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| Sach-in our teen life by Girish |
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This isnt an attempt to write an elegy about the man. Better and gifted pens have already done that. Neither is this an attempt to "statistically" prove the "greatness" of this man and how he is "non pareil". Those have been done to death as well. I am just representative of the coterie of preponderant number of people who entered their teenage world with the entry of cable TV, liberalized economy, rapidly changing middle class dynamics, clandestinely purchased Debonairs, paradigm shift in middle class values, increased access to happenings in "western world", ubiquitous Street cricket, cornucopia of Hardy boys, Nancy Drew's and Archies, highly accommodative parents, over achieving siblings, the ravishing Steffi Grafs, vanishing Sabatinis', ebullient Agassis and one man whose presence in the currently playing Indian Cricket team could bring our whole day to a standstill.
Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. In hindsight it is amazing how the Sachin phenomenon had perpetrated into the Indian collective consciousness ( especially the middle class the one I was intimately acquainted with ). I am an unabashed Sachin fan ( using it as loosely as possible ) not because of his exquisite strokeplay, his dazzling cover drives, his scintillating straight drives, his pulverizing pulls or the impeccable prancing down the tracks to hoist the hapless fast bowler for a maximum. It was for all this and so much more. Again going down the nostalgic lane it is amazing how much of my teenage life I remember revolving around Sachin and his innings.
There would be plenty in this forum who, I am sure ,like me would have feigned illness on a match day just to watch the little Master play.
There would be plenty who would have sneaked a radio into the class just to be updated ball by ball how Sachin (ostensibly "India" ) was progressing. (Remember no mobile phones in mid nineties)
There would be plenty who like me would have dreamed before a match day the Little Master would yet again score a century. Assuming they slept.
There would be plenty who like me could recount in amazing detail the exact words he spoke in the man of the match ceremony, the way he got off the mark, the number of balls he took to do it, the way he "unfortunately" got out, the number of fours and sixes you ask? Child's play.
There would be plenty of people like me who would have had a knot in their stomach every ball he faced. Waiting. Hoping against hope hopen. The desperate of us even praying.
There would be plenty of people who like me would have hurled imprecations on the poor non striker who didn't have the "common sense" to "take a single" and give "strike" to the Little Master.
There would again be plenty like me who would have missed the "model board exam" ( oh what is the wrath of the principle and parents when compared to the master dancing down the track and giving Warne the nightmares of his life? Nothing was comparable to it and nothing could have compensated missing it.) and sneaked into Chepauk stadium just to see the Little man take on the mighty Australians .
There would be plenty like me who would have read the dependable "The Hindu" the moment we woke up after a match day, the habitual morning ablutions hardly being a priority.
There would be plenty like me who when introduced to a girl who professed interest in cricket and actually remembered how much Sachin scored in the last match would immediately start believing in soul mates.
There would be plenty like me who would have devoured every article about the Master ( Favorite being R. Mohan's ) and still feeling no adjectives could do justice to him.
There would be plenty like me who would have expressed an undisguised scorn at the disinterest shown by the sis and the parents with their callous and blasphemous "I don't understand what the big deal is!!"
There would be plenty like me who would have thought spending a whole three hours seeing the Little master striking a ball with a wood a life well spent.
There would be plenty like me who would have stayed well late into the night just to catch the highlights after watching the full match in the morning. Sometimes watch a re run of the match again in the night. Finally there would be plenty like me for whom teenage life without Sachin would be almost unimaginable as The God Father without Don Corleone. Lets face it there are probably people like me out there for whom it was never really about India actually "winning". ( If Sachin plays and they win it would be just a "nice feeling". )
Who really cares about how many matches India actually "won" because of his contribution?
It's like arguing Britney Spears sells more than Beethoven ergo Britney Spears is a better artist.
Yes that's bad logic but logic, teenage life and Sachin didn't really go hand in hand
For some of us it wasn't really about winning at all.
It is the realization how far we would have gone to just see him play that shot.
Oh just to see him on the pitch.
Oh the unbridled pure adulation for a man whose dismissal could break a billion hearts.
Oh if there was heaven it would be just it.
It's a moment of epiphany which plenty of people like me would have gone through. It wouldn't be banal to say "You can take Sachin out of the Indian team but can never ever take him out of some people's teenage life! " |
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Ajeesh
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Posted on: 2010-06-03 04:02:53
Rank: Newbie
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Total Comments: 1
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Girish, thanks for taking me to that nostalgic lane... Wish I ws still in that era... Lucky to be born in the phase were i could see (though i\'ve nvr seen him with naked eyes ![\"Frown\"](\"tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/images/smiley-frown.gif\" "\\"Frown\\"") ) him grow... long way for him to go... all the best sach.. |
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swapnil hasabnis
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Posted on: 2010-03-19 06:52:38
Rank: Newbie
Total Topics: 0
Total Comments: 1
Location: mumbai
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girish..i have read both of ur articles..boss i have read lots of books about sachin and his cricketing genius..read lots of columns analysis by experts and fans alike... but reading your article made me cry...i am blaming you for the tears that i am having right now..............anyways thanks for saying what i and many others have experienced in our teen life... |
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Shyam
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Man, u have made me relive my teens |
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Posted on: 2010-02-24 19:29:35
Rank: Newbie
Total Topics: 0
Total Comments: 4
Location: Chennai
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I have read so many articles about the little master, by greats like, ravi shastri, harsha bogle, rajdeep sardesai....... but yours is the only one that unknowingly brought a few tears and goosebumps in me. your vocab is no less than any other seasoned columnist that i have read. keep it up. When u write ur next one about the little master do copy me at shyamshiv2k@gmail.com |
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Susanta Nanda
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Limitless Sachin! |
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Posted on: 2008-11-23 17:00:53
Rank: Newbie
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Its this article that prompted me to create an account ad join this group, thanks a lot Girish! I consider myself really lucky to have witnessed and still witnessing "the Tendulkar Genius" in my life. I still laugh thinking about some of our teenage stories relating to the Master, one of them being "the last guy entering the TV room before Sachin would get out would be kicked real hard." I think my whole teenage life have revolved around him. I remember I went to watch an Ind-Aus ODI match in a scorching summer day in April. It was hot beyond limit when Aussies were batting and I was cursing myself at my decision to come to watch at the stadium. Then suddenly lunch time came and Indian batting followed soon after. Sachin batted and batted majestically as only He can, a century followed along with 7 sixes, and then everything in this world seemed so beautiful and pleasant, even though I checked out later that the temperature was even more during the post-lunch session.I bunked my college on that day, but I can bunk months of classes if I get to watch Sachin practicing, let alone match plays, or centuries. Its a feeling as if I was the one who was batting and not Sachin. Sometimes I remember watching matches, when I would agree within myself to strike an imaginary deal with the God that I am ready to sacrifice my exam grades for a Sachin century (it was so silly but I still do it at times and I feel proud at the end if he makes it). In Sachin, I think a lot of us try to see ourselves; his pride is our pride, his honour is our honour, his success is ours, his fame is ours, his strength is ours, his character is ours, so is his victory, glory, courage, and vice-versa. Its as if he is a part of all of us. Its a feeling beyond words. I think we all share this feeling that He is limitless just as the God is. Just as I dreamt one day after the 2003 WC final debacle that he scored an unbeaten 200+ as India made 360 to win the final, only to realize after the sleep that it was all a dream. I still remember how I often wanted to have him in the non-striking end, as that was the safest place on the pitch where He is still there for us yet he can not get out (but for the unfortunate ones). I'll always be greatful to God for he created such a wonderful creature on earth - Sachin Tendulkar. |
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pooky
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Posted on: 2008-06-14 03:07:08
Rank: Newbie
Total Topics: 0
Total Comments: 10
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Gosh,this is the best article abt SACHIN i've ever read in my life.It actually made me cry coz u've mentioned abt every feeling we experienced while we grew up watching him become a cricketing god for us.Seriously, I went into my teenage days while reading it.And jst like others i too have actually feighed illness just to watch sachin bat majesticly(I missed my exam for that and no regrets as sachin scored a hundred on that day).Keep up the good work.U have written what each and every sachin fan feel.THANKS for feelings so well. |
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Madhyama
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Posted on: 2008-02-13 12:22:39
Rank: Absolute Sachinist
Total Topics: 34
Total Comments: 1909
Location: durg
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| we have all felt the same way anupam !!! welcome to sachinism !!!!! |
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Anupam
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Posted on: 2008-02-06 22:14:13
Rank: Newbie
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First of all, great article !! I wish I could also right one like this someday !! Although I entered my teen only in late nineties, I have watched sachin since I was .....5....maybe 4, it's simply amazing, it's like he has always been with me and brought a smile to my face when I was a kid or a teen or now ! I could recall, we didn't have cable in till '98, and I with my bros used to wait for sports news....most of the time we heard (I have to quote this in Hindi): Sachin ki dhuaandhaar ballebaaji ke bawajood India match haari (despite Sachin's blasting cricket, India loses)....and still we smiled and went to bed with a good feeling that our Sachin is atleast doing well !! He has been there like that for almost 20 years now and we understand that he might say a good bye to us pretty soon. I don't know if I would watch cricket after him with the same interest or not...maybe that's life(but sach is life !!) |
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vikas
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Posted on: 2008-02-06 01:13:46
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| really, a great article. thanx to girish for summing up all the feelings inside me for sachin. |
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Anish
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Posted on: 2008-01-24 15:36:58
Rank: Regular Fan
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Total Comments: 142
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| its the best article attributed to our GOD. everytime u read it, u r spellbounded. the feelings which i get r beyond the reach of words. the last line was very emotional. really, u cant take him out of our lives. its strange, but tears come to my eyes, every time i read it. |
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saurabh
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Posted on: 2008-01-11 05:56:43
Rank: Regular Fan
Total Topics: 7
Total Comments: 53
Location: Jodhpur
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One of the best articles written on the master.. Hats off to Girish |
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Madhyama
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Posted on: 2007-12-03 10:03:37
Rank: Absolute Sachinist
Total Topics: 34
Total Comments: 1909
Location: durg
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| awesome article !!!!!! you have expressed every feeling with such finesse and expertise ,that i feel proud to be sachin fan ,everytime i read . carry on the good work . |
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Gautam
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I am one of the "Plenty" |
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Posted on: 2007-11-27 10:00:13
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The article reminded me of the yesteryears Our generation (especially those who were born around 1977-1982), saw Sachin as the sole Indian to take the attack to the opposition. His style of batting touched a cord with the entire nation. For us, Cricket meant Sachin, the Emperor of the game. Cricket India owes a lot to Sachin, the man who brings crowds to the grounds, not only in India, but throughout the world. BCCI has its coffers full, and Sachin has a lot to do with it. |
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Sachin Fanatic
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Posted on: 2007-11-25 08:31:56
Rank: Regular Fan
Total Topics: 0
Total Comments: 16
Location: Raipur
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| This s the BEST article i have ever read abt Sachin..... no words to express my feelings |
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Vijay Srinivas
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Posted on: 2007-11-17 08:44:26
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| Fantastic article girish.U took me ten ywars back..i dunniy every time i read abt sachin i get goose bumps...he is somethign very very special. |
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priyvrat
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awesome |
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Posted on: 2007-11-16 08:42:55
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| very well said. each word reminded me of my teenage life. great gorosh thanks 4 the article.i'll preserve it as a memorabilia... |
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ashwin
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fantastic!! |
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Posted on: 2007-11-14 16:21:17
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ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT!! an awsum write bro!!...sure makes everyone who've spent their teenage idolising SACH -the GOD like me, very very nostalgic!!....it pretty much sums up everythin when u say" u can take sachin outta the team...but never ever from some ppl's teenage life".!!....and i guess "some" is quite a figure!! thanks bro!!..keep it up!! |
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vineet
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Posted on: 2007-11-14 05:11:41
Rank: Newbie
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Total Comments: 7
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awesome bro... i hav read it ten times....and "the unbreakable Sachin fan " made me do it...thanks to him as well... i wanted to thank u for makin me re live mah teenage again and cherish those wonderful innings of the MASTER.... every word in this article is so very real and close to us... HAIL SACHIN... thanx a ton bro... -V!NEET |
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Madhan
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Posted on: 2007-11-13 15:35:38
Rank: Newbie
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Total Comments: 1
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| Oh man... really amazing article.....I created an account in this site just to reply for this article.... u really rock......this article takes me back to my good old school days everytime I read it.... good work..... |
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Vishal
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Amazing...love it!! |
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Posted on: 2007-11-13 01:48:57
Rank: Absolute Sachinist
Total Topics: 92
Total Comments: 1872
Location: Delhi
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| Oh man you rock...i started watching cricket since 2003...and the same things happen to me....even when people say he isnt in his prime..i think...if this isnt a person in his prime...then who is he? he really is god! its hard to express feelings for him...really..if someone asks "why do you like sachin so much" i mean...there is no reply..it something inside...something that i cannot explain....its just magical |
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manasa
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very exact feelings of true sachin fan |
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Posted on: 2007-11-11 08:39:28
Rank: Newbie
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Total Comments: 2
Location: Please Update
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iam amazed when i read this article. really same to same feelings and i think one more to add.his fans get nervous if he is still to get off the mark truly a very nice expression of your feelings he has been my idol and he helped me i mean his mere presence i learnt a lot about life and how to live in this world so it is impossible for me to take away sachin even from my life |
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UNBREAKABLE
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Posted on: 2007-11-09 09:03:49
Rank: Tendulkarized
Total Topics: 33
Total Comments: 775
Location: Baggad
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Amazing Article Girish deserves all the accolades for this , i feel niostalgic everytime i read it , and i guess ive already read it over a zillion times  |
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