As the Little Master himself nears his iconic 200th Test Match, our Featured Writer Anand Vasudevanprovides the Readers on a sumptuous piece on whether is it just the end of the Glorious Era that Cricket Fans all around the World would not like to come soon.
“If somebody tells you to play like Sachin Tendulkar or Rahul Dravid, do not listen to him. They never followed anyone. They did what they felt was right. So do what you feel is good for you.”-Sourav Ganguly
That is the amount of influence they have had on youngsters since the day they padded up for the country. Youngsters have looked up to them for inspiration more than their technique or their ability to succeed. Having them to look up to certainly helps the youngsters to chase their dreams and when I say that it is an end of an era when Sachin retires, I couldn’t be more transparent.
Sachin Tendulkar is the kind of player who has never backed down from a challenge. He has fought single-handedly in the past, before the arrival of the famed four, leading India to famous yet unexpected victories. In short, he taught India how to win.
Cricket, the national game of England was not as famous in India even during the British rule. But he took the game to every nook and corner of the country, garnering attention and crazy fans for the game. If one man could be indeed more important than the game itself, it would invariably be Sachin Tendulkar.
It is almost confirmed that he might hang his boot at the end of this year and it seems that BCCI is already planning a grand farewell, one fit for a champion. It would be nothing short of spectacular and as he takes the field for the second test at home against West Indies, it would be for the last time, the ultimate goodbye for the master.
To say that he is one of the living legends, a demi-god would be an understatement. He has achieved everything that cricket has to offer right from a very young age. The debut century in the Ranji trophy, Duleep trophy and Irani trophy underlines his greatness right from the beginning of his career.
The veteran of hundred international centuries has been receiving lot of flak in the past two years for his below the par performance. An average of above 35 is never poor for any cricketer, but when it comes to Sachin, it is never enough. He has to live up to the expectations of the common fan and it gets tough with age. Therefore, though Sachin has not made a formal announcement on his retirement, it would only be a matter of time before he is forced to make a decision.
The series against West Indies would be a crucial aspect for India as they groom youngsters and the selectors feel that Sachin’s exit would prove beneficial to the same in the future. There are many deserving youngsters waiting in the wing to take his place, none more than his state mates, one among Rohit Sharma or Ajinkya Rahane.
Therefore he has to step down at some time and it couldn’t be better than the upcoming series against West Indies. India would want to build a new team for the tough series against New Zealand, England and Australia in 2014 and grooming youngsters could be ideal for them to not let a repeat of 2011-12 seasons happen. They need experience and should settle down in the team so that they could be confident about their role in the side.
It would be sad to see the master go. With his exit, it would be the end of an era, an era dominated by the four batting giants of Indian cricket. It would be pretty emotional for Indian fans to see Sachin hang his boots as he was the shining light, the messiah for Indian cricket in the past two decades. His relentless efforts, the highly practised work ethics, not to mention his professionalism in his approach or the humility that comes with the package would be sorely missed by his devotees.
But, on the brighter side, the young guns of the Indian team are on a roll and I believe that the Indian cricket fans have something to cheer about in the future, though the departure of Sachin would be a blow to them. It would definitely sadden us but as the saying goes:
“All good things come to an end!”
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