Sir Sachin Tendulkar 4

[P_R]

I realized certain things, which I always knew, quite viscerally today.
That I give a damn about the Indian team.
From 70 onwards for a good one hour I was glued to cricinfo. Nothing. Absolutely nothing mattered. Total elation when he got to his hundred.
Even now I don't regard it as a landmark. I find it stupid to add ODI and Test hundreds. But it was quite obviously messing Sachin. And I was so so relieved to see him get it over with.

So more than the milestone itself, it's just the man had plodded through and got there and it was done and dusted thrilled me. enakkE ippadinnA, avarukku eppadi irukkum!

Truth be told, I don't think I was as ecstatic about the WC win. Sachin jevichchu kudukkAdha oru final-ai ennAla innaikkum perusA ninaikka mudiyalai. A win of Dhoni's bat, MoS Yuvraj. Certainly not what I wanted.

But it was great to see Sachin so happy. unakku sandhOsamnA, enakku sandhOsam - appadingra aLavukku dhaan feel paNNa mudinjudhu.

Today, the match ceased to matter to me the moment he got out.

I didn't follow the match so I won't argue about bowlers etc. Second slips into second gear when he nears his hundred ellAm ellArukkum theriyin. So if he indeed slowed down and it cost us the game I don't feel the urge to argue it away. The way I see it, this is the least the team can do for Sachin.

Blatant biased support for an individual at the expense of the team. Yes. indha individualukku paNNaama yaarukku paNradhaam?

And I admit it is easier for me to feel this way because of me lack of concern about the team, future of Indian cricket etc. It is not that I hate BCCI or the new blood - Kohli, Raina ellAm OraLavukku pudikkudhu. But I just don't care if they win or lose.

It's like an artist has exorcised his demons and promises to be back in the business. Two boundaries after reaching hundred. I overread- as is my wont - that it signifies Him freeing his arms. I would give anything for that. Least of them being this match.