The Sachin I know

In 1989, two nations, known for their rivalry on and off the field, watched dumbfounded as a sixteen-year kid was making his mark on the international cricket scene. For most of us who watched that match, the picture of Sachin Tendulkar, who refused to go back to pavilion after being hit by a Waqar Yonus delivery, stood still in our mind. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, it was rumored, did not know fear. In the years to come, this aspect of his game, apart from his ingenious skills as a batsman of highest caliber, stood out in the minds of cricket lovers all over the world.

For most of us who were in a stage of adolescence and just beginning to appreciate the niceties of the game, Sachin symbolized a national pride. In a nation bereft of real-life role models, Sachin seemed a perfect combination of aggression and humbleness. He was aggressive on the field, and humble off it. The way he destroyed the best of attacks, and the way he went after the established bowlers like Ian Bothom and Wasim Akram was heartening to say the least. Each moment of his career was an excuse to celebrate. His first Test century at the age of 17, his elevation to being the number one batsman in contemporary cricket, and the fear and a sense and frustration he generated in the opposition by his mere presence on the field was enough for us to eagerly await his next outing.

That was the Sachin I loved.

Success is often a double-edged sword. It brings you fame, but also puts you under pressure. Since the team started looking at Sachin every time it was in trouble, Sachin became more circumspect with his adventures on the field. The explosive batsman of yesteryear who reigned terror in the minds of bowlers is now gradually becoming a placid run-getter. The new Sachin is more stable, but less fascinating. In the last 2-3 years of his career, Sachin is playing less and less strokes by his standards, and getting more defensive in his approach. This new attitude of Sachin reached its height when he avoided playing Raymond Price in the last Test series against Zimbabwe. With due respect to Price's ability as a spinner, he is certainly not the kind of bowler who could return such fabulous figures against Sachin, not in any case.

Tell me which Sachin you like more? One who comes down the track and hits MaGrath for a six, or the one who blocks Raymond Price ball after ball? One who meets fire with fire or one who avoids playing a relatively unknown spinner to allegedly save a match? Your guess is as good as mine.

In the history of the game, great players have left their mark by doing what comes naturally to them. When we think of Vivian Richards, the first image that comes to our mind is not the number of runs he scored, but the manner in which he scored them. The gum-chewing batsman who thought he ruled the game and let the opposition bowlers know it by destroying them was Richards, or at least that's how we know him. Similarly, Sunil Gavaskar was the symbol of stability. He may not have scored runs the way Richards did, but he scored a lot of runs and the team could rely upon him more often than not. The bottom line here is, both these players did what came naturally to them and succeeded tremendously.

Sachin is more in the mould of Richards. And the fact that the team relies upon him should not change his basic nature as a batsman. In fact, if you observe closely, when Sachin scores quickly, the team bats well as a whole. I still remember that match against Pakistan at Dhaka, where we chased 314 to win. Sachin scored 40-odd runs, which were insignificant considering the amount we were chasing. But the manner in which he went after the bowlers acted as a motivating factor for other batsmen and we eventually won the game. There are abundant instances where Sachin scored a quick 60-70 and India won.

In a game of cricket, there are many ways to secure a victory. Teams like Australia do it by demoralizing the opposition in every department of the game. They are successful at it because they have the talent and attitude to do that. It's a well-known fact that Sachin has it in him to both dominate the opposition and still be consistent. He surely doesn't have to avoid playing Raymond Price anytime, anywhere. The Sachin I know is a great player, and a man who loves challenges.

Wish he stayes that way, forever.

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Mail Raju Shanbhag