Don't take up the captaincy young man. It will wear you down, said a voice from the crowd during the Indian tour of England when Sachin was due to become the captain of Indian team.
All eyes suddenly darted across the middle aged man who had spoken those words. There was no break in Sachin's motion of the hand as he looked up and smiled "Nothing wears you down as long as you enjoy doing if" replied the heir apparent to Mohd. Azharuddin.
The prophecy of that faceless stranger in the crowd came to be true.
Today Sachin Tendulkar is most popular cricketer of India. A boyish individual, he led the Indian cricket team into the 21st century successfully.
Tendulkar's talent and perseverance didn't come easy. His patience was tested by his will to win. But what matters most is Sachin's positive frame of mind and insatiable hunger of cricketing glory. In recent years of consequent defeats of India in the world cups, the mood in the nation became sombre, and the fans of Indian team turned frustrated, Sachin issued an appeal not to lose courage. According to him what Indian team wanted is best wishes. Sachin has the guts to instil self-belief of turning the table in the last hour.
Ten years ago Sachin Tendulkar's name did not ring a bell. Now it beats a fatalistic drum that has been the death knell of many a bowler. No cricket loving person forget that clouded day in Pakistan in 1989-90 series when Sachin was being continuously beaten by Abdul Qadir who had not heard of this young man's batting qualities. Qadir challenged him to hit his ball for a four.
Sachin smiled and said you are one of the world's greatest spinners. How can I hit you for a four ? What transpired on the very next delivery is something Qadir would not like to forget for the rest of his life. Sachin smashed him for one of the most elegant and scintillating series of his. And in the next over when the fiery Akram came to bowl, treated him with scant respect. By the end of the day, both Qadir and Akram did not know what had hit them. And by the end of tour it was clear to all that Sachin Tendulkar was soon going to become any bowler's nightmare.
All eyes suddenly darted across the middle aged man who had spoken those words. There was no break in Sachin's motion of the hand as he looked up and smiled "Nothing wears you down as long as you enjoy doing if" replied the heir apparent to Mohd. Azharuddin.
The prophecy of that faceless stranger in the crowd came to be true.
Today Sachin Tendulkar is most popular cricketer of India. A boyish individual, he led the Indian cricket team into the 21st century successfully.
Tendulkar's talent and perseverance didn't come easy. His patience was tested by his will to win. But what matters most is Sachin's positive frame of mind and insatiable hunger of cricketing glory. In recent years of consequent defeats of India in the world cups, the mood in the nation became sombre, and the fans of Indian team turned frustrated, Sachin issued an appeal not to lose courage. According to him what Indian team wanted is best wishes. Sachin has the guts to instil self-belief of turning the table in the last hour.
Ten years ago Sachin Tendulkar's name did not ring a bell. Now it beats a fatalistic drum that has been the death knell of many a bowler. No cricket loving person forget that clouded day in Pakistan in 1989-90 series when Sachin was being continuously beaten by Abdul Qadir who had not heard of this young man's batting qualities. Qadir challenged him to hit his ball for a four.
Sachin smiled and said you are one of the world's greatest spinners. How can I hit you for a four ? What transpired on the very next delivery is something Qadir would not like to forget for the rest of his life. Sachin smashed him for one of the most elegant and scintillating series of his. And in the next over when the fiery Akram came to bowl, treated him with scant respect. By the end of the day, both Qadir and Akram did not know what had hit them. And by the end of tour it was clear to all that Sachin Tendulkar was soon going to become any bowler's nightmare.
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