Sir Sachin Tendulkar - The Greatest Cricketer Ever

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Plum

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Prabhu Ram

Lots of Aussies were disappointed with Sachin's testimony in favour of Harbhajan in the Symonds-Harbhajan controversy.

I was kinda dissappointed too. I felt Sachin was led by a misplaced sense of solidarity to the team than the interests of the spirit of the game. Of course, we never know enough to have a strong opinion. We never know what happened on the field. ellAm oru impression dhaan.

varungaalathula suyasaridhai ezhudhuvaanga. students ellAm notes eduppAnga.

---

yeah, I was even more disappointed because I aint no fan of big mouth Singh. I wanted his goose to be cooked - infact, I wouldnt have been unhappy if Sachin had *lied* to incriminate Harbhajan :lol:

Though a smug Ponting would have been a horrible sight, a smug Harbhajan is proving to be a even less palatable sight.

---

:lol:
Strongly agree

November 4, 2006 Sachin TendulkarJuly 10, 2009

First Published: 00:29 IST(10/7/2009)

Last Updated: 17:09 IST(10/7/2009)

You’ve always been my hero: TendulkarCertain moments stay fresh in memory.

Like my first meeting with Sunil Gavaskar.

I was a ball boy at the Wankhede during the 1987 World Cup. My interest in cricket really took root after we won the 1983 World Cup, and for an aspiring youngster, to be at the ground during the next edition of the Cup and watch his heroes from close quarters was an unforgettable experience.

What made it even more special was when he called me to the Indian dressing room and introduced me to the team’s superstars. I had just entered my teens and couldn’t believe my eyes. These were the men I adored, and here I was, shaking hands with them. See pictures

What’s more, he spoke highly of me and my cricketing ability to his teammates. It was a big moment, a huge inspiration.

After all, how many cricketers get the opportunity to enter the Indian dressing room before making it to the national team?

I was then a school cricketer, but from the way he treated me, it felt like I had already played for India. I could feel his affection. Twenty-two years down the line, nothing has changed. I receive that same love and affection from him even today.

In many ways, 1987 was a watershed year. I remember batting particularly well, making more than 1500 runs, so it was disappointing not to get the best junior cricketer award from the Mumbai Cricket Association.

That’s when I got a letter from him. He wrote that I should not be disappointed because bigger awards were in store. At the end, he mentioned that if I looked at the list of players who had received the award, there would be one name missing that hadn’t done too badly in international cricket!

He was referring to himself. That letter is as valuable as any other award I have ever received. That was the beginning of a long and cherished association.

Just before my Ranji Trophy debut, he gave me a pair of his pads, which I was thrilled to use. It was light and not many of my age could afford them. Though I was young, I could see that there was a special place in his heart for me, something I am as proud of now as I was then. Over the years, we have spent countless hours in Mumbai and almost every cricket ground around the world, discussing cricket.

During our first few meetings, it was one-way traffic as I hardly spoke. For one, I was in awe of him, and then, I wanted to make the most of being privy to the wisdom of Sunil Gavaskar. When our coaches told us to follow a particular routine and we asked why, the reply was:”SMG did this”. He was the ultimate example, and to our coaches and to us, if he did something, then we had to do it as well.

Whichever way you look at it, he is an institution. When he retired, for our generation, 34 Test hundreds was the ultimate ambition.

I have been fortunate to have done a few special things myself. One of my abiding memories is my 34th Test century in Dhaka. For one, I had equalled him statistically, and he was present at the ground.

It was wonderful to be hugged by him after crossing the boundary rope during a break. Seeing him standing there to receive me signified the coming together of my childhood days, my adolescence and youth. After congratulating me, he said: “Please enjoy the rare moments of becoming a member of a rare, elite club.” But for me, it was a great feeling to climb the same peak as Sunil Gavaskar.

Later, he gave me 34 bottles of champagne and I have been fortunate to receive gifts from him time and again. When I got my 35th ton at the Kotla, he wasn’t in India. But just before dinner that night, he called from Nepal to congratulate me. I had really been waiting for that call. People say he does not miss a special occasion and I can vouch for that. I’m really fortunate that I have had the wisdom of a legend to fall back on. When I got the opportunity to write this piece on his 60th birthday, I told myself: “time flies”.

He still is and will continue to remain my hero, the same person I first met in 1987. The only change is that my respect for him has increased over the years. Many happy returns, and here’s wishing you a 35th hundred! (PMG)

Wish Gavaskar on his birthday... | Surfers' Response


See pictures

http://www.hindustantimes.com/StoryP...6-e2c0ccfe42ef

:clap:
Often, I'm tempted to think Gavaskar's on-drive (especially the one off the back foot) is even better than Sachin's!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Vivasaayi

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Sanguine Sridhar

Tendulkar not fit for T20: Buchanan

http://cricket.rediff.com/report/200...0-buchanan.htm

Quote:

---

"In the position he plays -- as an opener of No 3 -- the T20 game requires not only the finesse and skills he has, but also the power and domination, an ability to take the bowlers on while being creative.


"You have to be inventive and fearless. And I don't see those qualities as part of Sachin's make-up at this stage of his career. Sachin Tendulkar is still a great player but not in this arena of T20," Buchanan said in the book, published by Orient Paperbacks.

---

Naansense! He played really well for Mumbai Indians!

---

buchanans take on t20 cricket pathi naade ariyum :lol:

---

Sariyana Moocha nan!!

Another Website for Sachin

http://tendulkaropus.com/static.php?page=index2

:thumbsup:

Beyond legendary

He has played for two decades, carrying the hopes of a nation, and done it with grace and class. Tendulkar has transcended every other cricket hero there is

Kumar Sangakkara

As an international cricketer of the current generation, the Tendulkar era, I will always have one striking memory of Sachin that will be forever etched in my mind: his thrilling entrance onto a cricket field. The anticipation of him emerging from the pavilion, and his walk from the boundary to the centre, is almost surreal. The sound of a passionate Indian crowd all chanting "Sachin, Sachin" as they wait in anticipation, followed by the enormous roar when he emerges onto the field, is electrifying.

That experience also tells you much about Sachin and his special place in the game's history. He is not just the finest and most complete batsman of the past two decades. In a country that is cricket-mad, where players are deified and worshipped, he stands out and stands alone. In a continent of cricketing legends of the calibre of Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, and in a tradition of cricket that has produced other great heroes, Sachin seems to have transcended all of them and achieved a revered, almost superhuman, stature.

I remember playing in a charity game in 2003 at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Thousands of people turned out to watch the match and the familiar chant filled the ground as he walked out to take strike with Virender Sehwag. However, two overs later, Sachin's dismissal was followed by pin-drop silence. As he left the field, the only sound was the murmur of the dispersing crowd. For me, that kind of pressure every single day, and the lack of a truly private life, would, I believe, prove too much.

But Sachin, somehow, has taken it in his stride for an incredible 20 years almost. To my mind that ranks as a higher achievement than the long lists of statistical records he has claimed. Playing for India is no easy task. The pressure to perform in every single outing, to win every single match, is tremendous. Magnify that a thousand-fold and that is what Sachin has to deal with.

He may have millions of fans, but he has his share of critics as well. Many times over the years India has failed to convert an appearance in a final into a win, and when this happens the first barbs of criticisms are invariably aimed at one man. "Sachin," they say, "does not win India finals." The man who has been rewriting the record books has been judged by some to have failed India in some crucial games that everyone seems to remember and talk about.

This criticism is totally unfounded and unfair. Sachin is extremely strong mentally. You have to be, to last 20 years at the top. That he is still able to carve out match-winning performances now, despite all the injuries and the physical and mental overload that comes with being a top-flight international cricketer, is testament to his mental toughness. India have not lost so many finals because of Tendulkar; they have lost because of poor team performances.

Therein lies the danger of having individual brilliance in your cricket team. Many are the times I have sat in the dressing room, watching Sanath Jayasuriya single-handedly win matches. However, without realising it, we reached the stage, at one point, where our whole confidence hinged on the rise and fall of Sanath. His early dismissal would sow seeds of doubt, and his continued presence in the middle would fuel confidence. We have succeeded now in breaking free of that dependence. It is a similar battle that India have fought with Sachin.

I first watched Sachin on TV when I was 12 years old, and for me the most striking thing about his batting has been its beautiful simplicity. The picture-perfect stance; the straight, measured back-lift; the neat forward-defensive and the checked-drive have changed little over the years. Of course, he was blessed with enormous natural talent, but that talent has been fulfilled because of a rock-solid technical foundation.

His simple technique has helped him adapt to, and dominate, all formats of the game under all conditions. Use Cricinfo's Statsguru to assess his overall record and you can only marvel at the completeness of his career. He has scored runs in every cricketing country, on every type of pitch, against every bowling attack. Furthermore, his dominance extends from Test cricket to one-day cricket, and even to the newest format, the Twenty20 game.

Various teams have used different tactics against him over the years, probing his technique to find weaknesses. However, even if they did find any, he was always able to adapt and evolve his game to overcome the challenge. That is what great players do. To my mind, his only obvious weak spot has been against the ball that nips back in from outside off stump - a delivery that troubles several of India's batsmen, though for different reasons.

Since 2003, life does seem to have become tougher for Sachin, mainly because of injuries and the physical toll of the international treadmill. I sense that this - especially the injuries - has introduced a more cautious attitude to his batting. Which is why the appearance of Sachin today does not bring with it a cloud of doom for the fielding team, as it used to do. His increased conservatism has dulled his threat, although he remains very capable of compiling match-winning scores.

Despite his great achievements Sachin has managed to stay an unassuming, humble and very approachable human being. He is a family man whose life is steeped in good moral and religious values. His interaction with players, both in his own team and in the opposition, has given many a cricketer a humbling insight into the mind of this genius. He is always ready to accommodate his fellow cricketers in conversations that might range from cricket to his family, food, travel, and his two other passions: cars and watches.

This is all revealing because it helps explain where he gets his mental strength from. His simple private life, his clear values and strong ethics, and a very good support system in terms of his family and close friends, have given him the foundation and strength to be able to shoulder the hopes and expectations of millions. Underpinning him is a natural zest for life, a passion for cricket and also for humanity. To me, he is the embodiment of the gentleman cricketer. He does not need aggressive rhetoric or psychological battles to prove his worth. He has his bat and he lets it do the talking.

Thanks wibha for posting the news. Do post here more. This is not just to wibha alone other fans/hubbers also should post here regularly be it either opinions or news.

:).

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Wibha

Another Website for Sachin

http://tendulkaropus.com/static.php?page=index2

---

wibhs :clap:

அசலூர் காரன் உனக்கு தெரியுது உள்ளூர்ல இருக்கிற லூசுகளுக்கு புரியலீயே.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by littlemaster1982

Beyond legendary


Kumar Sangakkara

This criticism is totally unfounded and unfair. Sachin is extremely strong mentally. You have to be, to last 20 years at the top. That he is still able to carve out match-winning performances now, despite all the injuries and the physical and mental overload that comes with being a top-flight international cricketer, is testament to his mental toughness. India have not lost so many finals because of Tendulkar; they have lost because of poor team performances.

---

Well said, Quite right of an example too. :clap:.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by littlemaster1982

Therein lies the danger of having individual brilliance in your cricket team. Many are the times I have sat in the dressing room, watching Sanath Jayasuriya single-handedly win matches. However, without realising it, we reached the stage, at one point, where our whole confidence hinged on the rise and fall of Sanath. His early dismissal would sow seeds of doubt, and his continued presence in the middle would fuel confidence. We have succeeded now in breaking free of that dependence. It is a similar battle that India have fought with Sachin.

---

Well said. It's not that sachin doesn't have weaknesses but he has always played around it. He has curbed few shots and he has produced new ones too.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by littlemaster1982

Various teams have used different tactics against him over the years, probing his technique to find weaknesses. However, even if they did find any, he was always able to adapt and evolve his game to overcome the challenge. That is what great players do. To my mind, his only obvious weak spot has been against the ball that nips back in from outside off stump - a delivery that troubles several of India's batsmen, though for different reasons.

---

Thanks for the article, LM. Idhu dhaan old article. :lol:.