To begin with cricket. Being an Indian cricket runs through my blood. I am not a very good player, tried my hands but soon discovered that i was not even a jack.
Well this did not prevent me from being an ardent fan of Master Blaster. I as a child admired him a lot and still do it. For he was the one who not only revolutionized cricket but was a big reason for strengthening Indian Economy.
Sachin Tendulkar has been undisputedly called as a great batsman. But people raise fingers while comparing him with other greats.
Well to start with His records are more than enough to prove anything. He may not have as many double hundreds as Lara or Bradman but the former has close to 200 international wickets which more than compensate. He may not have scored as many centuries in this decade as Ponting but he has made them against quality bowling attacks like Australia, Sri Lanka, South Africa and England in much lesser number of matches. He may not have saved as matches as Rahul dravid or Jacques Kallis but won more than them. To compile in one dayers India have won 33 matches out of 45 in which he scored a century and remained lone warrior in the remaining 12. I am yet to hear of another batsman who has even 33 hundreds to his name.
If ODI was not enough he has performed for the last 20 years in tests as well. Those who think he is not a match winner. He scored 10 centuries against aussies and India won 7 of them(Dravid has 2 and Laxman 4 winning 100s). He played role in winning many other matches oversees as well as in India. Who can forget his 5 wicket haul against pakistan in kochi, when the looked invincible or his 2 wickets against australia in the historic Eden Gardens and Adielade tests(which were won by the batting display of laxman-dravid) or his unbeaten 194 against Pak in Multan, his twin strike against his same favorite aussies in 2008 which led to India's 1st ODI series victory in their own backyard. Name any famous win and he is there. Any player cannot be compared to him, be it agressive skipper ponting or the calm dravid. The gap between Sachin Tendulkar and and other greats is just widening. Sachin pited against other greats of different eras. I have not seen them batting. But everyone knows no other era had the likes of bowling greats like Akram, Macgrath, Waqar, Warne, Murli, Vettori Donald, Pollock, Vaas, Walsh, ambrose. Sachin had tasted success against all of them, and the battle was not totally 1 sided. Still no one else had such success against all of these bowlers at the same time.
Coming to how he strengthened Indian economy. His innings in early 90s where revolutionary. He redefined cricket. He did the same thing what Sehwag is doing now. Strike rate of mid 80s was too much considering those eras. He used to score at will and changed the average pace of the game. Due to him cricket popularity reached a new high in India. Subsequently sports broadcaster like ESPN and STAR entered the Indian markets. Coupled with economic liberalization the MNCs saw a star endorser in him and he had a contract of 100 crore with worldtel in 90s. Currently all cricket and movie stars are earning millions due to endorsement, due to a man called Sachin. Various MNCs made foray into Indian markets and job opportunities rose. Thus a little man was responsible for revolutionizing not jus cricket but whole Indian economy.
What sets Him apart is not his cricketing talent but his nature. He is so humble, never bothered about being a celebrity. Saying "mumbai is for indians". Getting out in 90, and happy if india wins and he misses ton. Guiding youngsters and respecting other players.
He is irreplacable. If i can use apt words he truly is "God of Cricket"
'if cricket is a Religion, Sachin is the GOD' This is not by any means an Overstatement.
ReplyDeleteSachin is undoubtedly the Best!
dude if u think MNCs didn't enter Indian markets before mid 1990 due to the lack of celebrity endorsers, you are terribly wrong. i am also a fan of sachin. if u want to praise sachin there are enuf reasons to do so. but for heavens sake don't say sachin is the reason for everything what india is today. please don't say that sachin is a software engineer and thats y we became IT powerhouse. wish u could think better. no offense meant. can't digest the statement that MNCs opted out of the market due to lack of celebrity endorsers.. and where did u get that 100 crore from worldtel figure from !!
ReplyDeleteJune 26, 2010 12:55 PM
@Srikant
ReplyDeleteVery aptly said
@Kalya
Let me clear the air
On MNCs
Yes MNCs have been active in India only post liberalization, after Dr. Manmohan Singh, who was the Finance Minister then, pressed the button for Economic reforms. You can ask anyone with adequate knowledge in Indian Economy.
On Sachin
I never said he is the reason for everything, all I said was that his contribution to the game of cricket as well as Indian Economy is significant. His style of play brought a sort of revolution in the game of cricket and attracted Private Satellite channels to India, like Newscorp, Viacom etc. Later on these channels were the ones who crazed the Indian Television and the concept of advertisements began in between programs.
MNCs did not opted out of market because of strict regulations not lack of endorsers
But the deregulation and the career of Sachin begun at the same time, Call it coincidence or anything.
On the worldtel contract
You can follow this article http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tendulkar/Sachin-Crickets-biggest-brand/articleshow/20690291.cms
This was way back in 2002
Currently his contract size is valued much more than this
true indeed
ReplyDeletesachin in a way revived the economy