If Cricket is a Religion, Sachin is God

His name alone brings joy in the hearts of millions around the world, and strikes fear in the hearts of bowlers all around the world through his fabulous batting performance. Hailed as the complete batsman of his time and arguably the biggest cricket icon as well.

It’s been 20 years since Sachin Tendulkar started his journey as an international cricketer. His batting is based on purest principles: perfect balance, economy of movement, precision in stroke-making, and that intangible quality of anticipation with which only few are gifted. He holds almost every batting record in tests and in ODI’s. The greatness of Tendulkar can be measured not only through these records, but also through the way he handled the pressure for the last 18 years or so. Every time he goes onto bat, the whole India if not, the whole world that watching cricket cheers as if a gladiator has walked into an arena full of hungry tigers.

Every time Sachin fails to perform to his standards, a debate surfaces on if he is the best or not. In the last 15 years, most discussed topic in India is not the nuclear deal, not Ayodhya, not Sonia or Vajpayee, but Sachin’s heroics on the field.

Though he has adopted a noticeably conservative approach in the last quarter of his career, there is no apparent weakness in Tendulkar’s game. He can score all around the wicket, off both front foot and back foot, and has made runs in all parts of the world in all conditions.

When Sachin Tendulkar plays, India forgets its differences, divisions & tensions and breaths, laughs and cries as one, as its heart fills with pride, joy and patriotism. He is an icon, an inspiration, a perfect team player, a genius, mentor, and face of the nation. No matter what the opposition does, as long as Sachin is out there, there is hope that India can still win, even if it is mathematically impossible!

The only thing that Tendulkar couldn’t gain till now is winning world cup for India. In 2003, he almost reached, but couldn’t fulfill the dream. Every Indian truly believes that he will do it for us in the 2011 world cup. They are sure about it, because if cricket is a religion, then Sachin is its living god…!

Anoop. A