10 times Sachin Tendulkar inspired people to do better

“Lifeline.” 

“If Sachin bats well, India sleeps well.” (Harsha Bhogle) 

“I have seen God. He bats at no. 4 for India.” (Matthew Hayden) 

Even exaggerations aren’t enough to describe the cricketing legend, Sachin Tendulkar. Few can forget the echoes of ‘Sachin Sachin,’ that reverberated across the stadium each time the cricketer came out to bat. His grit, passion, and dedication remain unparalleled within the cricketing world. The love for Tendulkar goes beyond mere admiration for his world-class technique and hundred hundreds. The love for Tendulkar is seen in the coming together of a diverse and fragmented India, in the tears of joy when India won, and in those of loss when India lost. 

Simple, grounded, and humble—it’s no surprise that Tendulkar became a household name. He’s been captain, he’s been number one in the world, but more than that, he’s been the mentor, guide, philosopher-friend that most people didn’t know they needed. Empathy and compassion come as naturally to him as his straight drive. Was there anything he couldn’t do? 

After 24 years between the 22 yards, Sachin Tendulkar retired from the game in 2013 at the place where he first started—Wankhede Stadium. And just like that the once 16-year-old curly haired boy walked out of the field leaving a few million broken hearts, tears of pride, and memories for a lifetime. Even today, stadiums echo with the chant of his name, his posters continue to be plastered on the walls of the city, and nostalgia hits different when he’s part of conversations. The master blaster turns 50 today, and we wish him nothing but the best. Here’s a glimpse at a few times Tendulkar inspired us to be better in each and every way. 

When he showed nothing was greater than playing for the team and country 

On May 19, 1999 Sachin Tendulkar’s father, Professor Ramesh Tendulkar passed away. Not more than a week later, Tendulkar scored a century against Kenya in a group-stage match during the ICC World Cup in England. With the team on the brink of being knocked out of the tournament, cheers reverberated in the stadium as he walked onto the pitch. He showed resilience and strength and won the game for India that day. Even today, he describes it as one of the most emotional innings of his career. 

When he helped Mithali Raj reinvent her game 

What happens when top players of a game indulge in conversation? Nothing really—just lessons galore. In 2017, ahead of the ICC Women’s World Cup, Raj was striving to reinvent her game and play for as long as she could. Her angst and confusion were met with absolute clarity in Tendulkar’s response. His advice was promptly put into training and Raj scored a total of 409 runs in the tournament while captaining India. 

When he proved that he could be a prankster, too 
Competing can be stressful and nerve-wracking. While Tendulkar would spend sleepless nights worrying about his game during a tournament, he made sure everyone had a good laugh—from playing a prank on Yuvraj Singh with wasabi to creating many other fun and light moments. 

When he was a guardian angel for Yuvraj Singh 

For Yuvraj Singh, Tendulkar was more than just a cricketing idol. "When I played international cricket, we had coaches, but if I faced technical issues with my batting, he was my 'go-to' person. He provided solutions, but he wasn't just my cricketing idol," Singh told PTI. During the 2011 World Cup, Singh had not yet been diagnosed with cancer but the symptoms crept up in the form of sleepless nights and unbearable coughing. Singh recalls how Tendulkar would regularly check up on him and even told him, “You’ll play when it matters the most.” Singh ended up scoring more than 300 runs and taking 15 wickets during the tournament. 

When he won the World Cup in 2011 

“He’s carried the burden of the nation for 21 years, it’s time we carried him,” Virat Kohli had said a few minutes after India had won the world cup on home ground. For many, the world cup was for only one person—Tendulkar. He once said, “Don’t stop chasing your dreams, because dreams do come true.”And with his, the dreams of a billion people were fulfilled. That night, the nation didn’t sleep. Streets were filled with a sea of blue, chants of 'Sachin' and 'Vande Maataram' were being sung and the sky was brimming with fireworks. It was surreal, to say the least. 

When he showed nothing but poise and grace 
For Tendulkar, a few things mattered more than playing for the country. He faced the lowest of lows—stones pelted at his house, threats to his family, endless trolling and more—but his game was important to him. He showed poise and grace when he stepped down as captain of the team—no matter the reasons or rumours that surrounded the situation. 

When he created historical partnerships 

Tendulkar was able to effortlessly build steady partnerships with the team members. Whether it was opening the innings with players such as Sehwag and Ganguly or with Azhar and Dhoni in the middle order. In fact, commentator Harsha Bhogle once said, “We have a surgeon at one end and a butcher at the other,” describing a killing partnership between Dhoni and Tendulkar when the latter scored a double century. 

When he showed compassion and concern with Jemimah Rodrigues 

A 17-year-old Jemimah Rodrigues was about to play in South Africa. “Everybody would congratulate me and then continue, ‘Oh, you are going to South Africa. There will be bouncy wickets, which will benefit pacers.’ Instead of giving a 17-year-old girl confidence, they were adding pressure,” she said in an interview, “But Sachin Sir asked me whether I was nervous, and when I told him yes, he said: ‘It’s good that you are nervous. That means, you care for your game…’ That put me at ease because I realised, it’s fine to be nervous.” She even went on to ask him for advice about technique and facing the different bowlers during the game. 

When he showed gratitude for every opportunity that came his way 

On November 16, 2013, Tendulkar played his last match at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. I remember my mother and I were watching the game on television, which culminated with his farewell speech. He remembered everyone, starting with his coach, famously known as Achrekar Sir, to his mother, father, brother, his wife Anjali, his children Sara and Arjun to the members of the team whom he played with. The speech was simple and honest. Forever ingrained in his mind would be the chants of his name, he said. And then, for the last time, he touched the ground and walked out of the field. 

When he showed humilty beyond words 
The world knows him—from Barack Obama who once said, “I don’t know much about cricket, but I still watch it to see Sachin play, not because I love the way he plays. It’s because I want to know the reason why my country’s production goes down by 5 per cent when he’s batting”, to actor Amitabh Bachchan who recalls delaying his shoots to watch Tendulkar on the field. For someone who has achieved so much, arrogance is unknown to him. For he, in his own words, couldn’t never be more grateful for the unconditional love he has received. 
 

Lead Image: Pinterest 
Inside images: India Today