A God is disgraced...

It is extremely sad to see a God being disgraced. That is what happened at Wankhede this Sunday. And while I outrightly condemn the incident, in more ways than one, Sachin had it coming to him sooner than later. The fact that this happened in his hometown is in fact much better than it happening elsewhere in the country, specially Kolkata – had it happened there, then the entire Maharashtra would have risen in a whiplash effect to fight for their son, who has given so much to this country to cheer about. Also, it is indeed gratifying that it happened in India rather than elsewhere, or the shame & the fury of the nation to protect the prodigy would have been immense. Yet, it is a poor sight to see an idol being immersed.

Sachin, the man, the maestro, the messiah of cricket, is finally reduced to being a normal human being. Why, I ask, is he not able to perform to normal levels (forget supernatural)? And why, I ask, is he treated any differently from our erstwhile captain and still is kept in the team? Just because he is worshipped like God? Yes, I am sure you will say – after all, he “IS” God. But this God is not answering the prayers of his worshippers, and is slowly but surely turning them into atheists. Why does nobody have the courage to say that Sachin is not in his prime now, and needs to go gracefully – more at a time when people ask, “Why Sachin”, than “Why not Sachin”? A dangerous territory to tread into, but I guess somebody needs to speak fearlessly. And so, I ask this question.

Why does Greg not say the same thing that he said for Ganguly – being a part of the team is important for Sachin’s image & his finances? Is it true – as an advertising & marketing professional, let me say, it is indeed true. With his current form, he is unlikely to get any new endorsements, and once he goes away, the only ones hankering for him are likely to be the insurance/retirement fund companies. Yes, the magic of Sachin is fading and the advertising industry is quick to realize this – as I am sure Sachin has also starting figuring out. Though, he has, by all means, already made his mega-millions and may not have any need for more moolah. But who does not want to be idol-worshipped? And that’s where the human nature starts showing in Sachin.

When any player gets selected to play for his country, his first thought is to make a huge impact and win matches for his nation. All his energies go towards that. Records are just milestones that happen in course of play, and should not influence performance or selection beyond a level. However, the day performance starts dipping, the player realizes he has to improve or exit. Why should Sachin (who even I hold in the highest esteem) continue to play for the team, if he is genuinely not able to deliver? Shouldn’t he step aside and make way to others who are willing and able to play for the best interests of the team? Having played more tests for India than any other player, having scored more centuries than any other man in the world, I think Sachin has already a lot of records at his feet, and it is time for him to say goodbye. Two records will elude him in doing this – the maximum runs scored in tests (that is currently with Lara) and the maximum tests played for any country (which Steve Waugh holds). But in trying to reach for them, will he be doing his Godly-image any good?