The Final Missing Piece

This is what I had written in my Twitter at the end of the 3rd day's play (Yes, not the 4th day's play when Sehwag had already tilted the game in India's favor).

Something tells me that India is gonna win the Chennai test. First true test of Dhoni's leadership skills.

But even while writing the post, I had not imagined it would be Sachin who would be behind this epic win. I went to bed last night when India still needed 174 runs in 2 sessions with 7 wickets in hand. Needless to say, I couldn't sleep peacefully and so, got up at around 4:45am to check the score and thus woke up to one of the most memorable days in the life of Sachin fans around the globe.


Today can easily be termed as one of my happiest days, as a Sachin fanatic. I mean, how long have we, the Sachin fans who have been with him through thick and thin, had to put up taunts by Sachin haters and critics alike, that he has never won a game for India. Yesterday's innings was as emphatic as it gets and I sincerely feel that Sachin's test resume has found its one last missing piece (We all know what his ODI resume still lacks - a world cup win)

If you had been someone like me who has followed Sachin's career the last 19 years and more importantly, defended him in endless arguments with friends and in discussion forums with strangers, you should be pretty much used to the following usual criticisms.

• He scores glorious centuries after glorious centuries (that monumental 136 against Pak at the same Chepauk) but India loses the game at the end. And we hear the critics say "Will this man ever win a game for India?"
• He makes half-centuries & centuries (his first test hundred against England, for example) and helps India secure a draw, from near certain defeat. And the critics go "Nah... he did not win the match for India"
• He makes crucial centuries & half-centuries in the 3rd innings of tests and helps secure a victory for India (the 155 against the Aussies at the same Chepauk). But then, the nay sayers go "Look at his fourth innings average"

When you look at all these above accusations usually hurled at Sachin, what he achieved yesterday with a determined and resolute innings is much more significant than we actually think. This might not have been his best innings but it easily might have been his most important innings of his career when it comes to defining the greatness of the man, which some critics still question. He checked off everything in the following list with his century yesterday:

Has not single-handedly won a game for India
Has not scored a match winning century in the 4th innings of a test match
Has not done both the above against quality opposition
Has not done all of the above in a pressure-cooker situation

So, I am just ecstatic and more than that, relieved beyond measure that a huge and well-deserved full-stop can be placed on all such ridiculous and mostly undeserving criticisms. I was there in Chepauk when Sachin made that epic 136 against Pakistan and till date, it remains one of the best sports events that I have ever been witness to. How I wish I was there in Chennai yesterday. One of those days that makes you think about the futility of life in a country where you can't even go & watch your idol play probably one of his finest innings. Deep sigh...

Of course, when Sachin scores a century like this, you can trust Cricinfo to come up with an eulogy that only their writers seem to conjure up with :) The following is their tribute to the Master's effort yesterday. Goosebump alert!!

Superstar Tendulkar writes the perfect script