Bangalore; 2001, fag end of an autumn season. I was
there for a test, with no high hopes after repeated failures. Hence there was
no hesitation to allow myself some TV time with friends on the eve of the test.
Indians were on tour to the rainbow nation. At Bloemfontein, India had lost 4
in the first test, to some incisive and hostile mix of fast and swing bowling. I
was with my text books, halfheartedly going through the highs and lows of the
aircraft engine cycles. The mood was melancholy, in the room of 4 people. I strolled
out into the balcony, with a couple of books for company and reluctantly went
through the pages, on reheat and regeneration. Rebuilding was on in the Springbok
Park. Sachin was taking the lead, as was the norm those days. This time
however, he had a rookie who knew no rules for company. Someone who matched him
stroke for stroke and left the bowlers wondering whether the same man batted
from either end. In the background, within the room behind the balcony, the
words of appreciation were giving way to shouts of exhilaration. The temptation
to return to room was becoming increasingly irresistible. However, restraining
thoughts suddenly leapt to mind. Here is someone, of the same age, shouldering
the hopes and aspirations of a nation of a billion people, and almost
unfailingly meeting those expectations every time he walks in to the middle.
The thoughts spurred me on through the pages and pages of aero engine theory
and I had a sound and satisfactory sleep on the night before the test. Next day,
as I stood up and received the question paper for the test, there wasn’t one
question that I couldn’t answer in detail and depth.
Even the atheists cannot but agree with Matthew Hayden;
“I have seen God; He bats at No. 4 for India in Tests.” Sachin had played many
a great innings for India: 143 against Australia at Sharjah in 1998, 98 from
just 75 balls, against Shoaib Akhtar and co at Centurion during 2003 World Cup,
or the path breaking 200 against South Africa at Gwalior in 2010. However, that
innings of 155 at Springbok Park, alongside the double century partnership in
double quick time with Veeru Sehwag, albeit in a lost cause might be the only
one that spurred someone’s benign landing on a career in aero engine design and
testing!!
And as he ‘raised his tea time tweet’ to acknowledge
the fans on reaching another half century, we sincerely hope that he
shall convert it to yet another centum and we shall be around to cheer him for
the same.
