Sharda Ugra: Tendulkar's perfect balance |
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Balance is everything. And no one exemplified that better than Sachin. Having followed cricket regularly from 1984, I have been made to feel that my views about cricket and Sachin are different from many others whose coincided or is a subset of Sachin's era. A very objective point of view would be this: With Viv Richards, he shares the dias for being the best ODI batsman to have played the game. As a test batsman, after the once in a century Bradman, he falls in an elite group which has other players like - Headley, Sobers, Viv, Lara, GregChappell, Ponting, Border, Hobbs, Hutton, Kallis, Gavaskar, Dravid, Sangakarra, Miandad and just slightly ahead of Weekes, Walcott, Hayden, Barry Richards, Graeme Pollock, Sehwag, Barrington, Sutcliffe. Combining both the formats, and giving the benefit of doubt to only the super exemplary ones who played only one format, only Bradman would be ahead of him with Sachin sharing the second position with Sobers. Followed by Viv, Ponting, Lara, Chappell.
Like Allan Donald said soon after his retirement nearly a decade ago - the 'balance' Sachin brought to the crease was freakish. He opined, when in touch, that balance enabled him to move forward or back with equal felicity without any trigger movement, and get that fraction of a second extra to meet all that a bowler could throw at him. It's a gift few have, but it's also a gift few hone with such relentless pursuit. The amazing part is how that same principle has extended to his life off the pitch as well. Forever in limelight, and epicenter of (mostly unreasonable) demands of a population looking for a hero, his balance let him be quiet, reticent even and mostly non-committal to stay away from controversies in more conservative times of 90s. On the backfoot and playing late. And then, as India and it's new brash confidence came to fore, he took stands, his characteristic dignity showing how to handle power with responsibility. On the frontfoot, and still in control.
Very well written Sharda! There are few cricketers whose stats, technique, ability to score runs on all grounds and against all opposition do not nearly capture what they bring to the game. Tendulkar has all that - but there is more to players like Tendulkar, Lara and Viv Richards that captures our imagination, makes us go lyrical in their praise and be under their spell. Tendulkar balance and poise on and off the field, the controlled and calculated aggression and the beauty of his game were a treat to watch. I will always cherish those memories. It is is simply futile to argue who is better - especially so because most of us are mere mortals before these Gods of Cricket. They are all great in their own way. Tendulkar, having held a nation of a billion and the cricket world in his spell for over two decades will remain etched in our memories for a long, long time.
SRT always doing in whole career--- If any one throw stone towards to him then he converted into Milestone.
Great article, Sharda - measured, humorous, insightful. As for SRT himself, I think that great as his reputation now is at his time of departure, he is likely to engender misty-eyed nostalgia in very short time -- perhaps because the world moves on so quickly -- nowhere moreso than in India. But having had the experience, it's now vital that India grasps the lessons of his career. In purely cricketing terms, he was pre-eminently a Test cricketer; it's the stage where the world had the time to appreciate his complete mastery of batsmanship against the world's best, with great bowlers able to bowl dozens of overs per match at him. His religion was cricket & he was chosen as its Indian prophet. Will SRT's religion continue to be revered now the prophet has gone? The quality that I most admired about him was an unaffected dignity & it's this priceless quality that seems to be in such short supply in a game ruthlessly overtaken by commercial concerns & quick riches in an India on the grab.
Thanks for waxing eloquent Sharda.Yours is much needed article for those getting emotionally drained by the simplicity and soulfulness of sachin's speech.
just one correction for Anil kumble the average agre of indian population is not 26 years its 60 plus years
Sharda, was looking forward to your piece on SRT retirement. Thanks for not disappointing..
you are deserved to get all the rewards. you are not only a cricketer, good sportsman too.
What a man SRT.
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