When there was no T.V, no internet, very few sources of entertainment, country was facing political hassles, our national game hockey was at its down fall, India was in desperate need of a hero who can give them something to cherish about. Well, November 1989 to be very exact, a little boy with curly hairs and chubby cheeks, for whom the world wasn’t enough , stepped into international arena of cricket with big dreams in his eyes. The name was/is/will be Sachin Tendulkar.
From that day he is towing the expectations of 1 billion people on his little but firm shoulders.
Going down the memory lane, I still remember how much my life revolved around Sachin Tendulkar. Below are the some moments, which I will cherish throughout my life:
1. Still remember how I used to manage to wake up till 3am just to watch highlights of the master’s innings after watching the full match.
2. Still remember when I used to bunk school, just to watch the master play.
3. Still remember how I used to shout my level best while watching a live match in stadium when Sachin fields at the boundary.
4. Still remember how I used to switch off the TV after the master’s dismissal.
5. Still remember the TV shows “SACHIN @24”(DOORDARSHAN) and “LEGEND OF CRICKET” (ESPN).
6. Still remember how I was unable to concentrate in class thinking about Sachin whenever he scored a century and I missed it for some silly class.
7. Still remember what I was doing when master scored 200*(against South Africa), 143 (against Australia in sharjah), 136( against pak in chennai), 175 (against Australia in hydrabad ) and many more.
8. Still remember the long discussions with friends on the master blaster.
9. Still recall his career stats and the words he spoke in post match ceremony.
10. Still remember how I used to collect the master’s pictures and felt miserable when I missed him while playing ‘trumph cards’.
11. Still remember every advertisement in which Sachin was featured.
12. Still be superstitious when he is batting.
There are many, many memories and moments which I and my whole nation will cherish for years and years about the master.
I feel blessed to be born in the era of Sachin Tendulkar. Now after winning the world cup many people and media is talking about Sachin’s retirement, I just want to tell all those people that he has shared the dressing room with 4 generations of Indian cricket and yet he is still the backbone of our team.
So all that I would like to plead Sachin is.... KABHI ALVIDA NA KEHNA….
I would have spent my childhood otherwise,
I would have looked and grew up otherwise,
I would have had fewer memories to cherish,
If there was no Sachin Tendulkar.
….NIKHIL SINGH.
