The end of an era

I was able to watch Sachin Tendulkar's final innings yesterday. An era comes to an end.

 

To me, Sachin's retirement really feels like the snapping of a link - the departure of someone, who connected legendary cricketers of yesteryears (Imran Khan, Richard Hadlee, Malcom Marshall, Kapil Dev et al), with whom he played to the Kohlis and other young blood of today. My family didn't even have a TV to watch the matches when this guy started playing - I remember watching bits and pieces of the 1992 world cup standing with a crowd in front of Electronics shops in Trivandrum, watching his rampage during the 1996/1999 world cups on a "Weston" black and white TV at home. Still remember sitting motion less watching him destroy the Pakistani bowling attack during the 2003 world cup in front of a TV with a big, loud group of friends in Hyderabad, watching the miserable failure of 2007 and the triumph in 2011 on my computer while in the US. Starting from 1990, as a secondary school boy, to 2013, where I am today, whichever corner of the world I was and whatever I was doing, I some how always managed to follow Sachin's matches and took a lot of pleasure watching him play. I love cricket, its my most favorite sport and he represented the game to me. So when he departs, I feel like something has come to an end or if you will let me go over the top, more like some one familiar just passed away.

 

Thank you for all the great memories, Sachin. Along with your seemingly unsurpassable records, you will always be remembered for being one of the finest ambassadors of cricket.