An open letter to Sachin Tendulkar from his die hard fan!
Dear Sachin,
This is the 1st time I am writing a letter to you. I chose this time to write a letter as your birth-date is approaching near. The birthday I celebrate as a festival. I am your fan since Hero Cup semi-final against South Africa at Kolkata in 1993. The first time I heard your name was in 1990 when you were playing with Indian Team in Sharjah. I was merely 7 years old at that time and I still remember how much my gymnastic coaches were expecting from you during our practice session (I used to practice gymnastics at school). I still wonder how people could expect so much from a 16 year old kid at international level when he’s playing with and against the likes of Kapil Devs, Imrans, Marshals, Bothams and so on. The expectations of people of India were huge from the 16 year old kid even at that time and the expectations got bigger by every passing day. Now you are playing with Pontings, Dhonis, Yuvrajs, Haydens, Flintoffs, and so on. Players have come and gone but Sachin Tendulkar is still there, yes! at the top. The burden you are carrying since you made your debut at the age of 16 is simply enormous & you have carried it in your own style never even considering as burden but as love and adulation from your fans.
People often ask me why I am your fan and the reply is quite simple, its because of three things – trust, personality and consistency. “ You cannot fix a match until and unless Sachin Tendulkar is out.” This is what a bookie said to CBI officers during the interrogation of match fixing scandal in 2000 and later accepted by the Team’s doctor Dr. Ali Irani. In my opinion this is the best and most satisfying compliment. As a fan I can proudly quote this line among all cricket fans as no one in the entire cricketing world got this compliment. When you love someone you look for the trust and you have proved to everyone that Sachin Tendulkar plays for the team. So if you are at the crease, we can watch an entire match, without even considering how others have fared. We know Sachin Can take us through. I still remember during the 90’s whenever you used to get out in a match, people used to switch off their television. Does this happen with any other player? A simple flat NO!
When talking about your personality, there is no other celebrity who is a better example for us than you, to show us how to keep our head held high and feet on the ground even after tasting success. Its the on/off field behavior, your choice of words, your articulation and choice of the platform to speak which has kept the trust going. You’re neither outspoken nor a publicity hungry, yet whatever Sachin Tendulkar does becomes a news. You have shown us that success doesn’t always get into your head until n unless you know how to handle it. Now talking about consistency, we all know you have scored thousands of runs in both form of cricket. Its not the number of runs you scored, its because you scored them against all the opposition, for which we love you. You started your career in 1989 and you are still playing with same hunger and passion. The whole bunch of under 19 World Cup champion team was not even born at that time and the day they won the World cup you were writing the script of one of the most famous victories of India in Sydney. Besides playing copy book strokes you invented few shots which have now become a trend in ODI’s and T-20, like the upper cut over the slips (which you 1st played against South Africa in 2001 off Kallis for a six) and the paddle sweep against the spinners (against Warne and all).
I wish to be there in place of Yuvraj
The way you single handedly pushed the team into the finals was amazing, And when Tony Greg was shouting like anything “Sachin Tendulkar wants to win this match,” it made me feel like there’s just one man playing against the 11 players and 2 umpires. You have been known as the one man army in the 90’s as no one gave you enough support and you have won lot of matches just by your majestic performance. Saurav, Rahul and VVS were new to international cricket and the old champs were retiring (and few were involved in match fixing). India can’t lose a match if Sachin Tendulkar is on the crease. This feeling is still there even in the 2000s when you have enough support from Yuvi, Dhoni, Uthappa . There is no certainty whether they will win the match if they will be the last batsman on the crease.
During the opening ceremony of IPL 2008 when Ravi Shastri was inviting the captains for special signature, the 50K crowd was cheering for their heroes. But the biggest cheer came not for the local boy Dravid , nor was it for India’s most successful captain Ganguly, not even was it for the 20-20 World Cup champion captain Dhoni (who is known as the new generation hero) and also not for the sixer king Yuvraj. After Ravi Shastri called Warne on the stage the crowd went crazy and started chanting “Sachin Sachin” even though Yuvraj, Sehwag and Laxman were yet to be invited. The crowd started chanting your name it was impossible to hear what Ravi was announcing from the stage, and when Ravi was about to call your name, the crowd went mad and the biggest roar of the night came when Ravi called you Boss. For all your fans you are nothing less than God. The response of the crowd showed that no one is bigger icon than you, though the biggest film stars and business tycoons were also present there. No one can even come closer to your status.
The first time I met at Hotel Taj, New Delhi
Last 3 years have been tremendous for you and us. You have been piling runs like anything, and still you never seems to be satisfied with your success. The hunger of scoring runs seems to be getting bigger and bigger and somehow I as your fan, can match you only in this case. A fan of Sachin is never satisfied whatever number of runs you score. I always expected ‘more’ from you. When you have scored 163 against New Zealand, I wished why not 200, when scored 138 against Sri Lanka in the tri series final, I wanted 12 more runs to get 150 atleast, and when you scored 200, I wanted 220. I could never be satisfied with the no. of runs you score. May be yeh dil maange more. And I can see the hunger in your eyes. I can see everytime you go out to bat, you want to stamp your authority. The hunger to score runs and to win the matches for India even after playing 20 years is amazing. I always wished to play alongside you and scoring runs and winning it for India, just like Yuvraj did in Chennai against England in the 387 runs. I still dream of playing with you like any other player.
As a fan my biggest expectation from you is that you should be a part of World Cup Champion team (which you were almost in 2003). I don’t want a triple hundred or 6 sixes in an innings and you know why? Because its your dream. I have read and heard many times in your interviews that winning the World Cup for India is your ultimate dream and so it is of your fans. Somehow my gut feeling says you will win the World Cup for India this time. As a fan I could easily make out with your body language, how will you perform in a particular match. Since 2007 World Cup ouster, you looked determined to score runs in every match. Its like 4 years of preparation for 2011 World Cup, and its a matter of just 3 matches (QF,SF & Final) to lift the World Cup and I am sure you will put all your 20 years experience in those 3 matches.
If you some day get time to surf internet please try to login into Orkut website. You will find many crazy fans like me. As a cricketer your community is the biggest community in orkut . Around 6 lakh guys are the member of your community. And I am one of them. I have been known as SACH Is LIFE !!! in the community and among my friends in Orkut.
Even my 1st email id(which I am still using even after u scored 200 as it very close to my heart) is on your name and score (tendulkar_186@yahoo.com)
Wishing you all the best for IPL Finals (may be there is a case of city loyalty, but when it comes to Sachin Tendulkar, the support will be 100% for you where-ever you play, and we will teach people like Raj Thackrey that Sachin Tendulkar belongs to whole India and not only to Maharashtra). We don’t know the outcome of the IPL but loyalty for Sachin would never end.
Wishing you a very Happy and Blasting Birthday. Enjoy your birthday and keep playing till 2011 world cup and win it for the entire nation. Thanks for all the inspiration and motivation and famous Indian victories. All the Best for future. Bye and take care.
Your Ardent Fan
SACH Is LIFE !!!
Ritesh
Sachin’s Birthday Special
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Category: Ritesh's Cover drive, Sachin Zone
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- Why SACH Is LIFE™!! : Cric Ages | November 18, 2010
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Ritesh,
You said it my friend. As I like to say, God Exists and He is Indian
Suchit
Simply Awesome. For most part of the article, I was thinking someone has gone into my mind and wrote all of this!!.
Trés Bien!! Bravo!!!
Rajat
A truly heartfelt letter,awesome! Please check out – http://sriramble.blogspot.com/2009/03/sachinesh_02.html
Awesome…………………….. you brought so many happy memmories of my childhood…. al d celebrations done on sachin’s century , India’s wining…………. and yes…. we guys hv been enjoyin 24th April as a festival n distributing sweets n all for like forever………….. n will do it i guess for our entire life…….. as rightly said. SACH IS LIFE………
The point is clear buddy,dat u r a die hard fan of sachin.But the presentation is too mediocre…and wats with all that orkut stuff and who the hell cares about ur user name??
I didnt like the using of ‘s’ against the last names of cricketers too.Get ur english right mate
this is the best article about sachin so far according to me…………………..
Dear Ritesh,
I have been following you from quite a while now, and really admired you for your devotion for the God. I used to believe I ‘am the biggest fan of The Master, but now by seeing you and many other fans, I understand that it is not the ranking of fans which matters, but the Positing of Sachin in our Heart as “God”. Thanks for the article.
This is 1st time i am commenting on an article, i could’nt help myself from commenting. First of all great letter dude. You have spoken as true Sachin fan. I always thought I was the biggest Sachin fan, but after reading this, I realise there are people like you who are even bigger than I am. I just liked the way you have put it out, I see a lot of emotions. Being a Sachin fan we hope he gets well soon and play the IPL final. And as you said 2011 world cup is going have Sachin’s name written all over it.
Awesome letter!!
U made my eyes go wet…
Hats off
gr8 job ritesh…u have knowingly or unknowingly spoken the heart of the common man of India or infact the cricketing world…definitly the cup wil cum in sachin’s hand nd if it comes it will only be by his own experience nd influence over his team….nd to end definitly SACH is LIFE>…cant imagine cricket without this little boy..
Sach Is Life aka Ritesh… I am Speechless today…
Feeling proud to have a friend like you.
gr8 job SACH is life..seriously v jst thnk v r d biggest fan f sachin,,,bt u proved it…wen i saw Sachin thn i realised GOD do exist…v love u Sachin ..no matter wht happns..i’ll b thr 4 u with 101% support…nd thr z no pressure…i believe whatevr u do z ryt…take care…nd nvr feel the pressure of ur fans..’coz v’ll always b thr 4 u
excellent letter my frnd…i am n2 tears after readin dis!!!
All true buddy you just penned down the feeling we all have in heart for Sachin.
May we get 2011 world cup and sachin fulfills his goal and India’s Desire.
God Bless Him!!
Thanks to you.
regards
Abhi
This letter is an awesome one…..
It is Sach from Sach is Life….comes truely from the heart of every Indian or Other Sachin’s Fan….Since when i was 7 yrs (from 1998),i have been watching almost every match in which Sachin has played and have been praying to God for his excellent shots, timings, sixes, fours, fifties, centuries,man of the match, etc. etc. this list wud never end….May he play more Cricket , win the World Cup-2011 for India and his Dream, and last but nt d least “give us some more finest innings in the History of Cricket”…
He is my Inspiration and is close to heart…
Thanks Sachin..Thanksss……
Ruchit
Hi
Awesome letter.
it brought all memories of last 20 years to me .I started watching him when i was a kid of 7 yrs in 1992 world cup and till date i am watching him ,in my school days i do not know how many times i wept and did not eat food when u got out,I pray that you will play for our country forever.
Sachin Sir Happy birth day.
Thanks for being there for people like me who like this game only for you
Graet jod dude…
U have simply n very nicely expressed view’s of all his Fans n nice format..
Thanx..
Ultimate boss!!!!
Awesome!! i hope he reads it to understand how important he is to you and everyone!!
SACHIN word itself is a TRUTH n LOYAL…. SACHIN wishin u heartfully for ur b’day.. Age Doesn’t matters all it matters is U…
You spoke my mind out buddy!
SACH IS LIFE
SACH IS GOD!
Keep up the excellent writing!
I liked this the most: “ You cannot fix a match until and unless Sachin Tendulkar is out.” This is what a bookie said to CBI officers during the interrogation of match fixing scandal in 2000 and later accepted by the Team’s doctor Dr. Ali Irani.
SACH Is LIFE !!!
Ritesh,
I’m speechless!!! Truly I’m. I’m massively touched with the way you have narrated your feelings, views and facts about the LEGEND….GOD…SACHIN 10′ulkar. I’m 26 years old and hardly have felt the way I’m presently feeling reading a letter (may be it’s because of Sachin)- I literally cried as I was reading, I had Goose Bumps for more than 10 times, and I have read the letter more than 3 times back to back and still reading and will read.
Thanks You SO Very Much For Sharing Your Feelings And Facts About Sachin!!!
GOD BLESS YOU MY FRIEND!!!!!!!
Regards
Sasanka Reddy Kandula (Shankz)
Great work ritesh,
I’m so sad that sachin may leave Indian team after the world cup and now I just want to postpone the world cup to 2012. You made me cry. Great writing. Continue with your works..
ALL THE BEST SACHIN N HAPPY B’DAY..
Hi gr8
Its like i have wrote it,same feelings about Sachin in his fans mind.
Sachin is GOD
Ritesh, you have said it Right
I am Lucky enough to share my birthday with God of Cricket
Proud of Sachin and Proud of being his Fan, Fanatic and Follower…
Awesome mate…cudnt hve said it better….im sure any tendulya fan wud agree wit….
INDEED IF CRICKET S A RELIGION…
<<<<<<>>>
ND a HAPPIE B’DAY 2 SACH
Hi sachin,
i wish you a very happy and wonderful b’day…you are a great human being..i love to see u in action..ur action speaks louder than any word..i just idolise you..
wish once again from all my friend asit,abhishek,rakesh,ankit last but not the least Sunny singh from delhi…
Hope many more letters like this and birthdays to come for Sachin !!!!!!!!
great letter dude……………hats off to u……..sachin is the great hero in the world of cricket……….
this article deserve a big applaud
well written, its pleasure to read
keep it up boss!!!!!
This letter is straight from the heart so one can easily ignore the Grammatical mistakes and the mention of name at the end..I’m sure all of us following “GOD” will have such encounters. I’ll share one of them…I was travelling in a bus, two guys were sitting in front of me, one was telling how crazy his father is about Sachin, the other guy told that his father is more crazier, once a match was going on & this guy was eating food in another room while his dad was wathcing television in the hall, this guy comes out the room with his food to watch television and then Sachin got out, the father gets damn pissed on this guy blaming him to bring a bad luck to Sachin. His words were “Salya Panavti tujhya muule Sachinchi wicket geli”.
You sir just found your blog a place in my bookmarks.
Too Good Ritesh
This is the best article I have read about THE MASTER
Very nice article……..I wish Sachin should not stop playing even after 2011 world cup.
A MASTERPIECE ABOUT THE MASTER
buddy lets all pray that in 2011 world cup India win & the dream of master comes true…………….aameenn
if would have written this letter,,i would have written the same stuff,,,man,,,i have to complement u,,m a man full of igo,i have to say,,i never complemented mah dad,,,if sombdy wil abuse my dad i may accept,butt,if somebdy wil ever point his/her finger towards the little champ,i would kill tht bastard,,truely amazing hw u accomplish to find those beautiful phrases for the truely well deserving champ, the master,,i mst admitt,,u written my heart out ,,
hi dude i cant explaine in words how biggest fan m i of little master. when i read this letter i could not stop my tears. i didnt even watch one match of the last tri series between NZ,SL,and IND bcg the GOD of cricket was not there and i am dying to watch him bat in champions leauge. yuvraj has played almost 250 mtches and he has made 10 centuries in his damn career and sachin has done it in just 23 matches in 1998, u must b knowing that. even sachin comes on the crease and when he defence, u must have seen that art and technique in his batting, its really great to watch. i could never forget that 175 runs innings against AUS. i wish sachin cuold make india win this world cup of 2011. great job done bro.
awesome article just fantastic…speechless mate really you spoked what exactly a true sachin fan wud speak may god bless u…..
“it gives us all gr8 pleasure seeing sachin batting and to the next generation we can stand up and proudly say we lived in an era when sachin batted”….
hello sachin you are my favirout and i am a biggest fan of you
buddy lets all pray that in 2011 world cup India win
nice letter.. hats off