When the whole world & die hard fans worship Sachin as God, & Sachin says he is not greater than cricket, it really makes a question. Cricket or Sachin? In my life, before I hear the word cricket, I heard the word Sachin Tendulkar. One day when I was a small kid, I sat with my grand father who was watching cricket. I asked him, what was in the TV? He didn't say its cricket. He said, " See Sachin Tendulkar is batting." I could not get that big name first. I asked him again and again and learned the name. Then only he said about cricket and I came to know about it. The only person I knew in cricket at that time was Sachin Tendulkar. I noticed the Indian flag on his helmet everytime when he came to bat.
Sachin Tendulkar appeared in the advertisement of "Boost" and was batting well after drinking it. In the end he said, "Boost is the secret of my energy." Many of the kids might have been inspired by that advertisement I hope. I too was really influenced by that at that time and I was upset if my mom buys anything other than Boost. Even though I was poor in playing cricket, Daily after having a cup of boost I said the same dialogue, " Boost is the secret of my energy." Without the boost and that dialogue my mornings were not energetic.
I started learning about cricket deeply. Even though I don't like watching the match fully, I always loved watching Sachin playing. I still remember the 1998 Sharjah cup. In 1998, I was just 11 years old. At that time, it was really hard for me to resist my sleep after 10pm. But I sat till 1am to see Sachin's batting. When the bowler starts running, I prayed to God for Sachin. During that tournament, I heard the titles "Master Blaster" & "Little master" from the commentators. He was the Man of the match in the finals & Man of the series in that tournament. As the award Sachin got an Opel Astra car which he drove through the ground with all other team members on it. All those moments still live in my memories.
After that I involved in watching cricket and started knowing more about it. When I learned what the batting partnership was, M. Azhar & Tendulkar's partnership was going on. Similarly, I came to know about Sourav Ganguly, Vinod Kambli, and others who all played partnership with Sachin. Otherwise I would not have tried to know about the others. During a match Sachin was hooked leg before wicket by Shane Warne. On that day I learned about LBW. I was really angry with Shane Warne on that day which lasted till my sleep that night. From that match I came to notice the bowlers who bowls to Sachin Tendulkar.
When I missed viewing matches, I eagerly waited for the scoreboard. My eyes searched for Sachin's name in that Scoreboard. One day when I was watching India bowling, Sachin came to bowl. The bored mind of mine was hit outside by his appearance to bowl. On that day I learned, stumping, run out, leg spin & off spin. Sachin broke the wickets of the oppositions with stumping & run out in that match. From that day I concentrated the spin bowling of the great spinners Shane Warne & Anil Kumble. I used to collect and play cricket trump cards during my childhood. And I had a belief that if Sachin's card was with me, success in that game came my may.
Fans call Sachin as God of cricket. Many criticizers are there for this. In my opinion, most of the Cricket was learned by me, relating everything with Sachin. With Sachin as the centre of the Solar system, I learned about the planets, ie., about the cricket. So in my opinion & from my experience Sachin can be called the God of cricket. There is nothing wrong in it.
Till the end of my life if ever I play cricket or talk about cricket, the only word which come to my mind first will be Sachin Tendulkar. And for the question Sachin or Cricket?? I will proudly say.. "Sachin Tendulkar."
Thank God
RAM
