Sachin Tendulkar has always been a potential issue to fight over for me. I always believed he is overrated as a batsman. Today I would like to clear some things. Sachin has achieved things that ordinary human beings can only dream about. The number of centuries, unbelievable consistency and the statistics speak volumes of his greatness. More importantly, his career began when he was a kid. At 16, when most of us were trying to pass out X standard exams, here was a kid playing in West Indies against a fearsome fast bowling attack. Kids of that age are not supposed to be facing Curtley Ambrose and Coutney Walsh. But here was Sachin wanting to play them. That for me is the greatest ever achievement.
Of course, I have criticized Tendulkar a lot in the past. There is a different reason for that. When I criticize him at no point do I claim he is a bad batsman. But there is something that he lacks. It is to play when we need him to score most. He has done that decently but not to the level that is expected of a batsman of his pedigree. That is why I criticize him. He is a great batsman, but I disagree that he is next only to Don Bradman. Bradman played many innings when the team needed him, when there was need to inspire confidence. This is an area where Tendulkar did not do justice to his talent. Of course, the expectation from him was a lot (compared to what Bradman faced). Facing the pressure of 100 crores of Indians is no mean task. Tendulkar has carried that hopes for so long. Though I criticize him I know he has done it admirably well. For playing cricket under such immense pressure he might even be better than the Don himself. However, there is one element in his cricket that diminishes his cricket. He plays cricket as much for himself as for the team. For him team is not above him. This makes him, in my view, a inferior batsman than he actually is!
Still, for a 16 year old kid to have set such goals and to have achieved everything that he has achieved is unbelievable and I salute to the will and determination that went into the process of making Sachin a great master batsman!!
Of course, I have criticized Tendulkar a lot in the past. There is a different reason for that. When I criticize him at no point do I claim he is a bad batsman. But there is something that he lacks. It is to play when we need him to score most. He has done that decently but not to the level that is expected of a batsman of his pedigree. That is why I criticize him. He is a great batsman, but I disagree that he is next only to Don Bradman. Bradman played many innings when the team needed him, when there was need to inspire confidence. This is an area where Tendulkar did not do justice to his talent. Of course, the expectation from him was a lot (compared to what Bradman faced). Facing the pressure of 100 crores of Indians is no mean task. Tendulkar has carried that hopes for so long. Though I criticize him I know he has done it admirably well. For playing cricket under such immense pressure he might even be better than the Don himself. However, there is one element in his cricket that diminishes his cricket. He plays cricket as much for himself as for the team. For him team is not above him. This makes him, in my view, a inferior batsman than he actually is!
Still, for a 16 year old kid to have set such goals and to have achieved everything that he has achieved is unbelievable and I salute to the will and determination that went into the process of making Sachin a great master batsman!!
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