DON or LITTLE MASTER ??

What Tendulkar denied to the world

Fifty and counting© Getty Images

For years, almost 21 now, writers have been obsessed with Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, his scores, his chaiwala, his voice, groin, his humility and the joy he has given to millions people around the world. Maybe it is time someone talks about what Sachin denied to several people, unwittingly of course. It is my faithful and sincere attempt to capture some of those atrocities he committed.

To Rahul Dravid: The tag of the greatest Indian batsman of the 90’s and ‘00s, arguably forever. The poor man completed 12,000 runs the other day and is the third in the list of the all-time highest run-getters. Yet, not a word of mention anywhere!

To pretty Anjali, in her teens: The shallow pleasures of being courted by the neighbourhood boys.

To an entire generation of youth: Logic, as they steadfastly believed that India would win the match (every time), simply because he was out there, however ridiculous the odds. It is he who is solely responsible for deluding the whole of the young Indian male brigade, just like that Pathan called Shahrukh who misled the same populace into believing that any girl would fall for them as long as they had a shred of sincerity in their hearts.

To his colony: Any concept of privacy.

To writers who started out in the 2000s: Any original thought, since everything about him had already been written.

To anybody who ever happened to be the second wicket to fall for India: Applause from the crowd. Actually, they did applaud and cheer vociferously, but only because Sachin was walking in. Ask Dravid how it feels.

To Damien Fleming: Any feeling of succour, on his 28th birthday. Incidentally, it was Sachin’s birthday too, the 24th of April. The final of the ’98 Sharjah Cup, Sachin smote anything that came out of an Australian hand to the fence, as India chased down a formidable 272 to emerge champions.

To Coca Cola: A million drinkers. They really couldn’t take to that, when Sachin was drinking Pepsi, eh?