Its only a game

It was the January of 1999, the Pakistan team had come to tour India for the first time in 12 years, and what a series it was, I distinctly remember the 10 wickets by Kumble, but there is one more thing that would never leave me.
The Pakistani squad taking a victory lap of the Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai and the crowd giving them a standing ovation.
It sure was a magical site. I could point out that series as the one in which I fell in love with test cricket, with Anil Kumble, and with Sachin Tendulkar.

I have watched Sachin play almost all throughout his career, I remember going to Kotla as a kid to watch him score 137 against Sri lanka in the 96 world cup, I remember staying up late to watch him destroy Austrailia in Sharjah, twice.
I remember the 2003 world cup math against Pakistan, the Sydney Test double centuary, a spectacular test century against South Africa. The CB series final.
I remember his thrashing of Shane Warne, loved what he did to Sohaib, have tremendously enjoyed his straight and cover drives. Just watching him bat has been a treat.

Even today Sachin Tendulkar played a great knock. Delightful 175 runs scored to chase Australia's 350. India fell 3 runs short, I was really disappointed. It reminded me of the Chennai test where a defiant and determined century from Sachin took India close to victory, but after his wicket, the team just collapsed.
Not unlike today, more than ten years later. We couldn't make it to the end.

As disappointed as I am, I know its only a game, and have said so to 4 people since. But hurt I am as I was when we lost that test, or the world cup final or 2007's Sydney test.
I wanted to write this just to say that there is only so much a man can do, there is only so much a man can do for 20 years, it a team effort which has to take the team through.

But I will not go down that lane.

All I want to do is to thank Sachin Tendulkar with all my heart. Thank him for the numerous matches that he has won for my country, and for trying his best in the others, I wanted to thank him for him centuries and his fifties.
Just to thank him for all joy he has given me and all the cricket lovers.