Mumbai: Without doubt the most enduring phenomenon in modern cricket and India's biggest sporting icon, Sachin Tendulkar is all set for an epic curtain call starting on Thursday when he steps on the field against the West Indies for his 200th and final Test where emotions will weigh heavy. For once, an individual would be the focus even though it is a clash of two teams and why not, given that the individual in question is a man who successfully transformed from a prodigal talent to a living legend in 24 glorious years. Tendulkar has been synonymous with the game in India for more than two decades and held in awe and admiration all over the cricket-playing world.
As a curly-haired teen with unbelievable talent, he walked in to the cricket field and the hearts of his fans quite effortlessly ever since his debut in 1989. And Such has been his domination in both the places that the vacuum he would leave seems infallible. Having won the first Test by an innings and 51 runs, Team India and their senior most statesman will be focussed on inflicting another humiliating defeat on a mediocre Caribbean outfit at the Wankhede Stadium. But the scores and statistics will certainly take backseat for the next few days as a nation gets ready to bid farewell to arguably its greatest and most revered sporting icon.
When Sir Don Bradman retired at the Oval in 1948, there were tributes but celebrations of a fantastic career were much muted. But now as world cricket's most celebrated No 4 batsman bids adieu to the game, there is a silent prayer on everyone's mind -- let it be a farewell to remember. While the onus will be on Mahendra Singh Dhoni to control on-field proceedings, it will also be difficult for the players not to feel overwhelmed by the occasion and emotions associated with the great man's farewell. For the legend himself, he would like to sign off on a high in front of his friends and family with a knock that will be etched in everyone's memory in the years to come.
Having got a raw deal from umpire Nigel Llong in his penultimate Test match in Kolkata, the highest run-scorer in Test history would expect that a Shane Shillingford or Tino Best do not 'do an Eric Hollies' on him as he walks out to bat at his beloved Wankhede for the last time. Legend has it that Sir Don's eyes became moist and he failed to spot Hollies' googly in his last Test innings to get out for a duck. It will be interesting how the 40-year-old Tendulkar keeps his emotions under check during the last few days of his glittering career. May be he would like to finish with a flourish like Greg Chappell, who scored a century in his final knock before calling time on his career.
As Tendulkar walks into the sunset, he would only feel reassured that the transition phase of Indian cricket looks to be complete with the Dhawans and Kohlis ready to keep the tri-colour flying. But Indian cricket is set to feel quite poor once its most loved and revered player hangs up his gloves.
