Download - Sachin Tendulkar Fan Club

SACHINISM INSIDE OUT- E MAGAZINE - AUGUST EDITION
August 15,
2009
He has ... is there anything left? Yes, he has strength, in wrist, in thigh. The heavy bat helps. Still, says Warne, he
has enormous power. "It's a bit discouraging. In India he ran down the pitch and hit me off the toe of the bat. It
should have gone to mid-on but it went for a six." On that day in Sharjah, it was in evidence again. Gaekwad was
stunned, for Tendulkar was running singles like a demon -- four 3s, fifteen 2s, thirty-five 1s -- yet hitting sixes (five of
them) in between. "The running tires you, yet he was never out of position for a shot."
"In an over I can bowl six different balls. But then Sachin looks at me with a sort of gentle arrogance down the pitch
as if to say 'Can you bowl me another one?'"
-- Adam Hollioke to a friend.
So what is it Tendulkar, what's the motivation, what moves you? Records? No. He just says, flatly, "It's the challenge
that drives me."
There is an understanding, a never articulated awareness among the abnormally gifted that records will arrive
anyway. It is the situation to be mastered, the opponent to be numbed that pushes such men. It is elevating not
oneself but an entire sport, it is stretching the envelope of possibility, it is all this desire that lurks within Michael
Jordan and John McEnroe and Sachin Tendulkar. Eleven versus one on the cricket field is the Tendulkar fantasy. Says
Shastri: "I have never seen such arrogance, such contempt for bowlers since Richards."
Yet it takes work, talent bolstered by industry. Tendulkar will sweat at the nets on a line that troubles him. He would,
prior to tours of the West Indies, get net bowlers to fire away at him from 18 yards. When he was told that like the Sri
Lankans who discomforted him by bowling down the legside, Warne might aggravate him similarly, he went to the
nets in Mumbai, snuffed the pitch where he expected the ball to land and asked the bowlers to bowl there. When
Warne arrived, the greatest batsmen in the world awaited him. Ready.
Now the search begins, in all earnestness, for the chink of daylight in his stance, the edge of weakness in his method.
Tendulkar himself sees none. "I don't think I need to improve in any specific area, just generally." The Aussies are as
unhelpful. Steve Waugh feels -- and check this for a weakness -- "his only danger is seeing the ball too well and going
for his shot too early". Warne says bowl dot balls to frustrate him. Kasprowicz says, "Don't bowl him bad balls, he hits
the good ones for fours."
They know, Tendulkar knows there is no fragility apparent. As with all such men, it is only themselves who can prove to be the
enemy; Tendulkar may nurture his genius or spurn it, the responsibility of greatness lies with him. It seems he
understands that. He is surer now than before, less driven to petulant strokes or rakish indiscretion. That innings was
just a reminder, a page from a book, that this is a batsman who was conceived under God's full attention. Imagine,
what greater deeds remain, the other pages of that book are yet to be turned.
Of that night some final stories remain. Chappell saying, "What would I want of his batting? Everything." And then
finally, Ajay Jadeja, echoing us all: "I can't dream of an innings like that. He exists where we can't.
An Amazing Incident
17 year old Lavan Sagar from Hyderabad is living with a rare form of renal failure which retards growth. Since his
childhood he has been an avid cricket fan… and naturally a big admirer of Sachin Tendulkar. It thus came as no
surprise when he told our volunteers that his cherished wish was to meet his cricket hero. When Sachin Tendulkar
was visiting Hyderabad the foundation arranged for Sagar to meet him in his room at Hotel Taj Krishna. Sagar
could hardly contain his excitement when he was introduced to the greatest cricketer of our times. He was bursting
with questions about the game and the cricketer patiently answered them all. Having got over his initial shyness
Sagar patted Sachin’s cheek and told him that he liked not only the style of his game but his smiletoo. When it was
time to leave Mrs.Tendulkar gave Sagar a pat on his head and affectionately tugged his cheek. In response our
little man like a true gentleman kissed her hand.
SACHINISM : More Than A Religion
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