Masterstroke

Fortunate is a batsman whose career stretches beyond a decade. To be able to bat for almost twice that period of time and yet remain the mainstay of the team requires much more than a simple fortune. In that respect, Sachin Tendulkar, one of cricket’s most recognized faces today, deserves every bit the praise he gets.
The Anchor
The Indian cricket team’s batting used to revolve around the master blaster, as Tendulkar is usually referred to, a few years ago. But a slew of injuries and the emergence of a new crop of players culminated in the upheaval of this phenomenon. As is the case with several things in nature, everything that goes around, comes around and so is the pivotal role of Tendulkar in the Indian batting line up. Uncalled is it to look anywhere for evidence other than to the rest of the members of the team who played around his match-winning knock on the day of the first and second finals of the CB series against Australia.
The Critics
Very few players in the history of the sport were subjected to such microscopic scrutiny of their career as Tendulkar have been. Criticisms flowed as did the accolades and he took them in his strides as he always do. Not many critics who castigated Tendulkar by claiming that he plays for personal glory rather than the victory of the team turns a blind eye on Saurav Ganguly's indication to the umpire that a run came off his bat and not from his pads as the umpire thought and had signaled a leg-bye during an ODI. Navjot Sidhu was quick to respond from the confines of the commentator box, "That’s runs for the team, Mr.Ganguly"! Neither do they acknowledge the fact that Tendulkar always runs hard between the wickets and pushes for twos and threes without bothering the name to which the run is going to be added. Much was talked and written about his injuries by many and not without any facts to back those claims. But like a true champion, he bounced back changing the style of his batting to suit his physical discomfort that any injury or the surgery performed on the injured part could have caused.
Role Model
Unlike many of the teenage prodigies that the world of sport has seen, Tendulkar has shown a kind of maturity and conduct both off and on the field that is unparalleled. Not even once in his long career has he been known to be wayward while numerous schoolchildren turned sport stars found their high in sex or drugs. Taunts and jibes from the opposition always prompted him to score more runs rather than letting his tongue wag.
Not Yet
One of the spectators put up a banner at the Sydney Cricket Ground on the day of the first final of the triangular series with the words “Sachin, thanks for the memories”. Maybe the guy himself has a short memory. He might have allowed a sudden amnesia to creep in by forgetting that there is no point in writing Tendulkar off. Scores of people tried doing that more than once. Who knows, Sachin Tendulkar could be part of the Indian team that tours Australia in 2011!