There are many masters;but none is as masterly as he is! Yes, I am talking about Sachin Tendulkar. While making that statement, I am fully aware that cricket chauvinism runs across two axes, those of nation and generation(An Anthropologist among the Marxists by Ramachandra Guha).
Even his adversaries acknowledge his genius. Sometimes as openly as Shane Warne who wanted Tendulkar to sign on his T shirt.Cricket historians are unanimous that in living memory only Vivian Richards and Graeme Pollock have dominated the best bowlers in the world. Sachin Tendulkar is still doing that and he knows that if he fails, his side generally fails too. His impressive strike rate and overall mind-blowing statistics speak for themselves and it is certain that no cricketer in our life time can scale the heights that Tendulkar has perched himself on.
Aside from his cricketing genius what strikes me most about Sachin Tendulkar is his humility. It is worth our while to observe how he conducts himself off the field. He is among the few cricketers who is free from any controversy whatsoever.His stoicism and modesty are rare in an age of commodity fetishism
Man is a goal setting animal-said Chinua Achebe(Hopes and Impediments). Tendulkar has set his goal and has pursued it with dogged determination. By reasons of these two distinguishing features of his personality, I believe he can be an ideal icon, worthy of emulation and veneration for the young generations.
Many intellectuals in our state vehemently oppose the idea of conferring the highest civilian award-Bharat Ratna to Tendulkar. I have no idea who to their mind in the contemporary all pervasive miasma of despair can be a fit candidate for the award. Be it from the fields of politics or social work or art and literature.They seem to find themselves still under the shadow of Hazlittian statement that a chess player cannot be a great man as he leaves the world as he he found it. But Tendulkar is a real game changer.Is it not a fact that cricket is bound up with nationalism in our country? Cannot we see how the whole nation is galvanized when we are up against our next door'arch rival'? Tendulkar is a cohesive force that binds our nation together.
If my nine year old son asks me who can be his role model now: my answer without hesitation is Sachin Tendulkar.
He just deserves the award.
Even his adversaries acknowledge his genius. Sometimes as openly as Shane Warne who wanted Tendulkar to sign on his T shirt.Cricket historians are unanimous that in living memory only Vivian Richards and Graeme Pollock have dominated the best bowlers in the world. Sachin Tendulkar is still doing that and he knows that if he fails, his side generally fails too. His impressive strike rate and overall mind-blowing statistics speak for themselves and it is certain that no cricketer in our life time can scale the heights that Tendulkar has perched himself on.
Aside from his cricketing genius what strikes me most about Sachin Tendulkar is his humility. It is worth our while to observe how he conducts himself off the field. He is among the few cricketers who is free from any controversy whatsoever.His stoicism and modesty are rare in an age of commodity fetishism
Man is a goal setting animal-said Chinua Achebe(Hopes and Impediments). Tendulkar has set his goal and has pursued it with dogged determination. By reasons of these two distinguishing features of his personality, I believe he can be an ideal icon, worthy of emulation and veneration for the young generations.
Many intellectuals in our state vehemently oppose the idea of conferring the highest civilian award-Bharat Ratna to Tendulkar. I have no idea who to their mind in the contemporary all pervasive miasma of despair can be a fit candidate for the award. Be it from the fields of politics or social work or art and literature.They seem to find themselves still under the shadow of Hazlittian statement that a chess player cannot be a great man as he leaves the world as he he found it. But Tendulkar is a real game changer.Is it not a fact that cricket is bound up with nationalism in our country? Cannot we see how the whole nation is galvanized when we are up against our next door'arch rival'? Tendulkar is a cohesive force that binds our nation together.
If my nine year old son asks me who can be his role model now: my answer without hesitation is Sachin Tendulkar.
He just deserves the award.
