What is it about Sachin Tendulkar?

He is 35 years and 1 month old. Not an age that cricket boards across the world would endorse players to still be in any team, leave alone the national team. I remember an account that Sunil Gavaskar gave in his book - One Day Wonders. When India went to Sharjah for the Rothmans trpohy in 1985, and that was right after winning the World Championship of Cricket down under, the board and many fans were circumspect of the several OTs (over 30s) the team was carrying. Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Amarnath, Madan Lal, Binny... there were more perhaps. But it was the OTs that contributed maximum to India winning that Rothmans Trophy. In fact Sunil Gavaskar was Man of the Series.

Pardon the digression, now let's come back to the Man in question. At 35, he is chosen as the captain of a professional team in a form of cricket that millions of critics believe he is not suited for. He is a non-starter due to injury and his critics shout harder. Silently but surely, he makes his debut. And what happens? The crowds swell more than ever. A whilrind in the form of Sanath Jayasuriya rises and sweeps out the opposition. Unknown names like Nayar and Chitnis deliver soul stirring performances. And the Man himself plays one of the cleanest knocks in 20-20 in a run chase that would have been among the greatest in 20-20 history. Alas, Mumbai fell one run short of Punjab.

Who else is most talked about in his presence or his absence? Who else does the cricketing world wait more in expectation of, whatever the form of the game? And who else has silenced his critics more times than one can count? May be one Mr. Sanjay Manjrekar can answer that last question in respect of the recent Indian ODI series triumph in Australia.

It remains to be seen what will happen to Mumbai in the IPL. It further remains to be seen how many more international centuries the Man will score. And then there is the Billion Dollar Question, "Will Sachin play another World Cup?". No one knows the answers yet, but like Balwinder Singh Sandhu said, if he is available at that time, the Man will select himself to the team. No one selects Sachin. Pardon me, Mr. Anil Ambani, no Kudos to you that Sachin was made the captain of the Mumbai IPL side.

So what is it about Sachin Tendulkar. The talent, the toughness, the hard work, the humility, it's all there. I try to think of one thing about the Man that's not right and my mind goes blank. Consider me deaf to all those people who say, "He is not a big match player" or "He cannot close the game". There is nothing that Sachin needs to prove anymore.

I don't know what it is about Sachin Tendulkar. I don't know what makes me take time to write about him than follow my home team Chennai Super Kings as they duel with Bangalore RCs. But I know for sure, that soon there will be a day, when I may not even follow cricket anymore, leave alone write about it. That is the day, Sachin Tendulkar decides to hang up his boots.

I don't know what it is about Sachin Tendulkar, but if i were to be born again, I would be blessed, if I was born as Sachin Tendulkar.

P.S. This is an original post published on MSN.co.in on May 22, 2008