Congratulations Saina Nehwal!

4th of August 2012.... The day when history was made in Indian Badminton... as Saina Nehwal became the first Indian ‘shuttler’ to win a medal at the Olympics after China's Xin Wang retired hurt due to a knee injury.

With this achievement, Saina improved on her quarterfinal finish at the Beijing Games in 2008.

Medal ceremony - Women's Single Badminton, London Olympics 2012

Saina Nehwal, aged 22 is currently ranked as the 5th top badminton player in the world by the Badminton World Federation. She is the first Indian woman to get to the Badminton semi-finals and the first Indian to win the World Junior Badminton Championships.

Saina started in a blistering fashion, taking lead over Wang. However the chinese was too good to bounce back and overturned the lead in quick time till she won the first game after a late fightback from Saina with the score card reading 21-18 in Wang's favor.

In the next game, Wang took the first point and immediately went down with noticeable pain in her left knee. Finally she surrendered and the game was awarded to Saina. Though in disappointing circumstances, Saina deserved the bronze medal more than anyone...

Myth about Sachin's centuries and India's losses

Why India loses when Sachin scores a century? Once again the 'myth' has come true. Sachin Tendulkar scored a classic 111 in the first innings last saturday, taking India to 267/1 in 39.3 overs and yet India lost the match to South Africa who showed a marvelous bowling display by bundling up the so much famed batting order of India in just 29 runs later. More than the loss, it was disgusting to see how the tasteless Sachin critics tried to blame his century as a bad omen to India's pathetic loss against the resurgent Proteas. I find it so ridiculous to hear these people giving frivolous reasons for putting down Sachin's record over his highly illustrious career over the last two decades. 

(Picture Courtesy: esakal.com)

Why do people even come with such baseless conceptions that Sachin is not a match-winner! Can't this simple stat shut these critic's mouths that out of 48 centuries that the master blaster has scored, only 13 have ended in a losing cause! Moreover in the history of One day cricket the maestro tops the list of those batsmen who have most number of their centuries resulting in their team lifting the winning trophy. I seriously believe these Sachin bashers are always in a state of denial. Despite these stats completely proving them wrong, they will have many other stupid reasons up their sleeve to down play Sachin's dedication towards the game. The above stats can be clarified here. 

So for all those Sachin critics who hate him for so many (nonsense) reasons, which I dont want to know, here I have analysed the 13 matches in which India lost despite Sachin scoring a century, an insignificant statistics on which you guys have such a delusional theory built up against the most prolific sports-person this game has ever seen.

1. In the first ever losing cause, 7 years after the maestro's debut, in 1996, India lost to Sri Lanka in the World Cup. Sachin scored 137 off 137 balls with India reaching 271/3 on a slow Ferozshah Kotla pitch. Yet the bowlers couldnt defend the total. Manoj Prabhakar (I dont know why I hate him so much), initially scored only 7 runs off 36 balls while opening the innings also gave a massive 47 runs in just 4 overs. (source)

2. Next in 2 months, in Singapore India played Pakistan. Sachin got out on 100 from 111 balls with the scoreboard reading 186/4. But as it was a trend then, the whole team got out for a meagre 226. The rain affected game gave a revised target of just 187 to win from 198 balls. V. Raju went for 51 in 5 overs in a match which was completely dominated by Pakistan's then in form openers Aamir Sohail and Saeed Anwar. (source)

3. Next up was a match against the Sri Lankans at Colombo. He scored 110 from 137 balls. Agreed that this innings was on a slower side but Azhar, the only other half-centurion in the match took 99 balls for his 58. No wonder India could manage only 226 in 50 overs. Sri Lanka easily chased it in 44 overs, losing only 1 wicket, which was taken by Sachin himself with a third most economical bowling stats in the Indian side. (source)

4. Sharjah 1998... no one can forget this series when Sachin was at the peak of his career. Australia raced to 284 in a match which saw a dramatic sandstorm. The revised target of 276 to win in 46 overs seemed impossible when India were reduced to 138 for 4 in 29 overs. Yet Sachin made a fighting 143 off just 131 balls. Sachin fell on 242/5 after making sure that India surpassed the required 237 runs in 46 overs so as to beat New Zealand on NRR to qualify for the finals. The other six batsmen could contribute only 107 more runs taking India to 250. (source)

5. In the first match of the Coco-Cola Champions trophy against Sri Lanka, India managed only 224 in 50 overs, of which 101 came from Sachin's bat alone. In a not-so-good bowling chart of India, Sachin finished with bowling figures of 5-0-22-0 with only Zaheer having a better ER. No wonder Sri Lanka won the match comfortably in 44 overs. (source)

6. Jodhpur saw one of the most humiliating defeats in Indian cricket history when they lost to Zimbabwe after putting 284 on board. When wickets were tumbling at the other end, Sachin guided the innings till the 47th over while scoring 146 with almost a run-a-ball. Zaheer was the second highest scorer with 32. Indian bowlers showed one of the most indisciplined display of all times giving away 30 extras in that match which had 15 wides!!! In a nail biting finish Zimbabwe won with 1 wicket and 1 ball remaining. (source)

7. On the bouncy pitches of Johannesburg, India had moved to a flying start with Saurav Ganguly and Sachin scoring an opening stand of 193 runs! After Ganguly fell, the others followed suit, but Sachin calmly finished his century and was the last man to get out with a score of 101 balls off 129 with India managing only 279. The bowlers couldnt restict the Proteas and Sachin yet again showed a decent display with bowling (9-0-51-0) with ER better than the regular bowlers in the team. (source)

8. In the second match of the famous Indo-Pak series in Pakistan, the hosts had ripped open the Indian bowling by posting a strong 329/6 on board. Sachin scored a quick 141 off 135 balls with 17 fours and a six just to end on the losing side in a closely fought match with India reaching 317 before being bowled out. When Sachin got out at 245/4 in 38.4 overs, India needed only 85 from 68 balls with 6 wickets in hand! (source)

9. India made a commendable 315/6 in 48 overs with Sachin scoring 123 from 130 balls. But with a poor display from bowlers (5 out of 7 with ER more than 6 and Nehra going for 75 runs in 9 overs), Pakistan won the thriller on the last ball scoring 319 in return. (source)

10. In yet another match with the arch-rivals India made 328 in the series opener in Peshawar thanks to Sachin's century off 113 balls and the other half centuries from Pathan and Dhoni. But Indian bowlers were a no-show on the Pakistan soil as their batsmen chased down the revised target of 305 on the last ball of 47th over. Only Pathan had ER less than 6 amongst the total 6 bowlers used by Dhoni. (source)

11. In 2006, India played the West Indies at Kuala Lumpur. Sachin batted throughout the 50 overs scoring 141 off just 148 balls giving Windies a target of 309 in 50 overs. But in yet another rain affected match, the west Indians won the match on D/L method after scoring 142 in 20 overs for 2 wickets. It would be utterly childish to blame Sachin for such losses. (source)

12. Open up your eyes fellas for this one! In 2009, at Hyderabad the Aussies made a massive 350 in 50 overs making the Indian bowlers look pathetic. In such a match India was down at 162/4 with the big three Gambhir (8), Yuvraj (9) and Dhoni (6) already back in the pavilion! Yet chasing down in the lights, Sachin gave an unbelievable fight running down the pitch with 4 sixes and 19 fours making 175 from just 141 balls!!! Tendulkar got out on 332/7 taking India comfortably close to the victory margin, requiring only 19 runs from 14 balls with 3 wickets in hand. But the infamous kid Ravindra Jadeja, Nehra, P. Kumar succumbed to pressure and India lost by just 3 runs in a match which many believed was far from reach. (source)

13. And now the mother of all matches that India lost despite Sachin's century. India, the most hyped team in this world cup, finally got to an explosive start against the Proteas with Sachin and Sehwag scoring almost at 8.5 runs per over taking India to 141 in just 17 overs! Sachin and Gambhir took the score to another level when the Indian score board read 267/1 in 39.3 overs. Almost everyone believed that at least 350 was on cards with 9 wickets in hand. Sachin got out on 111 from just 101 balls. But who would believe that later these famed batting line-up will collapse even faster than playing cards in just 29 runs with India managing only 296 with 8 balls to spare!!! With morale down, India was never in the match with rubbish bowling display and absolutely sluggish fielding with dropped catches and missed run-outs! India lost the match in the last over which needed 13 runs. (source)

So this is how it goes. Do not be so blinded with some unknown meaningless hatred against this man and resorting to stupid line of thinking that Sachin's tons are a bad omen to India! Barring these above 13, India never lost a match in the remaining 35 matches when the master blaster went past 100. 

Even when Sachin fails to score a hundred, India has won 56 times out of a total 93 when he has atleast scored a fifty. Sachin has most number of 'man of the match' and 'man of the series' than any other cricketer in the world.

Hopefully these statistics will open your ignorantly shut eyes and bring you back to reality and accept this gentleman as he is and respect his never die attitude towards the game of cricket. 

May 'GOD' Bless you all...


(This is a re-post. It was written earlier during the ICC World Cup 2011, a day after the India v/s South Africa match)

Happy Birthday Sachin!

Dear Sachin,

Here's wishing you a very Happy Birthday... I wont quote the number because every fan of yours knows how insignificant it is to know how old Sachin Tendulkar has become... I am taking this privilege to write down this letter to you through my blog on this special day which is no less than a festival for billions of your fans in India and across the globe. Your birthdate 24th April 1973, is etched in the minds of all of us.

(courtesy: Internet)

Writing this itself makes me feel so euphoric and special. Thank you so much for the World Cup victory! By doing so, you did not just fulfill your dream, but that of billions of us too. If you ask me which is my most memorable photo of the World Cup, it has to be the one in which Yusuf Pathan lifts you on his shoulder and all the players do a victory lap with you with the tricolor in your hand! That photo still gives me goosebumps every time I watch it. It beautifully reflects the emotion of the majority of us... a deep satisfying feeling inside to have won the world cup for you than anyone else.

You know Sachin, its an emotional roller-coaster ride every time we watch you playing. Its amazing how strongly attached we all are with every inning of yours. Every time you are on a song, new superstitions are born. When you inch closer to a milestone, everything around us comes to a standstill. As Greg Baum rightly says about you, 'He can stop time in India' quoting his famous train journey from Shimla to Kalka. Thank you for giving us this immense joy of watching you play those 'divine' shots in the outfield. Only a 'God' can play like that. Every stroke is a treat to watch. Nothing can be straighter than your straight drive. It's my favorite shot that comes off your willow. Its like sweet music flowing so serenely through your bat. Videos of you hitting Brett Lee with your gorgeous straight drives are a hit on YouTube.

When you cross a landmark, the whole nation erupts! When you fall early, a wave of sorrow grips the same nation. No one will forget that moment when you edged to Sangakkara off Malinga on that eventful night of 2nd April at the Wankhede in the World Cup finals. That picture of the raging bull Malinga celebrating against the backdrop of a completely shocked Mumbai crowd, soaked in a deafening silence, says it all. It was a mixed emotion for many including me, trying hard to resist the devils in my mind, constantly asking me whether this was going to be your last innings. In the sports bar where I was watching you along with some 500 odd crowd, many around me had misty eyes as they saw you walk back with your willow tugged under your elbow. That silence was indeed the loudest sound I must have heard in my entire life. Your expression said it all. You kept looking at the crowd, as if you were continuously saying 'sorry' to them. India slowly rose to their feet and clapped... to cheer you up, as the whole of Wankhede broke into applause as you returned... But thanks to your wonderful team, finally the dream came true when we all saw the World Cup trophy in your hands after 22 long years of perfect devotion and integrity with which you played this magical game. 'Sach' is your aura... 'Sach' is our love for you!

(picture courtesy: mirror.co.uk)

When you started your career, you gave a new meaning to the word 'precocity'. Today the whole of India would thank the selectors back in 1989 for the bold decision that they took for including a short, shy, 16 year old in a team that was going to tour the land of the most dangerous fast bowling attack then. Expectedly the tour started with painful blows targeted towards you from Waqar and Akram. The Waqar snorter that hit your face leaving you with a bloody face and the way you declined to get retired hurt, later going on to score a match saving half century, showed the world your resolve to fight right from your early days. You made the whole world take notice of you, barely a few days after you had left your school.

Having said that I am a big fan of your straight drive, even more attractive than the masterstroke, is the 'discipline' that you have showed towards this game for more than two decades now. Just like all your shots, you have thoroughly mastered this principle of life as well. When it comes to balancing fame and success, you are cited as an example for a 'complete' personality. You are an 'Institution' in yourself. What you have given to this sport is immense but the influence you have on the young minds watching you play this game with sheer passion and dedication is simply terrific. Your illustrious career has all those values imbibed in it, that are essential to make it big as a human being, may it be leadership, management, excellence or discipline. Many would frown when I put 'leadership' right ahead, making you remind of the captaincy debacle. But most of us know that it wasn't your lack of captaincy skills that was solely responsible. There was definitely more to it during those days.

On the mental side of the game, you are undoubtedly the master of all. No doubt why you are called the secular saint of Cricket. Your every inning not only teaches how to set realistic goals, but also how to achieve it with positive thinking, efficient energy management and a cool and calm mind. Needless to say, your humility has bowled even your oppositions over. Its so heartening to hear from you, especially after so many proud moments in your life, that the most poignant moment of your 22 year old career is still the day you wore the India cap first! How humble you can be! Sachin, every image of yours has so much to tell and  so much for us to learn. For example, every time you step down the team bus, you have your headphones on. Amidst the crazy media with their constant clicking and flashing of cameras, its amazing how oblivious you are to the mad world around you. It will always remain a big mystery about what exactly lies beneath that helmet, under those curly hairs. Its the best show of equilibrium, when you approach the pitch and take guard. 

Your batting is a beauty to watch. The way you drive the ball, your back foot cuts, pulls and flicks look as if they have taken right out of the textbook. And as one would expect only from a person like you, you have shown master class in the other fields of cricket too. Your variations in bowling are so unpredictable. I still remember the last over you bowled in the Hero Cup against South Africa back in 1993. Today you are a part of a team of youngsters who were barely learning to walk when you started your career, and yet the enthusiasm you show in your fielding, even today, can make these young guns embarrassed. Your constant hunger for learning is what sets you apart from others.

For me you are not just the greatest Cricketer ever, but you are the greatest sportsperson this world has ever seen. Many believe that you are the next Don Bradman... agreed! Even Sir Don saw himself in you. But looking at you today, I can proudly say, without even a glimpse of doubt, that there wont be 'a next Sachin Tendulkar' ever!

(Courtesy: Internet)

Sachin, you are aware of the media frenzy around you. Even after all eyes are always upon you, day and night, no scandal has even come close to you in this long career. Your clean image has been an inspiration for many. There are and will always be cynics around you, questioning your contribution in tense match situations, some still living in the delusion that your centuries do not often take India to the wins. (For them I have an answer here). In fact it is you who looks to build a strong base for a win, but the ten other men in the team fail to capitalize on it. Despite this, you never ever showed any emotion whenever India lost despite your heroics. You simply walk away from the field shaking hands with the same teammates that let you down. 'These' cynical minds who criticize you, forget that its not a one man show, but a team effort that matters at the end. But that criticism has no logical basis and I believe it is often an emotional outburst, an immature one though! More so, it is so ridiculous to hear it from someone who have not even held a bat in their entire life. These are people who like to make cheap fun and criticize you for their personal gains. Sadists!!! Anyways, dear 'God', please keep ignoring them and forgive them as you always do.

Despite living in a country where expectations from you grow day by day, you have made it a point to bring each one of them to reality. You didn't let expectations bog you down even a bit. But we mad, crazy fans will always remain hungry for more success from you. Just like you, even we never get satisfied with your achievements. We insanely crave for the 'next milestone' thats closing in. We easily forget that its a 38 year old body which has been toiling hard ever since it stepped for the first time in 1989, whose joints are often bandaged all the time. However impatient we are, you have never disappointed us. No wonder the latest 'wish' that is doing the rounds in your fan club is for you to play alongside Arjun one day in the national cricket team. What a day that will be! However distant it seems, we will always be hopeful from our 'God' to fulfill our wish one day!

Words fail when I say 'thank you' Sachin, for all the wonderful moments you have given this cricket-mad nation to savor for years to come. Finally, here's wishing you a very Happy Birthday once again... and also wishing you luck in Aamchi Mumbai style... 

'Come on Tendlya... Gheun Tak!'

-Yours lovingly, 

Dr. Kirti Tandel 

(a die-hard fan)

Should Sachin get Bharat Ratna Award?

The famous questions doing the rounds in the media now-a-days is that 'Should Sachin Tendulkar get the Bharat Ratna award?' or 'Does he deserves the honour?' And since 2nd April 2011, after India won the ICC cricket world cup 2011, the demand has gathered steam and creating a buzz not only in the cricketing circle but also in the political arena. Many of the previous Bharat Ratna awardees, ex-cricketers, politicians and other sportspersons also back the thought of giving the Little Master the highest civilian award as soon as possible.

(Courtesy: Internet)

I completely agree and I am aware of the basic facts that revolve around granting this prestigious honour. The award is given for exceptional service towards advancement of Arts, Literature and Science and in Public service of the highest order. Agreed sports is not included in the above mentioned criteria and the current rules do not make Sachin eligible for the prize. But it goes without saying that his achievements neither need any explanation or a debate to determine their influence on the billions across the country. And if rules need to be changed and amendment of the criteria are imminent, Sachin's is the best excuse for doing so because the reason is worthy enough. 


Some argue that Sachin is too 'young' to get the award and hence it would be too premature to honour him with such a prestigious award. But for a man who has devoted more than two-thirds of his life for a game which is no less than a religion in this country, giving him this highest honour is the most apt thing to do to give him back what he has given to this country. This man has not played cricket just like a game but it his passion towards it. Ironically, even after being 38 yrs old, it is this 'youth' factor that makes him stand apart from the rest. Look at the joy on his face every time he dives on the field or takes a catch. He is as excited and rearing to go as an 18 year old. Virat Kohli put it down really well on the world cup winning night, that as Sachin has been carrying the burden of this nation on his own shoulders for the last 21 years, its high time now we carry him on ours and reciprocate!


If you will go through the list of the 41 Bharat Ratna awardees, most of them are politicians and the last three are musicians. Not taking anything away from them, the argument that individual performances in a particular field should not be the basis of the award appears baseless. For example talk about Satyaji Ray, M S Subbalakshmi, Ravi Shankar, Lata Mangeshkar, Bismillah Khan, Bhimsen Joshi, etc. These great people were also honoured for what they achieved in their respective fields. So how is Sachin different from them. Sachin shouldn't be given the award based on his performances, but for the tremendous influence he has over the billions of us. He is an institution in himself with his absolutely down to earth persona and disciplined lifestyle. His achievements are no less than a social service. His every innings is a learning module for not just the buddying cricketers but also for other young minds because it has all the core values like determination, passion, devotion and integrity that one needs to excel in his field. No wonder he is truly called as the 'God of Cricket'. 


Regarding the 'art' angle, Cricket is an art form too and Sachin has mastered it so well. He is the only cricketer in history to have played in the last 4 decades i.e. 1980s, 1990s, 2000s and 2010s! Finally just to sum it up I feel if despite all that he has done for this country, he doesn't get this honour, it would be as blasphemous as Mahatma Gandhi not getting the Noble Peace award. I hope such a time never comes and the true 'Jewel' of India does get the Bharat Ratna award soon. Amen!

Cricket and the rise of the 'D' word!

'Depression doesn't care who it attacks: if it wants you, you cannot beat it off with a CV or a bank balance' - Marcus Trescothick

 I am writing this post in the wake of the recent events in the ongoing Cricket World Cup 2011, where an English Cricketer withdrew from the team because of depression. Michael Yardy, the left arm spinner from the England squad left the camp last week citing depression. It was so brave and honest of him to have come forward and accept the situation and letting it know to the authorities. But this is not the only event in which sports with the cruel and demanding image it has today, has taken its toll on the mental health of the athletes.

(Courtesy: Internet)

The 30-year-old Sussex man, who has played a bit-part role during the tournament but has been a regular on the one-day scene over the last two years, is flying back to England immediately after discussions with the squad's medical team. But Yardy was not the only English cricketer to feel the blues. Marcus Trescothick, the Ex-English opener too failed to beat depression  during his 2006 tour of India, which lead him to take a decision to quit his international career in 2008, cowed into submission by what he called the “black wings” of stress, sleeplessness and psychological torture.

The erratic schedule and the huge burden of expectations with lack of quality time with the loved ones have all contributed in players confronting their demons every now and then. The simple fact that Yardy spent only 4 days at home with his wife and the two kids in a span of 5 months explains the apathy of these brave sportsmen. I call him brave because Yardy did not try to beat around the bush by faking injuries or feigning illness. Instead he uttered the 'D' word with courage and honesty.

Graham Thorpe and Phil Tufnell were also the victims of the curse of Cricket. It is said that Tufnell had even spent a night in the psychiatry ward during the Ashes tour of 1994-95. Lou Vincent, who made a century on debut for New Zealand against an Australian attack containing Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, also dropped out of top-class cricket because of depression.

Cricket today is such a game where the players spend more time with their team mates than their own families. Moreover, the uncertainty and the huge pressure to fight for your place in the playing eleven, especially in teams like India, South Africa, Australia who boast a terrific bench-strength, sometimes tears at the nerves. It has become a one-cap wonder game. One match you play good, you are the apple of so many eyes. The very next match you under perform, and you are on the hit-list of many. Though sport is all about showing your strengths and not your weakness, burning out of the cricketers due to a crazy schedule is becoming a serious issue today. Self-doubt, loneliness and home-sickness are the demons that these cricketers are confronting in this mad world of cut-throat competition.

But I believe there are more Yardys and Trescothicks in other teams too. And they are certainly not going to be the last ones. It is high time that constructive steps are taken into considerations, so as to avoid such circumstances. People like Geoffrey Boycott, should not criticize and overlook such new problems the current generation of cricketers are going through. These oldies need to realise one thing, that cricket has changed drastically today. It was very insensitive on Boycott's part to have correlated Yardy's confession of being depressed with his cricketing abilities. 

Depression is just like any other illness. It has nothing to do with the 'strength' or 'weakness' of one's mind. It is due to an imbalance of neurotransmitters in your brain that are responsible for your mood in your day to day activities. Comments like 'Pull yourself together mate' or 'Cheer up boy' will not serve any purpose. Once depression attacks someone the only way out is to seek professional help and even more importantly accept it honestly. Yardy did it with courage. Hats off to him. Wishing the man a speedy recovery...

Do not forget... 'Everyone is vulnerable!'

Pepsi Change the Game Videos

Recently there have been many Pepsi adverts on 'Change the Game' campaign being shot for the current ICC Cricket world cup 2011 that is being held in the subcontinent with India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh being the co-hosts. The cricketers that acted in the shoots were Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Harbhajan Singh, Virender Sehwag, Kevin Pieterson, Billy Bowden, Malinga, Dilshan and Shakib-ul-Hasan. I am just posting all the videos together here as I love them a lot. 

If you ask me, I really love the one shot with Billy Bowden. That man is just terrific with his antics and he acted so natural in that advert. Way to go Bowden! Anyways enjoy.

1. Dhoni's Helicopter Shot

2. Sehwag's Upar cut

3. Bhajji's Doosra

4. Dilshan's Pallu Scoop

5. Pietersen's Palti shot

6. Bowden's Tedi Ungal

7. Malinga's Slinga

8. Shakib-ul-Hasan's super scoop

So which one did you like???


(Disclaimer: All the above videos are part of Youtube and whole credit is given to the source)

Sachin - a true gentleman

Why Sachin is a gentleman? What makes Sachin so great? If you google these questions, you will be directed to n number of blogs where people have posted a photo of a female fan taking an autograph of M S Dhoni with Sachin sitting to his left and Uthappa, Dinesh Karthik and Yuvraj sitting besides him. And the naughty trio looking at what young men will usually look at but Sachin simply looking away from the girl...

(Courtesy: Cricketcountry.com)

Pretty fine! But that incident doesn't really give you the wholesome idea of how gentlemanly this man is. There are many people not only in India, but in the whole world who live with the notion that 'Sachin Tendulkar is God'. At the same time there are also many who condemn him and pull him down by calling him selfish and not a matchwinner. No wonder with the recent form with which this genius is playing, he has reduced the latter bunch to a mere handful now. But apart from being lauded by millions around the world, the mystery still remains that what makes him such a gentleman and such a down to earth soul.

Yesterday I saw the last league game of the CWC world cup 2011 where India played the West Indies. Sachin was on the brink of his 100th century in international career. The stage was set for him and everyone were hopeful as always that he will easily do it this time against a side which had not even fielded its best bowlers. But the jampacked Chepauk stadium in Chennai witnessed one of the most beautiful moment in the history of cricket in recent times. On the very last ball of the first over bowled by Ravi Rampaul, Sachin was beaten by an in-swinger. No wonder the Sachin hungry opposition went up in unison to appeal for a caught behind. But Umpire Steve Davis wasn't convinced and he turned down the appeal to a huge sigh from the 40000 odd crowd, only to be followed by a deafening silence seconds later. But then what happened was a pure gentlemanly gesture from the master blaster. He didnt even look towards the Umpire, convinced that he had indeed nicked the ball, he gracefully headed off towards the pavilion.

Sachin today has reached such dizzying heights in his career but yet his feet are firmly planted on the ground. Any other person in his shoes would have gone astray with the kind of fame, money and the divine status that he enjoys in this country. But I guess coming from a family with such beautiful middle class values has prevented him from getting all these into his head. 

I dont know why people compare him with Ponting. Sachin is far away from him, may it be the career highlights or even the character or the sportsmanship. It wasn't a surprise that this came a day after Ponting stood his ground despite knowing that he had nicked the ball in a match against Pakistan. More so, he had the shameless guts to admit that he was completely aware of the nick and he stood there because the umpire didn't raise the finger. Needless to say he deserved the undignified exit that came minutes later after he was given out by the referral umpire.

Yes there will be cynics who will say that Sachin did this deliberately, or that it was an inconspicuous game so it didnt matter to him so he walked out. But then living in a country grappled with loads of dishonesty and corruption, one man stands out as a blissful sight of sheer passion and commitment towards his dream, inspiring millions of mortals like me...

Sachin and the 'dog' mentality

A very common notion that the entire 1.2 billion population of India shares with pride is 

"Cricket is my religion and Sachin is my GOD" 

Suddenly some chap in the southern most tip of Africa shows his dyslexic skill when he appears before the media and says, "Sachin is my DOG!" 

(Courtesy: Internet)

The South African Cricket team Bowling coach Vincent Barnes, has reportedly admitted before the media that he's missing Sachin - his dog that is, and not the Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, after whom he named the canine. Barnes also made it clear that he is one of the most ardent fan of Sachin (Tendulkar). He has held the post of a bowling coach for half a decade now. The most funny thing about this news, according to me, is the question, whether this is even a news in the first place. A major Indian daily put it on their front page and the whimsical media, both electronic and print, followed suit. As expected, the Indians were hurt. Some call it as a sheer disrespect, some even point a racist angle to it and many feel that its a mind game to pluck the master blasters wicket in the coming  India-SA world cup match.

Relax guys! One thing that makes me happy about this 'news' is the fact that these westerners do love their pets more than their wives sometimes. They will invest huge amount of money for maintaining their pets especially dogs. In West, pets have their own rights just like we humans do. We, as Indians, can only think of a stray who gets kicked and stoned every other day, when the word 'dog' comes in our mind and understandably so many felt that this was a matter of abuse and disrespect for the little master. But as a die-hard Sachin fan myself, I am pretty much sure that Sachin, himself would have just laughed over this and took it sportingly. 

(Courtesy: Hindustan times)

Pets are a symbol of love, comfort and compassion. People need to understand that it should be a matter of pride for us when Sachin gets symbolised for love. There is no need to get cynical over this. Sadly so, the Indian press and media are the ones who have gone to the 'dogs'. They are just there to build a mountain out of a molehill. They cash in on our Indian mindset which is always hungry for some spicy news. Journalism has surely gone for a toss. The electronic media has become a joke and now the print media is following suit. They are responsible for instigating a negative mindset in the people. The fact that the guy is himself admitting this in front of the so-called media and that too in India, certainly points to the fact that he has no malice against Sachin. Its just another case of 'Cultural difference.' We as Indians need to be more mature and see through these gimmicks and think rationally before coming to a hasty conclusion.

So lets put this aside. Let us not behave like immatures and just accept the idea that Vincent must have named his DOG as Sachin, so that he could feel even more closer to our GOD!