The legend bids adieu - The Hindu.pdf
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Opinion » Editorial Published: October 11, 2013 00:08 IST | Updated: October 11, 2013 00:08 IST The legend bids adieu For fans of cricket, particularly those in India, the world as they knew it for close to 25 years has changed forever. Sachin Tendulkar’s decision to retire after his 200th Test match, scheduled against West Indies in mid-November, brings to a close a career l ike no other. There have been several exceptional careers in cricket, but save f or Don Bradman there hasn’t been a phenomenon — in terms o f the collective experience of the artiste — like Tendulkar. For long the most startling thing about his iridescent career was its inevitability. Great deeds were foretold when he was still a boy, t he lofty pre dictions scarcely allowing f or sport’s inherent caprice. “Gentlemen, T endulkar never fails,” the late Naren Tamhane is reported to have said in a selection meeting, when someone wondered if a 16-year-old should be sent to Pakistan to face the likes of Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, and Abdul Quadir. (Waqar Younis made his debut in the series as well.) And incredibly , almost supernaturally, beginning with the debut series in 1989, the master has fulfilled all but the wildest of predictions. Until the arrival and establishment of Rahul Dravid, Tendulkar was India’s lone reference for excellence in testing conditions abroad. The pressure to succeed every single time, the claustrophobia that comes with every little action being scrutinised can scarcely be conceived. And yet T endulkar wore it with lightness and dignity, making brilliance commonplace, unremarkable. Indeed the essence of Tendulkar’s greatness lies as much in his preternatural ability as in his handling the weight of being cricket’s biggest icon. For many in In dia, Tendulkar was God — a statement, from th e evidence of the frenzy he frequently tr iggered, several came d angerously close to believing. Certainly much of Tendulkar’s batting seemed like a gift from above. But the imp ression short-changes him for no one worked harder to hone natural talent. And no one was less concerned with his image as a batsman — struggling for touch in England in 2007, he sublimated his ego and eked out runs. But just as the experts said the newer version of Tendulkar was effective but unappealing, he did what great champions do. He challenged popular perception by reprising later in the year in Australia, the thrilling, spontaneous style of his early years. At 37, he had his most fertile year (2010), scoring more than 1500 Test runs and forcing a revision of how both the great batsman and the old batsman is viewed. Longevity is the gold standard of greatness for nothing is left untested; the arc of Tendulk ar’s career ensures it will be the new gold standard. In recent years, the national obsession with him hadn’t dimmed, but it had been distributed among the members of a resurgent Team India. These next two months will see a return to the old days, one final celebration of the Age of Tendulkar. Keywords: Sachin Tendulkar retirement, Tendulkar cricket career, India-West Indies test series , Don Bradman Printable version | Oct 11, 2013 2:04:45 PM | http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/the-legend-bids-adieu /article5222178.ece © The Hindu The legend bids adieu - The Hindu http:/ /www.thehindu.com/opinion/editor ial/the-legend-bids-adieu/ar ticle... 1 of 1 10/ 11/2013 2:04 PM
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Opinion » Editorial
Published: October 11, 2013 00:08 IST | Updated: October 11, 2013 00:08 IST
The legend bids adieu
For fans of cricket, particularly those in India, the world as they knew it for close to 25 years has changed forever.Sachin Tendulkar’s decision to retire after his 200th Test match, scheduled against West Indies in mid-November,
brings to a close a career like no other. There have been several exceptional careers in cricket, but save for DonBradman there hasn’t been a phenomenon — in terms of the collective experience of the artiste — like Tendulkar.For long the most startling thing about his iridescent career was its inevitability. Great deeds were foretold when he
was still a boy, the lofty predictions scarcely allowing for sport’s inherent caprice. “Gentlemen, Tendulkar neverfails,” the late Naren Tamhane is reported to have said in a selection meeting, when someone wondered if a16-year-old should be sent to Pakistan to face the likes of Imran Khan, Wasim Akram, and Abdul Quadir. (Waqar
Younis made his debut in the series as well.) And incredibly, almost supernaturally, beginning with the debut seriesin 1989, the master has fulfilled all but the wildest of predictions. Until the arrival and establishment of RahulDravid, Tendulkar was India’s lone reference for excellence in testing conditions abroad. The pressure to succeedevery single time, the claustrophobia that comes with every little action being scrutinised can scarcely be conceived.
And yet Tendulkar wore it with lightness and dignity, making brilliance commonplace, unremarkable.
Indeed the essence of Tendulkar’s greatness lies as much in his preternatural ability as in his handling the weight of being cricket’s biggest icon. For many in India, Tendulkar was God — a statement, from the evidence of the frenzy hefrequently triggered, several came dangerously close to believing. Certainly much of Tendulkar’s batting seemed likea gift from above. But the impression short-changes him for no one worked harder to hone natural talent. And noone was less concerned with his image as a batsman — struggling for touch in England in 2007, he sublimated hisego and eked out runs. But just as the experts said the newer version of Tendulkar was effective but unappealing, hedid what great champions do. He challenged popular perception by reprising later in the year in Australia, thethrilling, spontaneous style of his early years. At 37, he had his most fertile year (2010), scoring more than 1500 Testruns and forcing a revision of how both the great batsman and the old batsman is viewed. Longevity is the goldstandard of greatness for nothing is left untested; the arc of Tendulkar’s career ensures it will be the new goldstandard. In recent years, the national obsession with him hadn’t dimmed, but it had been distributed among themembers of a resurgent Team India. These next two months will see a return to the old days, one final celebration of
the Age of Tendulkar.
Keywords: Sachin Tendulkar retirement, Tendulkar cricket career, India-West Indies test series, Don Bradman
Printable version | Oct 11, 2013 2:04:45 PM | http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/the-legend-bids-adieu/article5222178.ece
© The Hindu
egend bids adieu - The Hindu http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/editorial/the-legend-bids-adieu
10/11/2013
