Healing a Wounded Nation: My favourite Sachin Tendulkar Innings

Healing a Wounded Nation: My favourite Sachin Tendulkar Innings

Perched at the top. More deservedly now, than ever before.

Perched, on the top of the sofa handle, his honest eyes bore through the television screen into mine. His words, pure like his batting genius, sound more prophetic now, than ever before.

He tells me, “I play for India!”…Yes, you do, and how! He tells me, “Now, more than ever.” And boy! Didn’t he, the last time around?

It must have been preordained.

Cricket, once again proved the soothing balm. The frayed nerves refused to settle for anything less than revenge, vendetta, crying for eye for an eye, baying for more blood. Cricket came to the rescue of the tormented nation. Even though, capable of making a difference only to a select few fanatics like me, this game was not expected to dissipate the pall of gloom that had engulfed us, and lift the spirits to a high, like never before.

But the boy genius of world cricket had decided to take the onus unto himself of playing the role of the healer.

He has had to bear the enormous weight of the cross hung around his neck, by the purists of the game. He had almost done it before, but only almost. Leading his country to victory and stay undefeated, in the fourth innings of a test match somehow became the only blemish, the genius would have to live with, or it seemed so!

The restless, fidgety cricketing brain was always aware of the aberration. He had to clear the cobwebs and be bullheaded to stay focused on achieving the elusive. History has it on record that the English conquered the Indian subcontinent. Three centuries later, they descended again. This time around, they conquered the Indian hearts. So, the stage was set for the master to perform. And of course a modicum of help by yet another freak of a genius, Virender Sehwag, did not go unnoticed by anyone.

Come day five, enter the magician.

We all were there- the English, the spectators, the umpires-the world. At Chennai. But one bloke had transported himself into a zone, timeless, unfathomable and unreachable for the lesser mortals. Conspicuous were the usual tics involving the head flexion, the deft gentle nudges to the pads and to the unmentionable, by their absence. There was surreal calmness about him, which created a halo of serenity around the Indian camp. Unhurried, compact with unwavering concentration, almost sage like in his demeanour at the crease, the genius transformed himself in the Buddha.

Failed or aborted attempts in the past leave unanswered questions and a diffident mindset, when confronted again with similar predicaments. Years ago, it was the same venue, exactly the same burden of carrying his team to victory, he had fallen agonisingly short of the victory target. Not this time, though. The venue was the same, the situation not very different from the one that questioned his temperament in the fourth innings of a tight match, then pray WHAT was different?

Different was the emotional state, at the loss of dignity of his very own Mumbai. Mumbai’s most famous son was hurting badly from within. He had to play the role of the healer. After all these years as the role model and a darling of the entire nation, he is aware of his reach to the millions of countrymen. Every stroke, every boundary weaved theirmagic as soothing dressing to the festering sores of the wounded Mumbaikars and Indians.

Every teammate and every Indian fed off him.

When the final shot to the fence brought his umpteenth test century and an improbable Indian victory, the little champion leaped in the air. His little jump was so symbolic. He had exorcised the ghost of not delivering in the final essay, raised his stature in the game and kept his tryst with destiny. The chosen, the favourite son of Mumbai had done us all one more favour.

He had kept his promise to the nation, still reeling in the aftermath of the tragedy, and healed our wounds, in the manner he knows the best-by waving his magic wand…….

Bhash Mankad

Bhash Mankad is a professional lawyer who loves to write anything and everything about Cricket. When he isn't drafting lengthy and verbose petitions, you will find him gloating and Jeering over Rohit Sharma's languid sixes and Jasprit Bumrah's Yorkers amongst the umpteen other things that he loves about Indian cricket.

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  31. Author - Nirav Palan

    Wow. . Very well written. . Thanks for getting back those beautiful memories. . .Sachin had tears in his eyes after the victory is also I remember a bit haizily though

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      Thank You for your kind words Nirav….Truly appreciate them !

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      Thank you Pranjal….I guess it has much less to do with the words but the runs that flowed from Sachin’s bat that day that made it possible. Cheers !

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