When Tendulkar’s Century Became My Own

January 4, 2008

A very successful day for the Indians.

On the third day of the Sydney Test, Tendulkar hit an unbeaten 154 to break that jinx of the nervous 90s which plagued him, and almost the entire India, throughout 2007.

The New Year has started on a promising note for the maestro, and we wish him to score a century in every match, to put it even beyond the minds of the following Australians, especially Ponting, any thought of equalling the maestro's record.

Tendulkar is the pulse of India. When it feels better, the country feels better. If not, then the country will shake with sickness almost.

And how do I tell you, as an ardent Tendulkar fan, when he hits a century right at the beginning of a New Year, it seems like a collective success. In fact, my very own success.

Just as 2007 was disappointing for the maestro for getting out in the 80s and 90s, the same has been with me.

But it is such a tremendously elated feeling of achieving something when you see your idol raising his bat, acknowledging the applause after hitting a brilliant century in tough conditions on seamer-friendly wickets in Australia. And to watch even the Australians, who are very enthusiastic sledgers in the game, applauding the master batsman—it gives a feeling of pride.

And encouraged by this century, I can forget my own individual losses and failures for the time being, because I know it's a celebratory day, almost a festival, and I have forgotten most of my own disappointments in the innings of this life.

How I wish that Tendulkar continues hitting centuries after centuries. Then I think many thousands like me won't need anything else at the level of personal achievement to prove anything to anybody.

We will be happy just with Tendulkar's centuries.

So you can imagine what status the great man has for us here in India.