General
Zen state of mind
Carrying a load without being weighed down
19-Nov-2013
After India chased down 387 to beat England in Chennai in 2008, shortly after the terror attacks in Mumbai, Sachin Tendulkar, who scored an unbeaten 103 in the chase, said: "From my point of view, I look at it as an attack on India, and it should hurt every Indian, not only people from Mumbai. I would like to dedicate this hundred to all those people who have gone through such terrible times. In no way am I trying to say that this will make everyone forget what happened in Mumbai. But I'd like to thank England for coming back to play Test cricket. We've witnessed a wonderful match. People are again enjoying cricket the way it's meant to be."
For a better part of his career, Tendulkar walked out to bat with the hopes of Indian fans on him. The photo, taken on the final day of the Chennai Test, seems to capture the burden he carried, then more so than ever, with a zen-like calm.
Full postDid Tendulkar deserve the Bharat Ratna?
A round-up of tributes and comments on Tendulkar's retirement
19-Nov-2013
For two years, India had chattered manically to itself about Tendulkar's retirement, about when and how he should choose to leave the game. When he finally announced his decision to quit, in early October, the country fell into collective gloom, writes Samanth Subramanian in the New Yorker.
A national election lurks around the corner, but over the past month it has appeared to be of far smaller consequence than Tendulkar's exit. The newspapers hummed with eulogies, nostalgic essays, and editorials about his career; one media group assembled an entire conference on the subject, called "Salaam Sachin"--a daylong orgy of speechifying and tribute-paying. There were serious suggestions that Tendulkar - who was named last year to a seat in the upper house of India's Parliament - should transition swiftly into politics, and perhaps even become a member of the Cabinet. All around, you could feel a country anxiously gird itself to face the unimaginable trauma of a life after Tendulkar.
While India copes with the loss of Tendulkar, Christian Science Monitor tries to explain his phenomenon to its readers.
Full postThe Sachin generation
A round-up of tributes and comments on Tendulkar's retirement
18-Nov-2013
In his press conference a day after retiring, Tendulkar answered a number of questions on his decision, his career, family and the future. Watch the full video here.
We also look at the reactions and comments in the newspapers two days after his retirement.
In the Asian Age, Ashok Malik writes that to the generation that came of age in the early '90s, Sachin's retirement was a reminder of their own mortality, of how their youth was not just long over but now had to be accepted as over.
Full postGoodbye and good luck
A round-up of tributes and comments on ESPNcricinfo on Tendulkar's retirement
17-Nov-2013
Sachin Tendulkar's final Test lasted less than three days, but the tributes and celebrations for his career will continue for a while now. Here is a collection of videos and pieces on ESPNcricinfo. MS Dhoni calls him the greatest cricketer of all time.
Sidharth Monga, who was at the Wankhede on that final day, gives a blow-by-blow account of Tendulkar's movements and the fans' reactions to every one of them.
People in the stands either wanted Tendulkar to bowl or West Indies to score a lot of runs so they could see Tendulkar bat. Before the start of the 17th over, it seemed they had had their first wish. Tendulkar went from short-fine leg towards the umpire, the crowd left their seats and began to applaud, only to see he was taking R Ashwin's cap over to the umpire. What a tease. What a ritual, though - one he had going with Anil Kumble. During Kumble's perfect ten, Tendulkar insisted he hand the bowler's cap over to the umpire. He did so before Kumble's last over in Test cricket too. Now he was beginning to do the same for Kumble's successors.
When a nation wept
There were tears everywhere as Tendulkar bid his final goodbye
17-Nov-2013
A man who a nation has given constant thanks for, expressed his own gratitude, writes Rohit Brijnath in the Straits Times.
Always he was a man of runs, rarely of words, a private man locked in this most public of professions. He let others do the talking about him, but this day, for almost 24 minutes, he yanked down his well-constructed veil and spoke. In time, people will return to YouTube not just for his innings but for this speech. Tendulkar has rarely been so personal.
Time did not quite stop for the little man out in the middle, but as they had done over the years, a packed stadium and countless others watching on television held their breath, says Anand Vasu in Wisden India.
Full post'Have been lucky to serve this sport'
Tendulkar's retirement speech in front of his hometown fans
16-Nov-2013
Sachin Tendulkar delivered an emotional retirement speech in front of his hometown fans in Mumbai. He thanked his family, coaches, friends, and team-mates who had supported him along the way and urged the next generation of cricketers to "take care of this sport".
"I have full faith in you to continue to serve the nation in the right spirit," he said, "and to the best of your ability, to bring all the laurels to the country. All the very best."
You can read the whole speech here.
Full postWatching Tendulkar say goodbye
ESPNcricinfo's India staff, on how it felt to watch Sachin Tendulkar bid farewell to the game
16-Nov-2013
That old sinking feeling
Shiva Jayaraman: I had almost forgotten the terrible knot in the stomach that, as an India fan in the '90s, one experienced on seeing Sachin walk back to the pavilion. All was lost when he got out; one might have as well switched the TV off. Well, almost. It all came back today, watching him walk back to the pavilion. By the time he had finished his speech, the knot had tightened and there was also a lump in my throat. Strangely, it felt nice to have that sinking feeling again - for one last time.
Shiva Jayaraman is sub-editor (stats) at ESPNcricinfo
Shiva Jayaraman: I had almost forgotten the terrible knot in the stomach that, as an India fan in the '90s, one experienced on seeing Sachin walk back to the pavilion. All was lost when he got out; one might have as well switched the TV off. Well, almost. It all came back today, watching him walk back to the pavilion. By the time he had finished his speech, the knot had tightened and there was also a lump in my throat. Strangely, it felt nice to have that sinking feeling again - for one last time.
Shiva Jayaraman is sub-editor (stats) at ESPNcricinfo
The rumble that wouldn't stop
Alagappan Muthu: I've heard it for as long as I've been alive. I've contributed to it many times - from home, at the ground and a few times right in the middle of the road - and when Sachin Tendulkar picked out that effortless chant as one of his most lasting memories, the Wankhede, understandably, rumbled. And it did not stop. "Sachin, Sachin," he said, and "Sachiiin, Sachin," they roared back. The farewell speech was forced to a grinding halt. They did not want him to go. I did not want him to go. The emotion one man brought out in us - a stranger, by all logic, who somehow became an indispensable part of our lives - will be my lasting memory.
Alagappan Muthu is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
Alagappan Muthu: I've heard it for as long as I've been alive. I've contributed to it many times - from home, at the ground and a few times right in the middle of the road - and when Sachin Tendulkar picked out that effortless chant as one of his most lasting memories, the Wankhede, understandably, rumbled. And it did not stop. "Sachin, Sachin," he said, and "Sachiiin, Sachin," they roared back. The farewell speech was forced to a grinding halt. They did not want him to go. I did not want him to go. The emotion one man brought out in us - a stranger, by all logic, who somehow became an indispensable part of our lives - will be my lasting memory.
Alagappan Muthu is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
Goodbye, childhood
Anuj Vignesh: Amid all the Sachin Tendulkar-related jokes, anecdotes and trivia being passed around, one that resonates really well with me is: "Somewhere between the time Tendulkar picked up and put down the bat, lies my entire childhood." So despite his farewell speech being so beautifully orated, and so beautifully timed, I will not be listening to it again anytime soon. Being a kid of the '90s, those few seconds when you waited to hear from the only (rich) kid with a transistor in school if Tendulkar had got out or not, were the most torturous of your life. But listening to Tendulkar speak today was far worse than anything any of us had ever experienced. Because every word uttered by him, which reminded us that he would not be returning to the pitch again, was a fatal stab into our childhood. A glorious, memorable childhood.
Anuj Vignesh is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
Full postAnuj Vignesh: Amid all the Sachin Tendulkar-related jokes, anecdotes and trivia being passed around, one that resonates really well with me is: "Somewhere between the time Tendulkar picked up and put down the bat, lies my entire childhood." So despite his farewell speech being so beautifully orated, and so beautifully timed, I will not be listening to it again anytime soon. Being a kid of the '90s, those few seconds when you waited to hear from the only (rich) kid with a transistor in school if Tendulkar had got out or not, were the most torturous of your life. But listening to Tendulkar speak today was far worse than anything any of us had ever experienced. Because every word uttered by him, which reminded us that he would not be returning to the pitch again, was a fatal stab into our childhood. A glorious, memorable childhood.
Anuj Vignesh is a sub-editor at ESPNcricinfo
Alert at slip
Manning the cordon
16-Nov-2013
Sachin Tendulkar mostly fielded in the outfield in the latter part of his career but in the early years, he was often stationed in the slips.
In this photo he fields a shot from Mark Taylor in the group match of the 1996 World Cup in Mumbai. Taylor scored 59 as Australia piled up 258 in 50 overs.
In reply, Tendulkar blazed a 84-ball 90 before being stumped off Mark Waugh's bowling. India fell short by 16 runs. Both teams made the semi-final, though, and both were outdone by Sri Lanka - India in the semi-final and Australia in the final.
Full postAn unforgettable 74
India closed in on victory in the second Test in Mumbai but the story of the day was a delightful 74
16-Nov-2013
He was on a waltz that held the swell and ebb of a million pumping hearts, writes Shankarshan Thakur in the Kolkata Telegraph.
Sachin perished to his first and only blemish. His last step was a hop on the backfoot, arms outstretched in unison, patting down a ball that had rebelled off the wicket. It sneaked past that choreography and snorted on to take Darren Sammy down in an ugly heap at slips; the swan of the cricket crease had been snapped mid-posture. And then the singing ceased in the stands, the heartbeat died on its high. Silence.
In the same paper Mudar Patherya writes about the lessons he learnt from Tendulkar
Full postHung websites, and a ten-hour journey
Three fans share their stories about being at Tendulkar's final Test
16-Nov-2013
My friend and I decided to toss a coin
Ramnik B, 30, Kolkata
Ramnik B, 30, Kolkata
I came from Kolkata to watch this match after I got lucky on kyazoonga.com for the tickets. As soon as the dates for this match were announced, I told my boss that no matter what happens, I am going to Mumbai for this. She agreed and since I was supposed to meet a client in Mumbai, I thought I would finish that too.
On the day the tickets were going on sale online for the second Test, I tried to buy them from 10.30am onwards, and kept trying for hours and hours but the website was too slow. Finally, around midnight I gave up, even though I had reached the payment page a couple of times and was a step away from getting the confirmation.
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