Of Sachin Tendulkar, God, A Double Century and the 'Sachin Effect'

Sreelata YellamrazuFeb 25 2010

by Siddharth Raman

When Pranab Mukherjee presents the Union budget later this week, he will inform Parliament of a sudden drop in the national productivity on the afternoon of 24th February 2010. This is not because of a catastrophe but rather because of events unfolding in the city of Gwalior which brought the entire nation to a standstill.

sachin tendulkar double ton

A 37 year old man, about 5 feet 4 inches tall was sending a nation full of cricket fanatics into raptures of joy. For once maybe the ruling party and the opposition will have a topic on which there is absolutely no scope for any argument.

After Sachin's innings of a lifetime against South Africa, tomes will be written about his greatness and proclaiming him as God. One post on facebook aptly said that it had become Sachin Central. That is the effect one man has on an entire nation. "Where were you when Sachin was creating history?" this question must have been asked at least a million times in the past couple of hours and everyone has their own memories of the magic moment which will be cherished for a lifetime. Some witnessed it in office thanks to the webcast available these days, some would have watched it on the telly with loved ones and some would have tracked the score on the net.

But the moment Sachin stretched out to dab the fourth delivery of the final over between point and gully everyone would have cheered in unison for finally after 13 years of suffering the ignominy of being at the receiving end of a world record, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar made amends for it. For the people in office who had to maintain decorum and decency - high fives were exchanged between people who hardly knew each other but for those few moments everything was forgotten and each and every one wanted to savour that moment because they realised that they had just witnessed history.

For the lucky ones at home, the celebrations would have been more vocal and articulate, in some parts of the country crackers were also burst, after all this was a moment of national pride. In the workplace hierarchy was forgotten,people out on the streets celebrating did not think whether the next person was a Hindu or Muslim etc. That is the kind of influence one man has on an entire nation.

He may never accept this but in India cricket is what it is because of Sachin Tendulkar. He has enthralled two generations of Indians with his willow and also by his conduct off the field. Cricket may not be a truly global sport but no sportsperson in the world goes through the intense scrutiny that this man goes through. Every move he makes on and off the field is scrutinised by a billion people and he has always come out unscathed. He must be the only sportsperson carrying the hopes of a billion people on his shoulders when he comes out on the field. For twenty years and counting the sight of a tiny little figure coming out of the dressing room with a bat in his hand, adjusting his cricketing gear and walking towards the pitch has given many a cricket fan goosebumps. Wonder how many sportspersons have been able to achieve something similar.

There is a theory known as The Butterfly Effect, wherein a butterfly flapping its wings in one end of the World can cause a tsunami at the other end. In cricketing parlance its time to introduce "The Sachin Effect" wherein a short middle aged man wielding nothing but a plank of willow in one end of the world sends a tsunami of joy and celebrations through Indians all across the world.

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar take a bow! Even atheists started believing in God (i.e.Sachin) after today's innings.

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