Sachin the Great

LilBoy BigTown

What a joy it was watching Tendya glide the ball down to fine leg and run a 3. In the process, he became the highest ever run scorer in the history of Test cricket. It was 2:31 pm, the venue was Mohali.

Being a Friday, I had caught up with a mate for few drinks at a pub watching the game when he went past Lara. Every single person in the pub was on his/her feet appluading the great man. I couldn't believe it. This was Sydney, not Mumbai but that's the sort of respect and affection Tendulkar commands the world over.

I bet I was the proudest Indian going around in Sydney yesterday, wearing a big grin.

Thank You Sachin for bringing such contentment to our hearts. At a time when the word legend is thrown around way too much, it's a select few, such as yourselves who do justice to the term.

People say Bradman was the greatest of all time, I say he was the best in his era. Just as Sachin is, in his time.

julesa

congrats to Sachin for getting the record.

it's hard to compare Bradman and other batsmen like Sachin. Bradman had an average of almost 100, which is head and shoulders above anyone else, ever. but today's game is different.

LilBoy BigTown

Jules,

This is an arguement I hear a lot from Aussies and I don't buy it . Bradman played at a time when most of the Test cricket was played between Aus & England. They played on similar pitches and they played a Test series every 6 months or so.

When you play the same opposition as much as Bradman did on surfaces pretty much similar all the time, its not hard to see why he was successful.

Cricket today is mighty hard. There are different teams and they play on pitches that are on extreme ends. Not to mention the demands of the modern day cricket.

The current lot of cricketers play non stop all year round. They play Tests, ODI and T20's. They play under the unrelenting glare of world media which spies and scrutinies there every move at great lengths.

Bradman never played in the subcontinent, it would have been interesting to see what average he ended up with if that were to happen. Sachin has played all around the world for much much longer than Bradman, or any other player in the history of the game ever did.

Not only that, he has scored heavily in every single Test playing nation, with his highest number of runs and centuries coming against Australia. He is the one and the only to conquer who the Aussies talk up as the greatest spinner of all time. (Again something i find a little hard to digest. Murali to me looks just as good).

You can argue that crash helmets were not available to Bradman and the bats weren't as good. You can say the facilities were at best, basic in his time and that is why I don't rate Sachin, ahead of the Don. I think they were both as good as they come in their own times. (Sachin still is)

I think its impossible to compare different era's. The fair thing to do is compare players from the same era and there is no doubt Tendulkar is the number one in his time. Not a run away number one, with Lara coming in a close 2nd. But No. 1 nontheless.

This is not to discredit Bradman. As i said he was a great too, just not the 'all time' great.

julesa

there's a good reason why aussies didn't tour the subcontinent back then. on the first tour that did occur, i think half the team came back home with Hep A or some similar, serious disease. india was a particularly inhospitable place for westerners back then

the incredible thing about Bradman was his average. there's no arguing with that, no one else's came close in his, or any other era. against England's infamous bodyline tactics, while other aussie batsmen were being carried off injured, bradman just carted them. for these reasons, in Australia bradman is revered as more than just a good batsman.

but cricket is different now. it's unlikely Bradman would have had the same average in today's game. in that sense, Sachin's achievements are truly great and i agree you can't compare eras directly.

warne and murali is a different matter. i think they're both great, it doesn't seem either are clearly better than the other. although, many feel Murali is tainted by the whole throwing saga. Warne, also is tainted, but not for reasons associated with his cricketing skills

julesa

btw, don't misinterpret my comments on Bradman. he last played many decades ago and there is no dispute that today, Sachin reigns with the bat. it's his time in the sun.

Munivar

He is truly one of a kind....to shoulder the responsibility and hopes of a Billion people and to carry himself with humility, honesty and dignity all these years in a game that is full of cheaters, match-throwers and arrogant a-holes.

I am glad that I lived in the same time as he played. I still remember the day many years ago when I saw him make a century in the Chepauk test against Aus and helped India win the match.

Even with him not at his best, he is still head and shoulders above many if not all of current players.

Take a bow Sachin. This is your day.

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Yaadhum Oore Yaavarum Kaelir !!!

shashank.aggarwal

Sacheeen.....Sachin !!!!! Sacheeen..Sachin !! Sacheeen..Sachin !!

One phrase somes it all, he brings joy in my life. Still have to switch off the TV or change the channel once the man is out.

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Spineless

Travelogue - Around India