Master class number 48 and still counting

The master blaster delivered another master class when he scored his 48th test century against Sri Lanka this week. He has scored almost a 100 centuries, close to 150 fifties, more than 30000 runs in international cricket, till now.

Mind-blowing and mind-numbing stats these, for any cricket follower! But some people are just so hard to please. They still complain that Sachin is not a match winner for India. The Indian government should soon consider bringing in a legislation to arrest people who say Sachin is not a match winner:)

I remember watching an interview of Sachin, taken by the original little master Sunil Gavaskar, about a decade ago. During that interview, Sunil had predicted that the master blaster will score 50 test centuries and 15000 test runs by the time he finishes. Its a tribute, first to Sunil's astute cricketing judgment and secondly to Sachin's supreme batting skills that today, he is close to achieving both the targets.

His journey from a boy of sixteen, playing his first match, to a batsman, whom everybody acknowledges as one of the greatest of all time, is stuff ordinary people don't even dream of, let alone actually living it.

The scars of a bad debut at a very young age take a long time to heal. Ask Sri Lankan Marvan Attapattu, who debuted at the age of eighteen and got three ducks in his first three innings. He confessed years later that he was not ready for international cricket at such a young age. Sachin was barely out of his school days when he made his debut against Pakistan. Imagine facing the likes of Wasim, Waqar, both at their peak. A Waqar bouncer hit Sachin on his face in a match in that series. There was blood on the pitch. Sachin's response? He came on the front foot next ball to hit a cover driven four.

I recently read a book written by Sachin's brother Ajit, a very interesting one. Almost everything Sachin has done since his international debut is very well documented now. But this one talks about Sachin's journey from a school cricketer to his first test match. It brings out some very interesting facets about Sachin the boy, which are still seen him as a cricketer - confidence, focus, fearlessness. Ajit mentions that when Sachin was taken to Ramakant Achrekar's cricket coaching class on first day, he was asked to watch others practicing in the nets. While going back home, Sachin told Ajit that I know I can bat much better than all of them. Mind you, Sachin had never played with a leather ball till then.
At another time, while Sachin was scripting a double hundred in a very prestigious school cricket final, Ajit asked him if the opposition was doing something to disturb his concentration? Sachin said that they know very well that these things don't have any effect on me. Come to think of it, that's how it is even today, ask the Australians:)

Sachin gives me one more reason to be a proud Indian! Even the Pakistanis admire him whole-heartedly. Perhaps he will be able to solve the Kashmir issue once and for all if he is the one talking to Pakistan:)

I believe there are only two things missing from Sachin's resume - A signature test innings, the kind Brian Lara played twice, with scores of 375 and 400. Secondly, of course, the world cup. Many Indians are already dreaming that Sachin will score a wonderful 100 to help us win the final at Wankhede in 2011. Keeping fingers crossed for that one!!