Seven videos which reflect Sachin Tendulkar’s pop-star like following around the world
Tendulkar and his pop star-like following across world
If there is one cricketer who enjoys pop star like adulation from his fans, it is Sachin Tendulkar — even in retirement. H Natarajan captures the jaw-dropping ovation Tendulkar got from cricket fans at various grounds around the world.
“Some people come into our lives and leave quickly, while some stay into our lives and leave footprints in our hearts and we are never the same.” – Unknown.
No cricketer epitomises the above quote better than Sachin Tendulkar. No cricketer, past or present — perhaps with the sole exception of the incomparable Sir Don Bradman — left such a deep impact in the consciousness of the people across the world as Tendulkar has. An entire generation of Indians did not know what it meant to contemplate an Indian team minus the maestro. There was national mourning when Tendulkar left the international stage with a trail of luminescent glory, the likes of which cricket had not seen before. Even the stone-hearted and the cynics broke down when one of the saddest moments became a reality.
But Tendulkar’s exit was on the cards for quite some time. And the thought that they would not get to see one of the greatest sporting icons ever saw fans not only throng the stadiums around the world but also give the kind of ovation no cricketer has ever go so consistently for such a protracted time.
Following videos will capture some of those dramatic moments:
October, 2010 vs Australia at Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore
Fans go wild after Tendulkar completes 14,000 runs in Test.
August 2011 vs England at Kennington Oval, London
Sachin Tendulkar scored 91 in his farewell appearance at this venue.
November 2011 vs West Indies at Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Gautam Gambhir is out for 55, and crowd is delirious that they will get to see the entry of Sachin Tendulkar. He remains unbeaten on 67 at the end of the day, but the following morning he falls six short of getting to his 100th international century.
December 2011 vs Australia at the MCG, Melbourne
Tendulkar gets a standing ovation in the Boxing Day Test. He scored 73 and 32 in his last appearance at this historic venue.
November 2013 vs West Indies at the Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
It is Tendulkar’s 200 and final Test — a hugely emotional moment for the entire cricketing world. Murali Vijay’s exit was cheered lustily as the spectators were waiting for THE moment. The electronic screen reminds the fans with a “Don’t even blink” message while thousands inside the stadium and millions all over the world gave the genius a standing ovation.
The final walk to the pavilion
The poignancy of the moment is best reflected in the West Indies skipper who refuses to celebrate after his catch ended a fairytale career and crushed the dreams of millions of Indians wanting to see their hero get one last hundred in his farewell innings.
What a send-off by the Indian team!
First came a unique guard of honour by the Indian team; then came tears from the eyes of man who has brought so much joy to his countrymen; and finally a lap of honour on the shoulders of his team-mates before disappearing into international exile forever.
July 2014, MCC vs Rest of the World, Lord’s, London
MCC was celebrating its bicentenary and Sachin Tendulkar was asked to lead a star-studded team against again equally star-studded Rest of the World team led by Shane Warne. Very rarely one gets to see such huge collection of cricketing talent in one match. But there was absolutely no doubt who the biggest draw was in this very special match as this video proves when the great man comes out to bat one last time at this hoary venue. Sachin Tendulkar scored a brilliant 44 while sharing a hundred-run partnership with Aaron Finch to lead MCC to a seven-wicket victory.
Even in retirement, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar remains an epic hero.
(H Natarajan, formerly All India Deputy Sports Editor of the Indian Express and Senior Editor with Cricinfo/Wisden, is the Executive Editor of CricketCountry.com. A prolific writer, he has written for many of the biggest newspapers, magazines and websites all over the world. A great believer in the power of social media, he can be followed on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/H.Natarajan and on Twitter at http://twitter.com/#!/hnatarajan)