It was a happy day and a sad day in New Delhi, as Sachin Tendulkar played in his final test match against the West Indies in Mumbai. After the match, NewsBlaze photojournalist, Sumit Tharan talked to people in the street, asking what they felt about the retirement of Sachin Tendulkar.
Ankit Kumar, 22, a Musician said “Definitely .. it’s like you taking out the essence, the reason for this game. People in India live cricket only because of this great man. Greats like him have given this game a new definition. Not only in India, have people from around the globe appreciated his mettle. Well he is a true legend so whatever you say about him, is not enough. What to say more … he is the master of the game so his absence will be deeply regretted. I will miss him.”
B.R Sarien, 74, a retired Central Government Employee said, “What makes us admire Sachin is his dedication and sincerity towards the game and life. He is a guiding force for our youngsters. Frankly there will be no difference in the cricket team as we have some new talented faces that are really doing well. But we are going to miss his presence on the field. He was a guiding spirit for all the players and I wish him good luck. Hope he will continue to guide the youngsters and train them.”
Idhries Ahmad, a Communication Officer at UNICEF said, “This picture of Sachin Tendulkar driving on the front foot adorns my laptop, desktop and my mobile. And it is for a reason. Eyes on target, balanced in his stance and elegance in his follow through. Everything about this straight drive teaches me to be focused; balanced and positive in life, something this idol of mine was all his life. He is so special. Be it on the field or off the field, Sachin is an excellent example for all of us on how to achieve success in life, yet be humble and down to earth and never let any success get to your head. He may retire from the field next week, but for me and his millions of fans, he has taught us enough and given us so much joy that we will cherish it for all our lives. Thank you Master Blaster. We love you and wish you the best of luck for your future.”
Kuldeep Singh, 68, a Shopkeeper said, “Our country is a cricket loving nation and I understand his craze here. He is a fabulous player and we will definitely miss him. But the fact that he is taking retirement doesn’t mean that the Indian team will finish. We have some very talented youngsters who will make us proud. He has made records and we respect that but we will hope that more youngsters will come for it. However it is his cool temperament and a good nature that is something we will never forget. Rarely do we see players who have reached such a height of success but are still so grounded.”
Parveen Sharma, 42, a Business man said “There is no bigger hero than Sachin. Bollywood actors such as Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan are just referred to as heroes but they are just fake and this man is real. For many in this country, Sachin is a religion and a God. It will be impossible to get another Sachin Tendulkar not only in Indian cricket but in the World of International cricket. He is not a normal human being and I sometimes feel he is God that is why he never was involved in any controversy. All we Indians respect him from the core of our heart. If we will compare him with ‘Mahatma Ghandi’ that won’t be wrong.”
Prateek Trehan, 22, a Student said “A legend, god, inspiration and much more, I guess Sachin has many names. To me Sachin has been an institution. A world in himself who can make a whole country watch his every move! I would definitely miss the phenomenon called Sachin, at the same time I respect the fact that he acknowledges the necessity of leaving to create space for someone new to come in. May god bless this country with more players like him! And every man with an attitude like his! Vive la Sachin Tendulkar!”
Ram Saran, 62, Retired Government Officer said, “We Indians are really happy that he played for such a long tenure and now he is retiring with respect. He is one player who did not allow anyone to question his integrity and his name was never dragged into match fixing or getting involved in brawls on the field. He has taught a lesson that someone can be successful without getting involved in all this. The Indian cricket team will not suffer much with his retirement because this is a part of life where people come and go. Our India is proud of Sachin Tendulkar.”
Udeept Pant, 23, an Aquarium Fish Trader said, “For me it would be the end of an era, drama and magic. Sachin Tendulkar is the finest monument that India can boast of in modern day. He is the man who captivated this planet and became ambassador of India on the world stage. He was the reason cricket became a culture. As he showcased his repertoire to the world, people embraced him into their soul and he still occupies the most coveted place in their hearts.”
Utsav Chaudhary, 20, a Student said “When I started watching cricket, Sachin was winning matches for India, single handedly. When I became a cricket aficionado, Sachin was re-writing record books and finally when I was addicted to cricket, my addiction for the game was confined to one prodigious figure, namely Sachin Tendulkar. World cricket without Sachin would now fall into ambiguity. On one hand it would cherish the fact that a player has reached the pinnacle of this game while on the other hand it would lament the fact that a player who set new benchmarks for others is leaving the game. But 50 years from now, people would be compared to Sachin like they are to Bradman now, because of some records that would still have Sachin etched into them. Now, when India will lose its 2nd wicket, I won’t leave my work and stay glued to the TV. When a player would hit a century, I won’t fall into a never-ending euphoria. Now I won’t get a player’s name printed on the back of my favourite T-shirt and I won’t do all of this because there won’t be a Sachin Tendulkar taking guard in front of me.”
