It is 1989. I am 11 years old and already a fan of Indian cricket like any other 11 year old. One evening as we were gathering around the neighborhood "ground" to play cricket, someone talked about a kid who scored 28 runs off a single over of Abdul Qadir. "Oh wow, really? Too bad it is in an exhibition match", most of us noted and spent rest of the evening trying to "emulate" an innings none of us had watched and beginning to idolize a kid none of us knew. Sachin Tendulkar is 16 years old and has entered world stage. Indian cricket will never be the same. Cricket records will never be the same.
It is 1994. I am 16 years old and a huge fan of Sachin like any other Indian and like everyone I am dying to see Sachin score a ODI hundred. My parents have started talking about the board exams next year and how I should not be so obsessed about cricket. India's tour of New Zealand and if my memory serves right, matches were early AM India time. Sachin comes in as the opener and fires 82 runs off 49 balls. He falls short of his century yet again but India has found its opener and Sachin has found his "role" in the team. Sachin is 21 and in the same year scores his first ODI hundred.
It is 1998. I am 20 years old and like every Indian been through many happiness and sorrows of the Indian cricket team. There are many but to state a few - India beating Pakistan in 1992 and 1996 (Pakistan wins 1992 cup but we console ourselves cuz we beat them in the league match; 1996 Venky Prasad and his slow ball to Aamir Sohail), the last over of the innings bowled by Sachin to McMillan and Allan Donald and India wins by 2 runs, the many collapses of the batting after Tendulkar's departure (not to mention the 1996 WC humiliating loss against Sri Lanka in the semis). India is playing Australia at Sharjah in the "semi-finals" and while India doesn't need to win the match need to ensure a high run-rate to make the finals against Australia. Sachin clobbers them and specifically targets the pick of their bowlers Warne. I remember watching the match on a 27" television sitting several feet away with hundreds of other students. Sachin scores centuries in both the matches and India beats Australia in the finals. Sachin is 25 and almost a lone warrior in the batting line up and already Shane Warne's worst nightmare. As for me...I have met my future wife. -:)
It is 2001. I am 23ish and a penniless/broke, unhappy master's student at UTD. I haven't watched cricket in a long time since I had given up on the team following the match fixings done by Azharuddin and others. One of my roommates came home after watching a match and talked about how there is a batsman named "Shaywaag" who bats just like Sachin. He tells the resemblance is uncanny. Impossible I say. Sehwag continues to do well in the series and I start following cricket again, at least reading up on articles. My roommate was right. There are some shots were the resemblance to Sachin is uncanny. Sachin is 28 and having his share of injuries but India has found their aggressive opener in Sehwag. Viru's batting style, IMO, allows Sachin in the coming years to work on building innings instead of focusing on destroying the batting during the first 15 overs. One among the millions Sachin has inspired to play cricket, Viru joins him as an opener and for years to come become one of the most feared opening pairs! I am a believer again.
It is 2002. I am 23/24ish and just landed a very modestly paying gig after school. India is playing England in the Natwest series finals. The top order including Sachin collapses but Yuvi and Kaif chase down the huge total and India wins. Ganguly takes his shirt off in the Lord's stadium balcony and circles it in the air. He is criticized by many but Indian cricket is beginning to learn aggression and pride like never before. Ganguly's ego and "snottiness" was the perfect recipe needed for Indian cricket after Azhar and others ruined it for over a decade. Sachin has finally found a team that can win matches along with him. There were few more wins before that though most notably in the Kolkata test match but Ganguly's twirling of his shirt was almost like wading off all the bad karma Azhar and other losers had left back.
It is 2007. I am 28/29, married and expecting our first daughter. India is playing in the first T20 championships and Dhoni is the new captain of the side. Sachin and other seniors decide to leave T20 up to the younger players of the side. A young side under a young untested captain reaches the finals against Pakistan. My wife has an appointment with her OBGYN and I am needed to accompany her there. As we are waiting for the doctor in the room, I am on the phone with my friend getting updates of the score. Just a few seconds before the doctor walks in, India becomes T20 world champions. India has found its uber-cool leader in Dhoni and eventually when Sachin is offered the test captaincy after Dravid steps down, he recommends Dhoni to become the captain of all formats. Sachin now has the team and the uber-cool captain to harness all the aggression and talent in the Indian side.
It is 2011. I am 32 and father of two beautiful daughters. One of my two sporting world dreams has come true - India has won a gold medal in the Olympics. I am cautiously waiting for WC 2011 and the second dream. India is ranked first in Test cricket and second is ODI cricket. The fans are getting used to the success of the team in spite of some disasters like the last world cup in west indies. Uber-cool Dhoni is not untested anymore, he has been immensely lauded and also criticized in the past few years but this world cup is probably his ultimate test. Me, a great fan of Dhoni start telling my friends that he should step down as captain if India doesn't win the world cup. It is time to try something else I say without even knowing what that might or could be. Sachin is 37, playing his last world cup and has been saving up his form and fitness for it. He goes on to become the second highest scoring batsman in the championship but Yuvi has found his form in time as well. As we start watching the finals, my friend says "here it is man...here is what Sachin has been waiting for...it is up to him now". Sachin is gone for 18 and disappointment would be an understatement. His uber-cool captain Dhoni and his backup opener Gambhir do what Sachin had hoped to do. When Dhoni hits the huge six and India wins the world cup...well...nothing can describe how I felt. Not something my writing skills can describe.
It has been a long wait...but it is over now. There are many theories about why India couldn't win a world cup all these years with Sachin in the team. Even outside the wasted years under Azhar, there were world cup sorrows for Sachin, me and all of India. But that has washed away now. India are world champions. Sachin is part of the championship team and the world's best batsman. And me? Well...I am an Indian and a fan...and I am happy...very happy. For Sachin! For India!
Thank you Tendlya...you are the best and you deserved the best!
Jai Hind!
