Friday, December 28, 2012

Dear sachin, time to relive you

I knew this day is coming. But this has hit me hard. It has suddenly made me realize im growing old too. Well, we grew up watching him bat, did nt we? And so it is time to relive him; relive those moments, moments which had been so much part of our lives.

Do you remember the days when we started to watch cricket? almost 20 long years ago. India won and lost with Sachin those days. The 1996 world cup showed the reality of the previous generation. The stumping of Mark Waugh when he was lighting up the mumbai sky, and the hundred in Delhi against Sri Lanka going in vain are fresh in our minds.And who can forget that fateful day when a sachin misjudged run led us to the catastrophe in the world cup semi final. We cried too!

Then, holding the cricket bat in one hand, we practiced those straight drives, of course in our dreams. How can we forget that innings in Chennai against Pakistan when he clutched his back and almost led India to an improbable victory. We felt bad for him too! May be he deserved to be born in Australia.

And then Sharjah happened. Tendulkar was dismantling Warne, Fleming, Kasprovicz as if he is playing some kids in a mumbai street corner.The desert storm, the birthday hundred and a ballistic Tony Grieg shouting Whaddaplayya. It imprints itself in our hearts.

We practiced our nod to the bowler, and that small leg shake when we faced our school bowlers.We pumped our fist when Henry Olango was thrashed to all corners of the ground.

2003 world cup! how can we forget what happened then. Those ten days were scintillating. The majestic six of the Andrew Caddick, those sparkling cover drive of Wasim Akram of the first ball of the chase and that huge six of Shoaib Akthar. Well, you tube has showed them a lakh times, has n't it?

Life suddenly became busy with college and new friends. Sachin was still at his craft. Those booming straight drives of brett lee helped us live in the present. Then Dhoni and T20 happened. Indian cricket was never the same again. Still, Sachin was all we waited for. His wicket was the one which gave us heartbreaks.

New jobs happened and life was never the same again; Except ofcourse Sachin. That 175 against Australia in Hyderabad was out of the world, and we knew right away that this man was sent from god just to do this. Who can forget the first double hundred in one dayers against an attack led by a steaming Steyn.

And finally the world cup happened. A hundred in Bangalore, a hundred in Nagpur, that heart wrenching fifty where we suffered palpitations in Mohali and then the eruption in Mumbai. Virat Kohli reflecting what we thought. You remember having tears on your cheeks.

Are you the kid from the 80s or the 90s? or Are you the straddler having one feet in both decades? You are the lucky ones. Cherish the memories and relive them. Life will never be the same again.

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