It was not expected so soon from
Sachin Tendulkar to announce his retirement from cricket but he did it on 10th
of this month putting all his fans out of the track. Though 40 now yet he still
has lot of Cricket left in him and as a matter of fact for a sportsman like him
forty age is not something an advanced age.
Elsewhere in other Sports
especially in soccer some top class footballers retired world class soccer playing
much after forty. 1982 World Cup winning
captain of Italy, Dino Zoff was 41 when he lifted the Word Cup Trophy for his national
team Italy and as a matter of fact at that age he was in top and matured form.
This is only one example.
Sachin’s detractors and critiques may be expecting the
level Sachin had 10 years back but no, surely no and none can expect that form
and that level from him now but he acquired lot of maturity and seasoning
otherwise at 35 only he would have been dropped from the team. Will his
replacement be as good as he is now? Now
he may not be an individual player singularly winning the match but surely now
he is a great team player with his enormous experience which Indian team cannot
afford to lose.
Announcing his retirement, like
soccer wizard Pele in mid-seventies, Sachin showed his weakness of defeatism. He should have gone for more years until his
reflexes become weak and physically
unfit. Like Pele, Sachin showed that he too is a coward, afraid of losing public
support. So, in view of this, he must have said now “leave
while you are still on top” like Pele did.
When asked why you are retiring
when you are still the best in the World, replied Pele thus “I must go when I
am still admired and wanted and not when I become unwanted”. When he retired, Pele was still running 100
Metres in 11 seconds which was my record in Goa when I was 17. Running 100 Mtrs
in 11 seconds in his mid-thirties means very great feat and form on the part of
Pele besides he at that advanced age had the same ball control and shooting
power and never losing an inch of his skill in aerial duels.
In the history of Brazil people never cried as
they did when Pele played his last and farewell game, himself crying like a
baby on the field while leaving the field with the loud chants from the stadium
packed spectators saying “OBRIGADO PELE – OBRIGADO”. With this Obrigado, Pele
gone gracefully as Sachin has decided now in India to go gracefully.
Sachin Tendulkar falls into the
category of greatest sportsmen of this planet like Pele and Maradona in soccer and Mohammed Ali
in Boxing. Both Pele and Sachin Tendulkar retired gracefully but not Maradona
and Mohammed Ali.
When he exited from
World class soccer Maradona was shamed into forced retirement by FIFA for using
banned drugs for which he was caught while playing for his national team Argentina
in 1994 World Cup held in USA where he was still the hero of soccer. Though he
lost many of his earlier skills yet he was useful for his team because at that
time he was not only playing top soccer but more than that like a Maestro he
was making his colleagues play and play beautifully top soccer.
When in the middle of the World Cup
tournament he was banned from further playing, the charm, the beauty and the interest in
that tournament gone. What a great fall of great footballer!! Without
farewell, without Obrigado. While coming
into the soccer scene he came like a Lion singing Hosannas but while leaving he
left like a cockroach unsung. What a pity it is!!
The other great sportsman from that great category was Boxer Mohammed
Ali. After retiring he tried to regain the
World boxing title but he could not withstand the fury of his opponent who earlier
was Mohammed Ali’s sparring partner in his Gym. Earlier he regained the title
twice and this time he wanted to win it again for the third time and create an unbreakable history but he failed
and after receiving heavy pounding from his opponent he asked the match referee
to stop the fight since he wants to quit being unable to receive any more pounding
from his opponent who was much junior to him.
Thus the once great World
Heavyweight Boxing Champion Cassius Clay who later on after converting to Islam
became Mohammed Ali, gone into forced retirement without any
farewell. He was great not only in the
Boxing Ring but also in American politics.
It was he who was more responsible to change American policy towards
Vietnam War. It was he more than anyone
else who was responsible to change the public opinion against American
involvement in Vietnam War.
Coming back to Tendulkar, in his
retirement not only Indian Cricket becomes poor but more than that Cricketing
World will become poor. His retirement
will be a great loss to the World of Cricket because he was watched and admired
by the entire Cricket World though small in comparison with Soccer World.
During his entire Cricketing
career he not only played good Cricket but also spent the life without any type
of scandal, neither on the field nor outside the field. A very decent man on and off the field. The new comers must try to emulate his
upright character and respect for morality.
Thru Cricket Sachin Tendulkar became a multi-millionaire but did he give
something in return for the soil where he was born and for his society like
Imran Khan did in Pakistan where he built a Cancer Hospital in memory of his
late mother? With his enormous money power he should start a Cricket Academy to help poor boys to play this game. Indian society has given him all the love, support and encouragement to reach to the top. In return he must do something for Indian society.
It is very tragic that Indian Cricketers inspite of earning
millions are shying away from involving in charitable work. With their enormous money power they can easily
alleviate the sufferings of many of the poor Indians who I am sure are the great
fans of these super rich Cricketers.
While concluding, I say like Brazilians said to Pele, "OBRIGADO SACHIN TENDULKAR - OBRIGADO".
While concluding, I say like Brazilians said to Pele, "OBRIGADO SACHIN TENDULKAR - OBRIGADO".
A. Veronica Fernandes,
Kuwait.
