he feels for the ball and doesn’t want to hurt it. A gentle push and pulls his bat back slightly almost as if being courteous to the ball. That shot has made the day of the millions watching. I gasped. What a miss it would have been, if it is not happening. I sit glued to my laptop where I am watching the live online streaming. Please don’t ask from where? Does it matter? Life has to take a step back when he is playing. With him he takes everyone watching him to the middle.
Rewind a couple of weeks back. The decider ODI match between India and Australia had just started. Batting first was India. The young openers Rohit Sharma and Shikar Dhawan started for India and Clint McKay bowled the first over. A single, a couple and a wide. 4 runs. Quiet start. And before the second over started I switched the channel. An hour or so passed without me checking the score. When I tuned in again Indians were picking up speed. The run rate was more than healthy – 97/0 after 15 overs. That’s quite good, right. But it failed to kindle further interest in the match and I switched off the TV.
I can’t help but imagine the situation had the same match happened ten years back maybe. 2003. Tendulkar would be opening against Glen McGrath and Brett Lee. Not a single ball would be missed. Even restroom breaks would be during the drinks break in the match. What has happened now, I thought. Maybe ODIs have become boring after the slam bang T20s. But no, even T20s seem to be duller these days. Maybe the quality has gone down. But wait, these guys aren’t bad either and they are winning more often. India is the current No. 1 ODI team. A lot of Maybe's. Things have changed, of course. A lot of things. And one of which is Sachin Tendulkar isn’t playing. Is it that big a factor? Now I know the answer.
Now comes the second day’s play. Sachin not out overnight, resuming on 38. There is tension all round. Who’s who of India is in attendance. Tino Best tries his best to upset the aspirations of the crowd. The crowd wants a Sachin special. No. 101. On 48 he awkwardly ducks under a Best bouncer and tries to upper cut at the last minute. Best shows his frustration. The crowd boos and oohs. Best joins the play. He is the vicious villain now. The daemon may be. Then God slays demon the next ball. Another trademark straight drive. Gets to 50, the crowd applauds and loud cheers all-round. But not the loudest. They are preserving the loudest for D moment. Yes, they want more and the way they are applauding to his half-century gives it away. The Sachin Phenomenon at its peak.
For those who grew up watching Sachin in the 90s, they can feel the Sachin phenomenon! There are a lot of other legends and good players who aren’t playing too – Rahul Dravid, Ganguly, Sehwag (not likely to play) and so on. But Sachin not playing seemingly is making a stronger impact than the rest. The impact has left a gap psychologically on the cricket watching public. The Sachin shape gap may eventually be filled by someone else from the cricketing perspective. But the psychological gap on the cricket spectators and followers is going to last for a while. Such is his power and charisma. He lived the dreams of a billion people. People rose and fell with him. He was in the realm where no other sports person has ever been to. And now for one last time, he is in the realm again. He is living the dreams of a billion people again.
The Sachin Phenomenon lives on. May be for one last day. There seems nothing better to do right now, than to watch this man for the rest of his last innings. Fingers crossed. It may be the best script yet and the best climax yet. I gasp again! No it’s not. It ends with a fluent 74. And Tendulkar has lived up to his tradition of getting out to a part-timer. Perhaps he thinks it is not right to fight an uneven battle. There is eeriness all round as he walks back. Can cricket ever be same again?
More than the wins, centuries, runs and records, the aura, the humility and the character that he is, will be missed! Sachin Out. TV off. Life resumes for a billion people!!