It's only fair. I think its fitting that the cover page of the Hindustan Times and the Times of India showed angry fans burning/blackening posters of Sachin Tendulkar. It's perfectly understandable that similar such fans grouped together and went to the Tendulkar residence and turned off the electricity mains to his apartment after he got out for nought in the crunch game against Sri Lanka. Thanks to every news channel for showing scrolling sms's and emails from angry fans about how a bunch of "overpaid individuals interested only in making money" have let the nation down.
Serves the whole bunch of 'em right, especially Sachin Tendulkar. He should've known. He should've known when he first appeared on the test team as a 17 year old. He certainly should've have had an inkling when he stroked a hundred at Perth or when he set about redefining the term 'opening batsman' in one-day international cricket by going after the new ball in New Zealand. Over the years, he stubbornly refused to learn from the zillions of opportunities. Each time he set about dominating attacks or playing rear-guard on foreign pitches. Each time he raised his bat for having completed triple figures. Each time that opposition captains and their bowlers huddled together to work out ways to dismiss him and celebrated like the match was won when his was the first and only wicket to have fallen. He cannot feign ignorance when that 'hard-as-steel' veteran Steve Waugh said in his post-match interview that "We were beaten by a better player" (and not team). Not only that, he even had the audacity to exhibit his love for the game, I mean, how dumb do you have to be to celebrate a direct-hit runout as wildly as you celebrate a ton? oh, and especially when the throw wasn't even yours?! Ridiculous!
Just because he was born with a rare combination of talent and temperament that will most likely never be seen again for several generations, he can't just ignore the fact that his performances are the closest that, millions of people come, to a sense of achievement. He might claim in his defence that he is only a sportsman and only went out to give his best and that the rest was never under his control, but that would be indeed weak. That it was unfair for spectators (and of that category, we have hordes) to shirk the responsibility of their own ambitions and need for fulfillment, and to tack it to the blade with MRF printed on it. He might plead that rarely have sportsmen maintained superlatives levels of performance for the duration of time that he has. What of his debt to the millions of this nation who, bereft of ability or temperament, will never amount to anything in the duration of their existence? He owes those teeming masses who will live their lives in utter mediocrity never having the opportunity to taste success for themselves. He owes them big.
As for the other 14, several of whom might've first picked up a bat because of the person discussed above, who are currently wondering about the physical safety of themselves and their families. For Rahul, Zaheer, Ajit, Sehwag and co. The teeming blue billion have extracted the ultimate pound of flesh. Never again will they enjoy a game of cricket like they must've when they first picked up a bat or a ball. For they will now, more than ever, realise that this country does not understand the concept of competition or sportsmanship.
Sachin Tendulkar and the rest should be ashamed to be Indian. I know I am.
3 comments:
I completely agree with you on this. Its not worth spending 17 years of your life for this country when people just base their judgement on the 1 inside-edge going on to the stumps - SGK
You miss the large picture; very much like the 'mediocre' class of Indians (as you mentioned).
Above everything you've done, you do and wish to do, there's something called 'Dignity'. The restaurateur, Sir Tendulkar who started with Tendulkar's (Fine-cuisine) and followed with Sachin's (Fast-food) has exactly replicated his business approach in his game albeit with a lag of 5 years in each.
He is a perfectionist.. so perfect that even if his f***in' nail is chipped, he'd fly to London, get it fixed and join the team after a good two months rest. Didn't a certain Manjrekar (who however big an ass people claim he is, surely knows about Tendulkar better than you) tell you this earlier? Why does this 65 inch tall (read short) man not understand that a game isn't really about the money. It's about the thing called 'Sportsmanship' which you mentioned in your blog. I think that Kumble was a bastard to have come back and bowled although he had stuff wound all around his face.. that Lara (who by any means is not inferior to the restaurateur) should opt to retire now although he still remains the Windies best bet.. that there exist sportsmen like Armstrong, Bubka, Federer, Shaq who have added not just perfection (and bling) to their armour, but also a sense of responsibilty.
The Tendulkar you talk about was 10 years back.. Yes a decade back.. Forget the Perths and the Sharjahs.. This was his test and he failed. But what the heck, he has got enough marks in all his previous ones to last a life time (his and maybe his son's!). It is this surety that worries me..
We have taken umpteen tests ourselves.. school.. high school.. college.. graduate programs.. And I don't think I could have got away with not scoring in the Finale always and doing good in the Intermediates. Tendulkar's is a different story. It's the big test with the big guys on even bigger stakes that counts.
'Dignity'.. my friend 'Dignity'.. Show some respect to the billion that pray for your well-being when you fuck your elbow... some more respect to the children who are watching you now and don't know why their dads call you Great. We don't know much of Grace, Chappel or Sir Viv because we haven't seen much of them. Mr. Tendulkar, please make way for players with passion and promise, not with glorious pasts.. We have seen comebacks.. Jayasuriya seemingly is on one trail. But where are you? It's a phase which is gone.. you might score more.. but please don't even in your wildest of dreams believe that you can smack leather. You can act all you want, by bending down after you're clean bowled to show that the pitch did it.. But even the football guys get up and mend it.. You can't. You don't have the capability.
To sum it up.. the public ire was expected and maybe they went overboard (I'm sure you must have never been to any of the Premier League games and seen the wrath if your team lost).. but Mr. Tendulkar - You suck... You suck more than the Bhindi you serve at Colaba. RETIRE NOW- This is March 26, 2007. Do it before someone asks you to!
Good post! I've linked this and 2 other posts of yours to a post of mine on Tendulkar.
I don't know whether you'll see this comment, but as there is no email link in your profile, I have no other way of letting you know.
Post a Comment