To say that Indians are crazy about cricket and cricketers is a gross understatement. Demented, frantic, frenzied would be more accurate! In yet another episode of Sachin mania that
perhaps makes Sachin more uncomfortable has anyone else, his demented fans have gone and commissioned paintings of him as ‘God’, as Lord Hanuman. It is not just as an international cricket player that Sachin is revered; he is quite simply one of the best known, most admired and most popular people in the country today.
Sachin Tendulkar is, as artist Gautam Bhatia explained, "…truly a god to millions of people who worship this sport." And really can you blame Sachin’s fans, when international cricket players, both past and
present wax eloquent about Sachin praising him and lauding him above all others in international cricket?
Take for instance the glowing terms in which former Indian coach and New Zealander John Wright talks about Sachin: according to Wright, Sachin is in the same league as the best batsman in the history of international cricket, Sir Don Bradman and that Sachin had it in him to become the first cricketer to hit 100 international centuries.
Wright who thinks that Sachin, even at 36 will continue to torment bowlers for some time yet, said, "I always felt he is in the same line as Bradman and he has the potential to possibly get a 100 international hundreds combining Tests and One dayers. To do something like that would be truly Bradmanesque."
Another former New Zealander who spoke in glowing terms about Sachin is Martin Crowe who believes that Virender Sehwag is the most destructive match-winner that the game has ever seen but made it clear that the dashing opener will never be able to surpass Sachin Tendulkar, who is in a league of his own. ''Sehwag will
never surpass Sachin Tendulkar. The great man's legacy is in his records, his longevity of playing from age 16 to now 20 years on. He deserves a different kind of appreciation,” said Crowe about the Little Master.
“Tendulkar is more thoughtful, measured and structured. Tendulkar has a genius touch which means he can chalk up more hundreds, average more and carry the hopes of his team longer,” added Crowe.
And it is perhaps this appreciation and abashed admiration from other players both past and present that Sachin probably values more than anything? Certainly the kind of adulation that Sachin receives is unparalleled in international cricket.
