The title gives it away. Vimal Kumar, the author, is a journalist and an unabashed fan of Sachin, and everything is oriented towards building up the case that Sachin is the greatest. The good thing is that he has a lot of greats past and present taking about Sachin straight from their heart. The not-so-good thing is that they seem to be answering some kind of a questionnaire so their responses, unless they are frank and forthright, gets a little predictable.
I loved a couple of things - one being a quote by Rob Steen (a sports writer and senior lecturer of sports journalism at the University of Brighton) on greatness.
"If greatness can be defined as the ability to rise above the pack, to convert the unusual into the routine and the unlikely into the matter-of-fact, to do the necessary when it matters most, it can be more instructively rationalized as the capacity to bend and shape events by the will, to dictate history rather than be dictated by it."
Beautiful.
Nothing pleases you more than to hear praise from your peers and Vimal Kumar compiles the thoughts of many of Sachin's peers which he may enjoyreading as well. Among the tributes paid by the cricketers the one that strikes you the most is Inzamam's - so true and so straight from the heart from the big man. Sachin was always greater than all of us he says, and he wishes that if there was one thing he wanted, it would be Sachin's hunger. "I don't have the words to laud your success." he says. Fantastic stuff from one of the greatest. Curtly (speaks to no man) makes a gracious exception and speaks about the man. Kapil Dev is his usual self, straight from the heart. Saqlain Mushtaq speaks well and says how the man never sledges, how he forgives easily and how hard he prepares. Michael Bevan says it is not fair to say he is not a great finisher.
Saurav is over the top, Rahul measured and clinical, Virat in awe. Dhoni puts it in perspective and says that people like Sachin comes only once in a hundred years. Irfan calls him the Taj Mahal and many speak of the aura he has, the hypnotic effect he has on youngsters. Most Aussies speak of Don and then Sachin, but compare him to Ponting. Kasprowicz talks of how Lillee told him that he could detect no weakness - just make sure you walk off with pride he advised. Brett Lee feels he is as good as the Don. The English are rather reticent in praise and put him in the top five or so, save Hick. The South Africans are forthright and happy that they could contain him - Donald says he is Maradona and Pele put together.
Gary Kirsten says it well when he says that Sachin loves the game more than anyone else he has known and that it is the purity of the love that makes Sachin respect every moment of his as a cricketer. Poetic stuff but could be the closest to the truth yet. Javagal is cheeky - says Sachin could never hit him in the nets nor in a match - and on has no reason to disbelieve him. I liked the bit about my old friend Venkatapathy Raju and his Hatt Sher Aya dance from Hyderabad which Sachin practiced and did after every Indian win and also the fact that Venky contributed. I remember seeing Venky get Sachin out for 54 at Gymkhana in one of his early Ranji matches, in 1989 or so, caught behind. An interesting insight is when Rudie van Vuren, the Namibian double international, says that Sachin knew that he was a double international. Something that Sunil Joshi also seconds, wondering how Sachin knew all about players in the domestic cricket as well and how they are faring. Ishant Sharma talks of how Sachin told him to never crib and always be grateful to the almighty.
But in all their memories comes across one picture of Sachin as a man who loved his game and respected it more than anyone else (he also loves his country and shows it), how incredibly complete his preparation is before every game, how hard he trains and how smartly, batting up to four hours in the nets until all doubts are laid to rest, how he always let his bat do the talking, how he forgave easily, how he carried so many expectations and kept going despite unfair criticism at times, how willing he is to share his knowledge with the youngest and the smallest, how involved he is with the game all the time, talking about it, analyzing it, living it and breathing it, how polite and well mannered he has been yet keeping his private boundaries clear, how he has dominated the best in the world but never beat his chest about it.
As we construct the picture, the first principles of Sachin's life become clear. 1) Be hungry for more, learn more and don' compromise easy 2) don't repeat any mistake 3) prepare until all doubts are addressed 4) work harder and smarter to remain at the top 5) always let the bat do the talking 6) share all the knowledge you have 7) always be respectful to the game and to fellow cricketers and humans 8) be grateful to god and the medium 9) forgive easily 10) never forget your roots and old friends and supporters, to love all that you cherish explicitly.
I am reminded of a speech that Michael Jackson made at a Grammy function when he received a lifetime award, where he talks of how he lost his childhood because of all the work he had to put in. Even MJ sounded a bit rueful of having lost that precious time and of having had to grow up too soon. I have never heard Sachin ever say that. But it's true that he had to grow up too soon, the little man, he had to show a way because only he knew how to and only he had the strength to, and as he made his way in, and let Indian cricket into the chakravyuh of international cricket, he sacrificed his childhood, his impetuosity and carried a burden he chose to carry.
As a book that allows you to construct the Sachin the world of cricket knows, it works. It's otherwise an ordinary read with little contribution from the author. I found too many references to the declaration when he was on 194 by Rahul Dravid - all team men have to follow what the captain feels be it 194 or 199. The team is most important and what the head of the team feels is even more important a should be accepted without a murmur. Disappointment is understandable but that is all there is to it. Anyway, I had enough to take away on Sachin thanks to this easy read, and inputs from some of the greatest. So I will follow one of Sachin's edicts and not crib and be grateful to Vimal Kumar for compiling this book.
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| Penguin, 277 p, Rs. 299 |
"If greatness can be defined as the ability to rise above the pack, to convert the unusual into the routine and the unlikely into the matter-of-fact, to do the necessary when it matters most, it can be more instructively rationalized as the capacity to bend and shape events by the will, to dictate history rather than be dictated by it."
Beautiful.
Nothing pleases you more than to hear praise from your peers and Vimal Kumar compiles the thoughts of many of Sachin's peers which he may enjoyreading as well. Among the tributes paid by the cricketers the one that strikes you the most is Inzamam's - so true and so straight from the heart from the big man. Sachin was always greater than all of us he says, and he wishes that if there was one thing he wanted, it would be Sachin's hunger. "I don't have the words to laud your success." he says. Fantastic stuff from one of the greatest. Curtly (speaks to no man) makes a gracious exception and speaks about the man. Kapil Dev is his usual self, straight from the heart. Saqlain Mushtaq speaks well and says how the man never sledges, how he forgives easily and how hard he prepares. Michael Bevan says it is not fair to say he is not a great finisher.
Saurav is over the top, Rahul measured and clinical, Virat in awe. Dhoni puts it in perspective and says that people like Sachin comes only once in a hundred years. Irfan calls him the Taj Mahal and many speak of the aura he has, the hypnotic effect he has on youngsters. Most Aussies speak of Don and then Sachin, but compare him to Ponting. Kasprowicz talks of how Lillee told him that he could detect no weakness - just make sure you walk off with pride he advised. Brett Lee feels he is as good as the Don. The English are rather reticent in praise and put him in the top five or so, save Hick. The South Africans are forthright and happy that they could contain him - Donald says he is Maradona and Pele put together.
Gary Kirsten says it well when he says that Sachin loves the game more than anyone else he has known and that it is the purity of the love that makes Sachin respect every moment of his as a cricketer. Poetic stuff but could be the closest to the truth yet. Javagal is cheeky - says Sachin could never hit him in the nets nor in a match - and on has no reason to disbelieve him. I liked the bit about my old friend Venkatapathy Raju and his Hatt Sher Aya dance from Hyderabad which Sachin practiced and did after every Indian win and also the fact that Venky contributed. I remember seeing Venky get Sachin out for 54 at Gymkhana in one of his early Ranji matches, in 1989 or so, caught behind. An interesting insight is when Rudie van Vuren, the Namibian double international, says that Sachin knew that he was a double international. Something that Sunil Joshi also seconds, wondering how Sachin knew all about players in the domestic cricket as well and how they are faring. Ishant Sharma talks of how Sachin told him to never crib and always be grateful to the almighty.
But in all their memories comes across one picture of Sachin as a man who loved his game and respected it more than anyone else (he also loves his country and shows it), how incredibly complete his preparation is before every game, how hard he trains and how smartly, batting up to four hours in the nets until all doubts are laid to rest, how he always let his bat do the talking, how he forgave easily, how he carried so many expectations and kept going despite unfair criticism at times, how willing he is to share his knowledge with the youngest and the smallest, how involved he is with the game all the time, talking about it, analyzing it, living it and breathing it, how polite and well mannered he has been yet keeping his private boundaries clear, how he has dominated the best in the world but never beat his chest about it.
As we construct the picture, the first principles of Sachin's life become clear. 1) Be hungry for more, learn more and don' compromise easy 2) don't repeat any mistake 3) prepare until all doubts are addressed 4) work harder and smarter to remain at the top 5) always let the bat do the talking 6) share all the knowledge you have 7) always be respectful to the game and to fellow cricketers and humans 8) be grateful to god and the medium 9) forgive easily 10) never forget your roots and old friends and supporters, to love all that you cherish explicitly.
I am reminded of a speech that Michael Jackson made at a Grammy function when he received a lifetime award, where he talks of how he lost his childhood because of all the work he had to put in. Even MJ sounded a bit rueful of having lost that precious time and of having had to grow up too soon. I have never heard Sachin ever say that. But it's true that he had to grow up too soon, the little man, he had to show a way because only he knew how to and only he had the strength to, and as he made his way in, and let Indian cricket into the chakravyuh of international cricket, he sacrificed his childhood, his impetuosity and carried a burden he chose to carry.
As a book that allows you to construct the Sachin the world of cricket knows, it works. It's otherwise an ordinary read with little contribution from the author. I found too many references to the declaration when he was on 194 by Rahul Dravid - all team men have to follow what the captain feels be it 194 or 199. The team is most important and what the head of the team feels is even more important a should be accepted without a murmur. Disappointment is understandable but that is all there is to it. Anyway, I had enough to take away on Sachin thanks to this easy read, and inputs from some of the greatest. So I will follow one of Sachin's edicts and not crib and be grateful to Vimal Kumar for compiling this book.
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