Bharat Ratna parting gift to Sachin
MUMBAI: Finally, the Master's long innings is over. Though Sachin Tendulkar tried to resist tears, at times emotion took over him. The God of cricket finally revealed his mortal side on Saturday. Sachin bid a tearful goodbye to cricket.
The Wankhede Stadium over the last few days had seen people discuss, even moan, what they will miss. Sachin Tendulkar had been part of their lives for 24 years and most of the talk centred on how they would handle his absence.
Hardly anybody spared a thought for those who had missed Tendulkar for most of their lives. How does it feel to be the wife, daughter and son of a person who belonged to the nation, but did not belong to them?
Tendulkar, bestowed with Bharat Ratna on Saturday, said for 16 years he missed his children. 'But for the next 16 years and beyond, I'll be with you,' he said.
The TV camera caught wife Anjali, daughter Sarah and son Arjun standing near the presentation area, happy in the knowledge that the most valuable man in their lives had at last ended other commitments.
But they were not sure how things will pan out. 'I can imagine cricket without Sachin, but can't imagine Sachin without cricket,' said Anjali on TV. 'I've never seen him completely switched off. I really don't know what he will do now,' she added with an apprehensive smile.
Arjun, who has been named among the Mumbai under-14 probables, made his father's farewell Test memorable in a unique way. He came to the ground with his mother and sister on the first day, but didn't like the solemn ambience of the MCA President's Box. On seeing some of his friends around the boundary ropes as ball boys, he promptly expressed a wish to be with them.
As the second day's play coincided with his school match, Arjun went for that, but rushed to the ground on finding out that the opponents had not turned up.
'His coach got his accreditation done and there he was as a ball boy. It was a surprise for Sachin, who discovered him on the giant screen,' said Anjali. Tendulkar, too, was seen at Wankhede in that role in the 1987 World Cup.
Saturday ended this agony of the world's most celebrated cricketer's life. Tendulkar will not have to check the whereabouts of his son on giant screens anymore and his family will stop worrying how they can spend time with him.
Cricket lost Tendulkar, but the Tendulkars found him.
News Posted: 17 November, 2013
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