Sachin Tendulkar tribute

[jimmy101]

Is this some kind of weird extension of the "what are you guys talking about? there's no match today" posts in tour threads or something?

There is a match on today Cribbeh. I'm watching CAXI vs SL on youtube.

 

[Burgey]

I'm thinking about subscribing to Kayo sports. Pretty much any sport you can think of on demand.

Kayo sports

Yeah have just subscribed to it when I discovered that, having acquired a CA live pass, I then couldn't watch the test matches unless I got it, which I was ****ing filthy about.

But it will be handy in that I think it shows all league and afl matches, so it will save me getting both of those live passes this season.

 

[Burgey]

What about Gavaskar's effect on the population? Surely he must have been Sachin before there was Sachin.

He probably turned a lot of people off tbf, being that he was such a ****.

 

[Senile Sentry]

What about Gavaskar's effect on the population? Surely he must have been Sachin before there was Sachin.

He was a big force during his time. And one of the early TV stars as well along with Kapil (Dinesh suits AD still rings in the mind). However the TV penetration (and hence the game penetration) was still low and hence his appeal limited to that population (primarily metros and urban populations). Gav inspired Sachin heavily that said.

For those into Indian music might find parallel in Ilayaraja and AR Rahman. AR Rahman is the Tendulkar of Indian music industry.

 

[OverratedSanity]

When he was playing, aside from excellent batting and being a rubbish skipper, what did Tendulkar “give to his country?”

I always find this an odd thing in relation to sportspeople in general. Same goes for Bradman for that matter, except of course he was a very effective captain in contrast to Tendulkar who couldn’t cut it, as well as being twice the batsman.

He may have a charitable foundation, and if he does good on him, but that basically puts him on par with most other cricketers with high profiles - Warne, McGrath, Ponting, Botham, Steve Waugh, Hayden etc etc. Loads of them around and all very worthy in their own right.

Did he lead a democratic revolt against a totalitarian regime? Did he bring drinkable water to the 1/4 of the country which now has it? Did he resolve the Kashmir dispute? Take over the mantle from Mother Theresa at the Black Hole? Serious question WRT what he gave to his country, because it seems to me he barely even gave an interview.

I too find this pretty odd. He gave a lot to the Indian team but isn't the same as giving to the country (though to many people in India its kinda the same thing).

Handled more #pressure than anyone else though.

 

[Burgey]

Yeah, I understand his contribution to the sport in his country and for his national team. It almost goes without saying that if you're churning out runs consistently for 20 plus years then you're making an outstanding contribution. But fmd, this idea that he gave a lot to his country sort of borders on the old sportsmen-as-warriors type thing which much of the media everywhere falls into from time to time.

I genuinely have little idea about Tendulkar's active contribution in the wider community in India, though my understanding of him is he, quite reasonably, shied away from a lot of publicity beyond the necessary cricketing stuff.

I remember when he retired and I wrote the quintessential Tendulkar tribute from the perspective of a non-Indian fan, in which I (very perceptively as you'd expect) pointed out that we really never knew him. Some people are more given to showing more of themselves than others, but I think it's a shame he didn't give a bit more of himself publicly. Especially towards the end of his career. He came out here on his last tour and was given a farewell lap around the country with a Standing O whenever he walked out to bat, but he didn't do a single interview or presser to even acknowledge the reception he was given. It was very churlish imo. Instead we had to tolerate Ashwin saying the same thing every ****ing night at each presser.

 

[Senile Sentry]

Indeed Tendulkar is ironically shy and reluctant to opening up. Heck even his autobiography was a glorified cookbook.

That said he has supported a multitude of charities and actually adopted and transformed a whole village when he became a Member of Parliament

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.th...ga-before-amp-after/article21941436.ece1/amp/

 

[Kirkut]

Also a whole generation which grew up with Tendulkar. Came into spotlight as a 16 year old kid. Outsmarted opponents elder by a decade or more. For a nation that was still insecure and craving international recognition, Tendulkar became a fulcrum. Him getting invited to playing for Yorkshire was celebrated. And his humility and level handedness amidst all the accumulating adulation and riches, his focus and determination, and the usual "lone standing warrior" persona appealed to the burgeoning middle class sensibilities of the billion big people. Here was a role model who was scored by children and teenagers and also their parents. He became God literally for them.

Since then India has evolved so has it's cricket team. Heroes who were in short supply back then are now not. Sensibilities and emotional dependencies of today's India have broadened in scope and coverage. International acclaim is sought but not desperately. Indians have gone to head mighty corporates world wide.

Hence I am not quite sure Kohli even in Tendulkars age would have been so successful given his initial troublesome days.

Good post. 90's India was so different! When I was 8 I would play cricket in hot sun whole day and then visit my friend's house to eat evening snacks aunty used to make for us, a very traditional family. Few months ago I bumped into my aunt's FB profile as a 'mutual friend' request and she started posting photos which would give the Jenner family a competition! Scary times ahead.

 

[Burgey]

Cheers for the info on what he's been doing. It's the sort of insight which gives you an idea about people. Respect his privacy and all that, I just wish he would have, or indeed still would, sit down and maybe set aside two or three days with a decent interviewer (preferably not an obsequious cricket journo, but someone like a Parkinson or an Andrew Denton to use an Australian version) and have a free-flowing interview across a whole range of issues. Would be great if he did that and then, if he wanted to, not really give another interview for the rest of time if he so chose.

 

[Kirkut]

What about Gavaskar's effect on the population? Surely he must have been Sachin before there was Sachin.

ODI cricket was always the most popular which even T20s could not achieve, there were good attendances in tests but rare. Everyone knew Rajesh Chauhan because of that six off Saqlain Mushtaq in Karachi ODI, otherwise he didn't do much to be remembered as a great player. Gavaskar was respected highly but no such craze about him.

 

[jimmy101]

Gavaskar was respected highly but no such craze about him.

Yeah? I've heard anecdotes of people taking radios into movie theatres just so they could listen in & make sure Gavaskar hadn't gotten out. But I guess that couldn't match Sachin-mania.

 

[Borges]

Gavaskar-mania, if anything, was as intense as the Sachin-mania. Intensity, not volume: the cricket following in India was much much lower during the Gavaskar days.

 

[Arachnodouche]

He was a big force during his time. And one of the early TV stars as well along with Kapil (Dinesh suits AD still rings in the mind). However the TV penetration (and hence the game penetration) was still low and hence his appeal limited to that population (primarily metros and urban populations). Gav inspired Sachin heavily that said.

For those into Indian music might find parallel in Ilayaraja and AR Rahman. AR Rahman is the Tendulkar of Indian music industry.

lol AR Rahman is a hack. There was a blog many years ago that documented all the little tidbits he stole from 70s and 80s pop. Madras Mozart my ass

 

[Senile Sentry]

lol AR Rahman is a hack. There was a blog many years ago that documented all the little tidbits he stole from 70s and 80s pop. Madras Mozart my ass

Can understand one or two. But 25 years of music that spans almost all conceivable genres and assigning it to Anu Malikism is lazy stuff.

 

[cnerd123]

Cheers for the info on what he's been doing. It's the sort of insight which gives you an idea about people. Respect his privacy and all that, I just wish he would have, or indeed still would, sit down and maybe set aside two or three days with a decent interviewer (preferably not an obsequious cricket journo, but someone like a Parkinson or an Andrew Denton to use an Australian version) and have a free-flowing interview across a whole range of issues. Would be great if he did that and then, if he wanted to, not really give another interview for the rest of time if he so chose.

It's not really a wise move tho. He's an untouched hero at the moment, why would he be candid on record and risk losing that? What if he says something 'wrong' and there is backlash for it? People love to romanticize who he is and what he accomplished, and he is one of the very pure things we have left in Indian Cricket, let alone India as a whole. It's actually for the best that he keeps a low profile. It's kind of why we all love him. We don't want to see his flaws, we don't want his insight on issues he isn't an expert in, and we don't want to know the man behind the legend. We like that he never chased the spotlight, and that what kept him in the headlines were his performances on the cricket field. That's enough.

 

[Borges]

he is one of the very pure things we have left in Indian Cricket, let alone India as a whole.

No.

 

[Senile Sentry]

Indeed a good post by borax.

Tendulkar would stand to gain nothing from such a tell all. He could have used that chance in his auto biography but didn't. It simply does not fit with his nature.

Quintessential nature treasured by the Indian middle class .. quiet, unassuming, brilliantly efficient, but non controversial and no confrontational.

 

[Senile Sentry]

******

 

[Arachnodouche]

It's not really a wise move tho. He's an untouched hero at the moment, why would he be candid on record and risk losing that? What if he says something 'wrong' and there is backlash for it? People love to romanticize who he is and what he accomplished, and he is one of the very pure things we have left in Indian Cricket, let alone India as a whole. It's actually for the best that he keeps a low profile. It's kind of why we all love him. We don't want to see his flaws, we don't want his insight on issues he isn't an expert in, and we don't want to know the man behind the legend. We like that he never chased the spotlight, and that what kept him in the headlines were his performances on the cricket field. That's enough.

I think we as a people tend to mistake diffidence for depth. Just might be, and this is gut instinct on my behalf, that he isn't an individual of substantial opinions.

 

[Burgey]

I think we as a people tend to mistake diffidence for depth. Just might be, and this is gut instinct on my behalf, that he isn't an individual of substantial opinions.

He might not be that bright. Though that doesn’t stop a lot of other cricketers speaking up when it suits them (looking at you Dave WArner).