Damn Patriotism, I enjoy him bat!!

[CSK Fan]

I was glued to my Tv sets throughout yesterday's match between India and Australia, something very rare nowadays for me. And I was surrounded by people who were doing the same. And almost everyone of them, was looking out for a Sachin 200, to the extent that, they were abusing Jadeja for hogging the strike. Even when the former was hitting boundaries. How often has it happened that a player transcends results? How often have we seen people praying for an individual's century and not for the team. Over the last few years, when Sachin's form dipped, his fans were made to feel guilty about enjoying his batting. We were told we were selfish, unpatriotic for supporting his batting over the larger team goal. Questions were raised at indian fans who would enjoy a Sachin century even when it came with a team loss.Now I am as patriotic as the next guy but i still immensely enjoy Sachin's batting and sometimes, during the course of it all, forget the results. What explains this phenomenon. I once heard a spanish song. I couldnt understand a word of the song but it mesmerised me. I played it again and again. I forgot myself. I have noticed similar reactions whenever I see at genius at work or whenever I admire a work of art. i have attended many concerts, seen many paintings. But its only the true work of genius which holds me mesmerised. Often the difference between the genius and the merely talented is very subtle for our usual senses. But we can always tell the work of a genius from the pretenders even though we dont know exactly what is the difference. And yesterday, I realised, I was seeing a genius performing his art. And each and everyone watching the match, realised it. It was a symphony, it held you in its thrall and made you forget where you are. The frenzied fan following reminded me of Elvis and the beatles. Who cares what nationality they where from. We wanted more and more, we wanted it never to end. Sachin has always provoked extreme reactions. And his few detractors have accused him and his fans of selfishness. But he is only as selfish as any artist is. His batting is a work of art and should be taken in isolation. I enjoy his batting tremendously, even when my team loses. I might pay to watch him bat even though I know India might lose. Does it make me unpatriotic? Then I am equally unpatriotic while looking at a mona lisa or listening to beethoven.

[Brainfade]

I was glued to my Tv sets throughout yesterday's match between India and Australia, something very rare nowadays for me. And I was surrounded by people who were doing the same. And almost everyone of them, was looking out for a Sachin 200, to the extent that, they were abusing Jadeja for hogging the strike. Even when the former was hitting boundaries. How often has it happened that a player transcends results? How often have we seen people praying for an individual's century and not for the team. Over the last few years, when Sachin's form dipped, his fans were made to feel guilty about enjoying his batting. We were told we were selfish, unpatriotic for supporting his batting over the larger team goal. Questions were raised at indian fans who would enjoy a Sachin century even when it came with a team loss.Now I am as patriotic as the next guy but i still immensely enjoy Sachin's batting and sometimes, during the course of it all, forget the results. What explains this phenomenon. I once heard a spanish song. I couldnt understand a word of the song but it mesmerised me. I played it again and again. I forgot myself. I have noticed similar reactions whenever I see at genius at work or whenever I admire a work of art. i have attended many concerts, seen many paintings. But its only the true work of genius which holds me mesmerised. Often the difference between the genius and the merely talented is very subtle for our usual senses. But we can always tell the work of a genius from the pretenders even though we dont know exactly what is the difference. And yesterday, I realised, I was seeing a genius performing his art. And each and everyone watching the match, realised it. It was a symphony, it held you in its thrall and made you forget where you are. The frenzied fan following reminded me of Elvis and the beatles. Who cares what nationality they where from. We wanted more and more, we wanted it never to end. Sachin has always provoked extreme reactions. And his few detractors have accused him and his fans of selfishness. But he is only as selfish as any artist is. His batting is a work of art and should be taken in isolation. I enjoy his batting tremendously, even when my team loses. I might pay to watch him bat even though I know India might lose. Does it make me unpatriotic? Then I am equally unpatriotic while looking at a mona lisa or listening to beethoven.

First of all, great post. Second, to brand Sachin "selfish" is a silly notion, not even worth an argument. Third, I have contended before and I'll do so again - all things considered, SRT is the greatest all-round sports icon of all time. Bar none. He's as close to "flawless" as a sportsman can get.

[Rajan]

Good write up.... call me superstitious or whatever, i was sitting in a friend's room and was wasting time in browsing through tamil blogs all the time, right from 11-0 in india's innings to sachin scoring the 7th run, and on to each land mark.., once in 20 odd minutes to check cricinfo and immediately closing the page after re assuring he is still playing... , when he neared the 100 i had a curiosity to run across to my home nearby to join the celebration, but i was able to control myself. i could barely believe his scoring rate after all these years ..160 arrived and then started the count down for 194 and i too was wondering whether 200 and also an indian win possible! i almost took it for granted that we would win the match and became too confident that SRT would not be dismissed. then a quick chek told me 334-8 and i closed the page and ran to my home just to catch the shots in the extra innings package. did not expect the last over to have such drama.that hurt more. i missed out watching him score probably his best one day innings live, but i was happy that SRT scored 175 and i could not sleep the whole night thinking how close he was in taking the team to the win and how happy he/i would have been if the team had won! may be God would not allow happiness beyond certain extent on any given day?

[davidcooper]

u guys need to slow down on the god worship here sachin's was one of the greatest ODI inning of all time, but we lost the match and that is the most important result, it is this attitude that saw us lost most games in the 90s even as sachin stacked records, ganguly and dhoni created the "play for the team" mantra, so get over it

[CSK Fan]

u guys need to slow down on the god worship here sachin's was one of the greatest ODI inning of all time, but we lost the match and that is the most important result, it is this attitude that saw us lost most games in the 90s even as sachin stacked records, ganguly and dhoni created the "play for the team" mantra, so get over it

First of all, just because the fans really enjoy his batting does not mean that the players have the same attitude towards the game The reason we lost so many matches in the 90s is not because of any fictional 'attitude', but because we had some really average players and non-existant bowlers i dunno how you can turn all these into blaming Sachin for stacking records when all he was doing and still is doing is scoring runs at a fast pace, exactly what a batsman is supposed to do. Unless you want us to beleive that there is an all powerful cricket God who actually sees that a 100 scored at 90+ strike rate was for personal record and another at 60+ was very unselfish and so gives a victory to the later, I dont see how attitude can affect the outcoem of a match

[Jersey #10]

We need to rename this forum " SRT Fan's paradise" :aha::aha::aha::aha::aha:

[Temujin Khaghan]

Even if Sachin is selfish... like in the movie Troy, Odysseus says something like - he wouldnt care if a soldier fights for his own perosnal glory in a war especially if the soldier was Achilles. I think Sachin is so good that the team would be victorious in the end anyway if he really does only play for himself or if he has things done in his way. He aint Kallis...its not like the situation is something and he does something else.

[riasat]

what BS..... he is a great batsman, undoutedly one of the best the world has ever seen....but the post is just pure melodrama... pray for the team more than the individual, I am sure Sachin wants the same...

[99.94]

I feel sorry Tendulkar. He isn't a miracle worker, he just hits a cricket ball. It's a bit sad to see people billing him up to outrageous levels as if he is some God. Why do more Indians seem to idolise Tendulkar when Ghandi himself was Indian?

[Temujin Khaghan]

I feel sorry Tendulkar. He isn't a miracle worker' date=' he just hits a cricket ball. It's a bit sad to see people billing him up to outrageous levels as if he is some God. Why do more Indians seem to idolise Tendulkar when Ghandi himself was Indian?[/quote'] Same reason why African Americans idolize Michael Jordan more than Martin Luther King. :--D But saying Sachin is god... is something i cant understand.

[satishg]

I feel sorry Tendulkar. He isn't a miracle worker' date=' he just hits a cricket ball. It's a bit sad to see people billing him up to outrageous levels as if he is some God. Why do more Indians seem to idolise Tendulkar when Ghandi himself was Indian?[/quote'] We are like that Wonly :D

[CSK Fan]

what BS..... he is a great batsman, undoutedly one of the best the world has ever seen....but the post is just pure melodrama... pray for the team more than the individual, I am sure Sachin wants the same...

Thank you for spectacularly missing the point. Please read exactly what i posted again. Thanks All i ever said was fans shouldnt be made to feel guilty for enjoy an innings even if it was a lost match. Fans for every other country did enjoy the innings. That does not mean that i dont value a won match or an innings which leads to victory

[vvvslaxman]

Same reason why African Americans idolize Michael Jordan more than Martin Luther King. :--D But saying Sachin is god... is something i cant understand.

I will never understand either. I have been following his career since he made he was picked for the very first series.

[Holysmoke]

I feel sorry Tendulkar. He isn't a miracle worker' date=' he just hits a cricket ball. It's a bit sad to see people billing him up to outrageous levels as if he is some God. Why do more Indians seem to idolise Tendulkar when Ghandi himself was Indian?[/quote'] GANDHI

[The Dark Horse]

I was glued to my Tv sets throughout yesterday's match between India and Australia' date= something very rare nowadays for me. And I was surrounded by people who were doing the same. And almost everyone of them, was looking out for a Sachin 200, to the extent that, they were abusing Jadeja for hogging the strike. Even when the former was hitting boundaries. How often has it happened that a player transcends results? How often have we seen people praying for an individual's century and not for the team. ++

[davidcooper]

idol worship at it's best, or should i say worst

[Temujin Khaghan]

GANDHI

congrats wen u reach 10K.

[Sachinism]

As much as I enjoy watching him bat, the team victory comes 1st because at the end of the day or actually the start of the day, that is what you are playing for

[Show_stopper]

I find it hard to believe people like the guy who started the thread exist..i would have believed it of the old timers like Ravi Shastri etc.. Glad atleast majority of the modern day Indian cricket fans put the team first. To those who are still stuck in the 90's..GROW UP and stop embarrassing yourself..people around you certainly have.

[rahulrulezz]

I certainly enjoy watching Sachin bat than anyone else in the world...but for sure, I prefer India winning over his milestones