The EX-Files

People remember November 16 for various reasons, be it the forming of UNESCO or the birth of Tiberius or about Rakesh Roshan making a Krrish 4 announcement but one nation with its people by birth or origin and fans of a game played by 54% of the inhabitable world, will remember this day as the day when a great man hung his boots after 24 years of excitement, emotion, expectation, excellence, eminence, erudition, exemplification, eellogofusciouhipoppokunurious….ok, I’m beginning to sound like V and you get the point.

By now, most of us would’ve finished shedding tears, flooded social media with forwards, videos, texts proclaiming that Sachin was one of your horcrux and gotten about our lives but every time we talk about or watch or play (in that order for me at least) cricket, the memories about Sachin bubbles up, at least for another few days, months, years based on how much each of us are rooted in the game. But the fact remains that he was the most prolific cricketer the world has seen so far.

Cricket historians, journalists, legends, literates and astrologers have already flooded media with opinions, facts, records, memories, personal life, food and future about the master blaster, so there’s really nothing more to say about him except for the reason why I adore this little great man. It can be said in 2 words – Humility & Respect.

It’s great to watch him play those drives down the ground or the wristy flicks from outside off but those are not what separate him from the others. His respect for the game and everything that is involved with it, living or non-living…is one factor which distinguishes him from the rest. And then his humbleness after achieving so much at a young age is truly inspiring and is what has made him so prolific.

The cricketing world and the fans will surely miss him. But the game will go on and along with it, the fans, discussions, media, controversies etc. There has been a radical change in the way the game is played today with the advent of the new formats and socio-economic factors, so it remains to be seen if the records and milestones Sachin has set, will be broken or not. Whatever be it, the truth remains that Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is one of the greatest cricketers the world has had the pleasure of experiencing.

So, let’s thank Sachin for 24 years of splendor, supremacy, satisfaction, sentiment, serenity, sebastomania….ok, I’m beginning to sound like V and you get the point. Time to go find yourself another horcrux.