Reply to the "Choosy Patriot"

This post has got a small history to it. There were a couple of very close friends with whom I always argued, waged quite a few tom and jerry fights over topics like Sachin, Telangana, Politics, Relegion  etc, had taunts on each other every other day. Now each of us is miles apart, but the arguments have never declined. I miss those debates and arguments as much as I miss them. Coming to this particular post, it is in response to a comment by Vinil on my facebook. I did not really find a right time to post this, despite composing it on the same day I was asked to give a reply to. Here it goes, in response to this.

I would compare Sachin choosing the innings he want to play to a senior vice president who worked for 30 + years in a company, reserving his "Accumulated earned leaves" for a vacation when he feels his team mates can handle a project without any help from him. What we should not forget is, the CEO ( read BCCI ) could still want and force him to handle a project if he thinks the severity of the project requires his services. It happened with the Australia tour where Sachin couldn't perform to his best, though relatively not bad compared to his other team mates.

The CEO is changed now, the top management has changed now, they could perhaps even force a retirement now. But the managers know what players deserve best, else the outgoing lot wouldn't have taken those decisions to let the master pick and choose the matches he want to play.

Once in a while we keep hearing experienced commentators say, preserve Sachin for the upcoming SA tour next year, why is that skepticism still in air about the team not performing in sachin's absence, coz they know he is one man on whom we can rely on, despite his short stints of bad patches, and probably that is the reason why the big bosses are ok with him being a choosy patriot!

Now coming to IPL, "IPL duties" has become a buzz word now, and people delve in to a lot of analysis about players, simply because it is a huge money ball. I agree that every Indian has a say in weather Sachin should play for India or not coz when he plays for team India, he represents a country and has an emotional connect to all Indians, buy IPL ? who are we to say and question him to play or leave IPL, he is an employee of Mumbai Indians and he has to work to get paid for why he is hired ! People say he chooses IPL over Indian matches when he is fit, but why can't we understand where the similarity ends - He can't let others play in his place in IPL unless his franchise agrees to, unlike with BCCI where he has earned the luxury to do so!

Though I would also want to see Sachin representing India more than in IPL, I can understand and relate to his predicament. I would have done the same if I were to be in his place. People cribbing about Sachin not getting a hundred for a year and toddling to a hundred against Bangladesh should compare his stats to his other team members. I always argued, one should earn a place in the team not get it by virtue of others leaving it. The age doesn't matter as long as performance is on track. People will only realise his importance when he is not around in the team anymore.

For the people questioning his patriotic fervor and calling his down to earth attitude "practiced modesty". It is not a single year or two that he has been serving his country relentlessly. Never has been a dark spot in his behavior and actions that brought a bad name to the motherland. I always felt he kept the team before him, victory before personal records, and nation before anything else all the while. (Remember his father's death ?, broken elbow etc read here ) That is why he is still willing to serve even after taking so much of verbose on how he should behave and play for all these years without crumbling to the harsh comments. Just think how you feel when somebody questions your true services to a company, true love to your family and brand you selfish after you sacrifice everything you have got to them. That feeling is worse and can easily succumb anyone to surrender and accept what is not true, but he didn't and that is why he is a true soldier, a hero who still wants to fight till his last breath ! Dare not question his services to the nation. Question yourselves, how could he have behaved not to look like "practiced modesty" after scoring his 100th century. I can't think of any other way, he was naturally modest as he is, you may differ in opinion but it is just individuals perception of varied expressions and things, no questioning that !

Tendulkar’s unwillingness to compromise on his batting positions : My foot you know about what is happening in the team discussions and requirements, how can one say, that he never wanted to change his position in the team ? Why does the team want a man who scored 12 thousand plus runs at no 4 to move and experiment with the combinations ?

To refresh the memories, In tests, no 3 was occupied by one of the best no 3 batsman of all time till recently and sending Sachin at no 5 would be a foolish act coz laxman would have to be accommodated before Sachin. Only option hence was to open. Where was the spot to open when it was already being competed for, amongst Sehwag, Rahane and Gambhir. Gambhir and Sehwag's pair is touted as one of the best opening pairs. Would you want to disturb that? In fact I would say, the team ran out of choices when Sachin din't play a test match rather than when he returned, again it is all about how you or I read the game which doesn't matter, coz what matters is how the captain and team reads it !

In ODIs also, Sachin was sent down the order in a world cup under Ganguly, that decision was later in contemplation accepted as biggest mistake by the then coach Chappel, Even now, if Sachin lets Gambhir and Sehwag Open and Sachin takes one down, it is just the top 3 places that get shuffled, how are we accommodating other players ?

After saying all this, the question still tickles in my mind: are we greater thinking minds than the players themselves ! I guess we should all keep our thoughts parked and let the people who matter call the shots! 

2nd Innnings

The madness has not yet died. It was just hibernating. I am going to be back with a lot of ranting. I just forgot for all along, that I had another side of me. The blogger in me hit in to a deep slumber. But I promise I am going to be back soon. My posts as you all know, are going to circle around my favorite topics including Politics, Technology, Cricket, Branding, Marketing, Philosophy, Knowledge etc. I am getting ready for a second innings of sought. The wait is over. Thanks for hanging around for so long ...

Simply Sachin !

There are three primary reasons which brought me back to my blog after a long time. I am writing this:

1) To signify the importance of an epic that has been created by a legend, that I have been lucky enough to witness in my life.

2) To put a full stop to all rubbish that so called critics of Sachin keep prattling about!

3) Not to disappoint few of my dearest friends, who invariable expect from me an article or a snippet on Sachin, after his exploits.

4) and finally, I just recovered from a bout of the extended attack – Attack of Cynicism

I hate it sometimes, when people speak without knowing the facts, my role then shifts from an arguer to a statistician trying to convince people about what was their misconception (based on factual stats of course!). But one thing I am always happy about is there is no dearth of support when it comes to defending Sachin, as there are more intellectuals than ignorants amongst the Indian cricket fans!

The apotheosis of Sachin by his fans is the only way they can show their gratitude for all the entertainment from him over the years and which makes them all proud, for, it all has come from a fellow country man. We had a good sleep when he scored; we felt proud for his success and mourned his failure. As one of my friends said, "Take the happiness index When Sachin scores a hundred and rank it, I am sure India will be numero Uno !" When he was down, some of his own team mates who once shared the dressing room with him wanted him to take the exit door saying that he is no more wanted! He never for once resented the animadversions of his critics. He waited and believed in himself carrying the hopes of billion others who wanted him to bounce back and do well and answer all the criticism. He did that once, twice and every time when the time was against him. That is the nerve of a man. His ardour for the game he loved never sank making a trivial few even believe him to be bigger than the game. He always emphasized though, that he never was or will be bigger than the game! Such was his humbleness. Like it or not, his name is for sure, to go down in the annals as the greatest of his time.

Amidst all the gloom that otherwise I saw around me during the past week, it indeed was an exhilarating experience for me when Sachin Tendulkar, the iconic “Human Being” surpassed a humongous milestone. Humongous not due to the enormity of the task itself but the super weight of expectations of Crores of “Knowledgeable & Expert” Indians. Everyone in India seems to have an opinion and strategy when it comes to Cricket.

I love cricket but by no means be classified (at least not these days) amongst those fanatic lovers of the game putting the world on Pause button. But what he gifted to the mankind is something that cannot be brushed away so easily. And remember in a country where dreams of the entire nation are driven by 70 year old politicians, at 39 years, it indeed is a weight of expectation no ordinary Human Being can bear without cracking up. And here he is a great guy who did not crack up for over 2 long decades. And by God! He did handle his success like no God did and my admiration goes up manifold for this. Mythology has lot of stories where even some Gods had to pay a price for their haughtiness.

The 100th 100 jokes were very cruel on someone who was a sincere student of the game. Did we ever hear an instance of arrogance or misbehaviour from this legend, who could have had the world at his feet? And when he did get there, it was ironical. We had an effort for a losing cause. But I give a damn. Someone who is our own is right up there – extremely lonely at the top. We only can look up and admire (or alternately pelt stones).

People tried to link all they could, whenever there is an argument about him. Ball tampering acquisitions/Waiver of customs duty on his Ferrari/Bharata ratna Debate/Failure as a Captain, every one tried to cast aspersions on his character. No denying that he has had his quirks, and that is the reason why I kept stressing the “Human Being” aspect of him. Though what he achieved is nothing short of what a “God” could have done. Folks, Gimme a break! Take out each of those 100s and we never know what could have happened! No one bandied statistics on this. Look at statistics of matches India lost and his scores too to get the real and overall picture. And the bashers would do well to also look at statistics of any other Indian or foreign cricketers. He is not just shoulders above the rest – a whole height. I felt I had a second life when one of friends introduced me to a blog of guy from Indian statistical institute who analysed Sachin’s career threadbare and concluded why he is, what he is ! Till then, I only relied on stats guru from cricinfo and some statistics stuff which I learned in my MBA to understand the numbers and for an insight in to them. Numbers don't lie, and there is a method to look at them. People who say he scored centuries against smaller teams should have a relook at his career and before that, if they mean to draw a direct reference to his ability to bat against stronger teams, why consider only his hundreds, even his 90s are as good! Leave aside all the numbers, coz no one is going to beat his numbers if they compare!

Looking back I know this Gentleman would realize that despite all this achievements it indeed is a thankless world. Definitely this is a feather in the cap as compared to the other shameful achievements that we otherwise are known for in the world – Scams, Rapes, Female Infanticides, and Murders. Let us allow these positive achievements to swamp the negative ones. We as a nation owe it to ourselves. What this great man has achieved is no small feat. The whole world is looking up and saluting this Little-Big man. Let us at least be indifferent if not supportive. Criticism is simply out of place.