Two things happened on consecutive Fridays. One was a bittersweet event that left the nation sorrowful and pondering over who could ever be a replacement. The other was a joyous happening that ended a year-long wait and the country celebrated.
Indian cricket is now a house without a wall. The wall was the first of three large walls to decide it was time to leave the house and move on.
Yes, I know Rahul Dravid was not particularly fond of the nickname. Nor was Nirmal Shekar, whose articles are being serially recycled in The Hindu. But it was the one that would describe his batting best, especially to frustrated bowlers. Bowl, bowl, bowl. Keep bowling. You just can't get the ball past this man so it hits the woodwork.
This point has been driven home so many times, but I will cover drive it further. He will be sorely missed. Not many teams can boast of a batsman who was so supremely skilled in one position but would willingly swap. Or keep when the specialist keeper was bowling. He was very versatile but thrived in the position which is possibly one of the hardest.
He has a perennially thoughtful face and was a good speaker, formal and clear. However, he may not be the best of commentators as he is not as much an entertainer as a gentlemanly thinker.
The team needs a worthy replacement.
After a year that seemed like an eternity, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar became the first in all cricketing history to score one hundred hundreds sporting the badge of his nation. He himself admitted that it was a huge weight off his back. Fans, selectors, players, all can heave a huge sigh of relief. The enormity of the number had weighed down on him innings after innings. Commentators started the countdown right from the time he walked out!
The number 100 was constricting his batting and clouding his mind. He got close a couple of times, which only made him more tense. When the jinx broke on 16 March 2012, fans celebrated and the great man looked up at the sky - the limit.
Speculations of his retirement have been flying around. He has made it clear - he has cricket left in him. Like Rahul Dravid, he knows best when the time to leave the game has come. Until then, we shall enjoy his mastery over batsmanship.
Adieu, Rahul and congratulations, Sachin. Lots more to come.
Indian cricket is now a house without a wall. The wall was the first of three large walls to decide it was time to leave the house and move on.
Yes, I know Rahul Dravid was not particularly fond of the nickname. Nor was Nirmal Shekar, whose articles are being serially recycled in The Hindu. But it was the one that would describe his batting best, especially to frustrated bowlers. Bowl, bowl, bowl. Keep bowling. You just can't get the ball past this man so it hits the woodwork.
This point has been driven home so many times, but I will cover drive it further. He will be sorely missed. Not many teams can boast of a batsman who was so supremely skilled in one position but would willingly swap. Or keep when the specialist keeper was bowling. He was very versatile but thrived in the position which is possibly one of the hardest.
He has a perennially thoughtful face and was a good speaker, formal and clear. However, he may not be the best of commentators as he is not as much an entertainer as a gentlemanly thinker.
The team needs a worthy replacement.
After a year that seemed like an eternity, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar became the first in all cricketing history to score one hundred hundreds sporting the badge of his nation. He himself admitted that it was a huge weight off his back. Fans, selectors, players, all can heave a huge sigh of relief. The enormity of the number had weighed down on him innings after innings. Commentators started the countdown right from the time he walked out!
The number 100 was constricting his batting and clouding his mind. He got close a couple of times, which only made him more tense. When the jinx broke on 16 March 2012, fans celebrated and the great man looked up at the sky - the limit.
Speculations of his retirement have been flying around. He has made it clear - he has cricket left in him. Like Rahul Dravid, he knows best when the time to leave the game has come. Until then, we shall enjoy his mastery over batsmanship.
Adieu, Rahul and congratulations, Sachin. Lots more to come.
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