Once upon a time there was a legend such as Sachin Tendulkar

Once upon a time there was a legend such as Sachin Tendulkar…

So finally someone has done it. A batsman has hit 200 runs in One Day International cricket. And what can be more satisfying than the fact that the person who most deserved to get this has done so. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar has become the first cricketer to score 200 runs in ODIs. And by no means was it against a weak side. It was against South Africa who may have reduced in strength from their days of glory yet are still a power to reckon with.

Today’s knock seemed effortless to Sachin. As he found himself reaching nearer the magical yet elusive score of 200, he had the whole of India supporting him. From what I heard from friends and colleagues later, entire office cateens were filled cheering for Sachin. Online, twitter was buzzing (no pun intended) with four of ten trending topics related to Sachin’s 200.

People were more eager to see Sachin on strike than to see Dhoni hit sixes and fours. The moment of victory came in the last over. Although he had reached his previous highest score of 194 in the 46th over itself, it was only in the final over that he managed to get the strike for the final run. And when he did get the strike, sachin wasted no time playing the ball gently away to take a single. It was a muted yet one of his most important runs.

And when he reached the other side, a volcano erupted in India. Sachin had arrived on the cricket scene. Once again. For the little master, the journey has been long. Filled with ups and down, battling injuries and criticisms over his ability to continue playing, his career has had a major peak this year. The little master still bats strong, able to demolish the strongest of bowling atacks in a mere couple of hours. If there was a player who has tilted more matches in his team’s side, it is Sachin.

Along with the achievement of being the first to score 200, this was a fitting reply to the recent controversy which dogged him briefly. The Shiv Sena had questioned his integrity in one of their editorials. Although the Indian public and media had rallied with Sachin and the issue fizzled out quickly, this was the answer Sachin was waiting to give. They say the pen is mightier than the sword, but Sachin’s bat proved mightier than their  pen.

It is amazing how much love, adulation and respect the man commands (and rightfully deserves) from the people of India. There are hardly a handful who can claim of such adoration, less who actually deserve it. Sachin is someone who can bring India together, halt the whole country to a stand-still when he’s batting and can be sure that the country shares his grief when he gets run out on 99 due to a bad call.

Hats off to this utter genius of a player. May he amass hundres of runs more and give Indians something to look up to, and future generation something to talk about. Once upon a time there was a legend such as Sachin Tendulkar. This is how coaches in the future will introduce Sachin to young aspiring cricketers.

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