Once again.. THANK YOU SACHIN

The day has come. It is inevitable but hard to digest. Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar will finally bid good bye to the game which he loved so much, which he was passionate about and which he breathed for life. This is not a blog about his achievement on the field but a tribute from a fan whom he idolized, who learnt to hold a bat watching him and whom learnt the game of cricket watching him. If I can say, I would say myself as Eklavya and Tendulkar my Dronacharya.

I never celebrated my birthday with so much joy but there were times when April 24^th will sport a festive look in my room. I remember there were 5 posters of his that adorned my small room.

I never cried much for anything but I remember shedding some tears when you took India home in Sharjah in 1998, when you got out scooping a Saqlain Mushtaq delivery in Chennai in 1999, when you scored that brilliant century against Kenya at Bristol, when you were let down by bowlers in 2003 at Johannesburg, when you lifted the 2011 world cup and finally when you announced retirement.

I remember getting up at 3 in the morning just to watch you bat whenever India toured NZL, running upstairs after coming from school during those innumerable test matches played at home, refreshing cricinfo page loading in my slow GPRS connection to follow the scores, bunking college annual festival when India took on Aus in 2003 world cup, seeing you on the field from the nearby stands against the mighty Aussies and the low ranked Windies.

There are many innumerable moments in my life I can cherish but one that will always remain in my memory is the way you behaved yourself. Having achieved so much and still remain humble is the greatest trait which only you and Dravid possess and that is why from the mighty Aussies to Bangladesh feared you and respected you as well.  I will borrow this and say again that after Mahatma Gandhi no one united India as you did and on a personal note after Mahatma Gandhi no one inspired me as you did.

I can eulogize further but I stop here and say once again THANK YOU SACHIN for being the hero India wanted to see, for being the role model India wanted and for being a kind hearted human being you father wanted you to be.  

I WILL MISS YOU SO AS THE GAME OF CRICKET.