You don’t “watch” Sachin. You feel him.
From the way he adjusted his gloves before every ball…
To the silence that fell when he got out…
To the way stadiums erupted before he even crossed 50 — Sachin wasn’t just playing cricket. He was carrying a billion hopes on his back.
The 90s Kid’s Superhero
If you grew up in the 90s, you know this:
- No matter who the opponent was…
- No matter how bad the pitch looked…
- No matter how fragile the middle order seemed…
As long as Sachin was batting, we believed.
He was hope with a helmet on.
Stats Are Great, But They Don’t Capture the Madness
Yes, 100 international centuries.
Yes, over 34,000 international runs.
Yes, the only player to score a double ton in ODIs at that time.
BUT — it wasn’t the numbers that made him a legend.
It was the noise when he walked out to bat.
It was the dead silence when he got out.
It was the way your dad, your chacha, your paanwala — everyone — just paused life when he was in the middle.
He Carried Us. Every. Single. Time.
- 1998 Sharjah: Sandstorm? No problem. Back-to-back tons vs Australia.
- 2003 World Cup: 673 runs, carried India to the final.
- Back injury? Tennis elbow? He still showed up and gave bowlers nightmares.
There’s a reason bowlers respected him more than their captains.
Fantasy Player Before Fantasy Even Existed
Imagine peak Sachin in today’s fantasy games:
- Strike rate ✅
- Consistency ✅
- Opening the innings ✅
- Catches at slip ✅
- Bowling part-time spin for bonus wickets ✅✅✅
He would be the ultimate captain pick. Always.
Final Thoughts
When Sachin retired, a part of every Indian fan’s childhood retired too.
We didn’t just lose a player — we lost our constant.
The man who made us love the game.
Who gave us pride, even during tough times.
