Many more happy returns God!
The last fortnight has witnessed a string of mud-slinging, shake up by ministers at the parliament and some statements being made by cricketing bodies and not to mention the news-hungry media giving Page 1 space for the Indian Premier League that has been conveniently tweaked to Indian Party/Parivar/Petty League much to the horror of a cricket aficionado.
All this commenced with a tweet that literally set the match between Lalit Modi and the cricket running bosses of this nation. Soon, like always, news pertaining cricket hogged the limelight which channels churning out exclusives —one after another and even getting news bytes from all and sundry. What is indeed demeaning in all this is the utter disregard to the authenticity of news reports. One news channel ran an hour report on Modi’s involvement in the match-fixing without any quote from anyone……absolutely atrocious. Have we really stooped down to such a low to garner eyeballs?
It is ridiculous how media tends to make a mountain out of a mole hill. Time to wake up and smell the coffee. This is not to say that all the reports that have been on air are false or malicious. There certainly is a line to draw and wait for the investigations to see the light at the end of the tunnel before the media monikers give their verdict.
Amidst all this hull-gulla in the last fortnight, one man has convenient reached his 37th year—Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. This run-making machine has just had a stupendous IPL with 570 chanceless runs at an average of 47.50. The God has so far preferred a dignified silence on the whole issue and quite remarkably maintained that this too shall pass during an interview on Friday to a television channel. What separates God from the mere mortals is his ability to switch off when he enters the field and let his play talk than his mouth. How I wish the bosses who are responsible of running cricket in this country take a cue from the country’s greatest ever sportsman.
I have always maintained this and I would like this again! Sachin, you may have endorsed countless brands in your life, but cricket for sure can’t get a better, bigger brand than you. There are many cricketers who have played this great game and brought laurels to their respective nations, but never has anyone carried the weight of a billion expectations with such aplomb as you have.
At 37, you have absolutely nothing to achieve in your life barring the blue sky. You have made us proud every time you have played the game and I can’t be more proud than having had the rare privilege of watching you score some sensational centuries in my life. As a cricket worshipper, I expect nothing more.
May you have a safe and sweet day today and play and entertain every under the sun like you have for the last two decades.
