The name is Sachin Tendulkar

"The name is Sachin Tendulkar".

This small sentence will be having a bigger meaning from now onwards. Today is February 24th 2010, a day which will be scribbled in the books of history or rather a day which will be cherished in the hearts of millions. Today is the day each Indian would be proud to be lived. Today is the day when the Maestro of Indian Cricket (from Now onwards World Cricket ) walked on to a podium where no one has ever been. And a place where he is likely to be alone. Today is the day he came to bat on and to score 200 simple runs and remained there undefeated at the end of the day. Each and every moment he was there at the crease - well, he was there for the entire time - it was a treat to the eyes, a poem to the souls and a treasure to the memories.

Many would say that the invention of capsule format of cricket, batsmen friendly rules, flat tracks that makes scoring runs as easy as blogging etc. etc. has had an influence on Sachin's batting. As a matter of fact all these had contributed to Sachin's Innings, no one can take anything from him. I remember that day when the Indian bowlers were sent all parts of the ground by a left handed batsman named Sayed Anwar. But I didn't knew that this day was waiting in the ranks. Today Sachin has surpassed Sayed Anwar's record with ease and posted another record on to his name. Ravi Shastri very correctly said that this record comes from none other than the super man of India.

What again to say of this great man?. Many have penned about him. Many have said about him. All were greats. Is there anything left to say about him?. Nothing. But I would just like to look behind and re live some of his markings in the history. The day when he made Mcgrath so in significant in Sharja, the test series where he gave night mares to Sane Warne, the test against Pakisthan where he fell short of taking India to victory, when he failed to score of Henry Olonga and he returned in the next match just to punish him, the match where he scored a sixer of Shoib Akthar over Third man, the century he made against Kenya in the World Cup just after his father's death and just in the recent past the match against Australia to score 175. These are just a few in his career span of over two decades. I now remember an email, which I received in which there was a huge list of Sachin's records. I couldn't finish reading it in a stretch. I really suggest the creator of that mail to gather the records that Sachin do not posses in batting. I reckon he wont have to work hard.

We all, as Indians, would garb this opportunity to salute you for your elite performance that makes all of us proud of. It is not just the cricket your are serving but it is as a citizen of India, you are doing a great service to this nation. We wont forget the words you told at the post-match presentation, "I dedicate this achievement to all the Indians who stood behind me through out my career". You are such a big binding force. Perhaps the greatest of such a kind of person who unites all those who live in India and believes that they are Maharashtrians, Malayalees, Bengalles, Punjabees and so on to stand together under a single tri-colour flag. You have thrown us a ray of light into our very narrow mind that being Indian is first and then let the other names follow. You have shown the world that how a man can achieve even at the age of nothing much is expected in the field of cricket. You have shown the world how to be humble at the heights of achievements. And in such a way you have shown us how great it would be to a Human at the very first.

I simply feel very lucky to live in the era of the great Sachin Tendulkar. I know it would be the same for many many more others. I feel sorry for myself for being critical at Sachin in his days of poor form. I know that after this day there wont be any more questions to him form any corner about his retirement. The world would have had its jaws dropped after hearing him say that he would like to get another 50 overs to bat to put his fitness to test. All doubts have vanished. All thoughts of Sachin retiring from cricket is no more there. All eyes are eager to see him again and again in those 22 yards. All words would not be enough to praise him. No pen would be strong enough to picture him. All Indians would love to see him as Indian. Whole of the world would love to see him as a cricketer all through his life.

Just one more thing to add...."We all love you Sachin".

___________davidprathyusham.