Phew ! So it’s really happening then. I don’t even know what has hit me, but It definitely is falling apart. The sinking feeling is taking its toll.
As a 10 year old boy, all I wanted to do was play Cricket. I clearly remember, our teacher asking us Fifth graders, what we wanted to become when we grew up, and 90% of the class wanted to become a Cricketer like Sachin. Little did we know, what we were talking about.
Being admitted in an all-boys schools, made matters worse. The long & short breaks were spent rushing onto the cricket field and playing Leg Cricket ( A version we invented, as we could not bring a cricket bats to school).
The obsession exaggerated in 1996. India had just lost their World Cup Semi Finals to Sri Lanka at Eden Gardens and the country was coping with the loss in their regular old fashion. Angry bottle throwing fans and a sobbing Vinod Kambli. Images best forgotten.
Never did I know, that this Semifinal loss would turn out to be my blessing in disguise. In April 1996, a month after the World Cup loss, dad told me about Sachin being in town and there was a faint possibility to meet him. Actually, one of dad’s friend, used to work as a Caretaker in Anand Mehta’s ( Sachin’s in-laws) bungalow in Lonavla, and had informed him about Sachin’s arrival. That was enough information, for my world to turn upside down. I was slowly sensing blood rush through my brains. Two days later, I was waiting with my dad and sister in the bungalow’s corridor with my newly bought Autograph book ( Yes, you needed one then!).
And then opened the door. Welcoming us was the man himself. Dang, gives me Goosebumps even today. I have no idea what happened for the next 30 minutes. There is a good possibility I must have been staring at Sachin’s face with my mouth wide open. I am pretty sure my dad did the talking. Still staring. 30 minutes go by. Then something happened, which I remember distinctly. While we were talking there was a Dachshund kind of a stray dog sleeping on the floor . Sachin didn’t realize the dog was just behind him and while taking a step back, accidentally stepped on the dog’s tail; to which the dog whimpered in pain. That’s when my dad said in Marathi
“ Tyala mahit nahi ahe, to Sachin cha pai ahe”
( The dog has no idea, but it’s Sachin’s foot, that’s is making him wry with pain)
And I remember Sachin chuckling his heart out. The meeting was over , I shook his hand and stepped out smiling, but had forgotten to do an important part. I had forgotten to click a picture with Sachin and realized that as soon as we stepped out of the house. There was no way we were going to go, without a click. Knock, knock.
This time Jesus opened the door. As if all the god’s from across the continents, had gathered up and showing their faces one by one. With the same amount of composure, he agreed this picture with me and my sister, making a happy boy leave the room with this favorite trophy.
Having watched him for 2 decades on the Television screen and once in person, hasn’t changed anything. I still feel the same sadness, I used to, when he gets out and still feel like blowing up the TV set when that happens time and time again. Why don’t I do it for a Dhoni or Kohli ?Coz, Sachin feels like one of u, even today.
There are innumerable Sachin moments that I can recollect, be it the 114 at Perth in 1994, 98 against Pakistan in 2003 or 175 against Australia in Hyderabad, but my favorite one; was the interview Virat Kohli’s mother gave on India winning the 2011 World Cup.
She was more happy for Sachin winning the World Cup than her own son, which really summed up, what the nation feels for its most loved son. The call has been made. History has been written again. But be sure of the fact, that we will cheer for you the loudest with full-throttle guffaw, this last time as well, when you take on the field.
Sachin Sachin! Sachin Sachin!
