A lot has changed over the past 20 years in India, as well as in the global perspective.
Transistors were replaced by T.V. and now we are in the bluetooth era.
Politics has become worse from bad and is taking uglier proportions.
India has become a major economy and is coming on par with USA and UK.
As far as Cricket is concerned, there has been a perceptible change. thanks to the great SachinTendulkar. With the boom of the television in the early 90s and the entry of a dimunitive champion took the game to altogether different level.
GOD was fed up with the violence, turbulence taking place across the world. So he thought he shud come in the form of a human and give full fledged entertainment to millions of people.
It was on November 15 1989 that this came to fore. A 16yr old prodigy stepped his foot on the soil of archrivals Pakistan at Karachi. He was welcomed to cricket by the deadly pace of waqar younis, witty akram and the guile of abdul qadir.This only helped sachin to go from strength to strength and dominate any kind of bowling.
He has had the better of bowling greats like akram,younis,mcgrath,donald,shane warne to mention a few.He has excelled in all the conditions and all kinds of pitches(seaming tracks in England, spin friendly tracks in the subcontinent and bouncy pitches in South Africa and Australia.) He has his best performances against the best team over last 15 yrs Australia who were invincibles. That is the hallmark of this great man.
His stats speaks volumes of his achievments.He is just an innings away 30,000 international runs.He has 87 centuries till now and a proud owner of numerous such records in a career spanning 20 years.
His batting is grace personified.In short poetry in motion.He was referred to as closest to batting perfection by another legend sunil gavaskar.
Sachin started his career as a child prodigy and is now a global icon.His conduct of the field is exemplary.He is a calm,shy,down to earth and a humble person.He has maintained an ultra clean image which makes him the most loved, respected and the most adored sportperson.
He is the only cricketer in the modern times to be included in Sir Don Bradman's dream team and was hailed by the don as the only person who came closest to him in batting.
Sachin was rated as the all time greatest odi batsman and 2nd best in tests by wisden in 2002.
He has recieved many awards like padmashri, padmavibhushan,arjuna award,Rajiv Gandhi khel Ratna award.He has also been recommended for Bharat Ratna and Nighthood which he truly deserves. He is the first indian sportsman to be immortalized in madame tussauds.
Sachin becomes the first cricketer to complete 20 years of international cricket and set such high standards for ordinary mortals to emulate a few.
After 20 years, he still has the exuberence of youth.He is still a force to reckon with and a hard nut to crack for opposition teams.
Having said that there is little left for sachin to conquer in cricket.
We may get another lara, another ponting......but Sachin is once in a lifetime person,cricketer.
Thanks sachin for everything you hav provided.We hav been lucky enough and privileged to savour most of ur masterpieces. Keep going for many years to come......
All the Best.
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7th I.S.E
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