Will Miss You Sachin………

Sachin Tendulkar will no longer play cricket for India. It hasn’t sunk in yet. Harsha Bhogle nicely puts it down by saying the younger generation below the age of 20 never saw the best of Tendulkar. I couldn’t agree more. 1996 to 2003, take the period between the 2 world cups for instance, Sachin Tendulkar was in the Zone. That phase where every other kid in India had an ulterior ambition to become a cricketer.

      By now, lots and lots of articles have been written about him. Some surely gives you goose bumps. While reading, you relate to it. The hyperbole and the exaggeration in the prose never irritates you because you have been there, witnessed it or experienced it. I was in a similar situation exactly a year ago.

     I reached India on Nov 24, 2012 (Saturday) few weeks before my marriage. The English team was playing a series in India. I had never watched an international cricket match live. My only live match experience was an IPL game between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Daredevils in the inaugural IPL. Sachin was injured then. But Sachin had come out with the team members before the match started to overlook the practice session. That was the only glimpse I had of him. I had always wanted to watch Sachin bat live. I was very hopeful to make amends about it during the trip to India.

     I had reached India on Saturday, which was Day 2 of the Mumbai test match. Day 3 being a Sunday; I had other plans which included visiting the marriage hall, arrangements for the wedding etc. I had all but ensured that I will go to Wankhede on day 4 (Monday). With a session remaining on day 3, England declared their innings after a Kevin Pietersen special. I was hoping, just hoping that the Indian openers will play out that day. They dint and India just folded out meekly. The dream to watch Sachin bat remained a dream. The next day media started calling out for Sachin’s retirement. The scams, corruption took a backseat. They proclaimed Sachin might have already played his last innings in Mumbai.

     I was going on with the wedding preparation. On Dec 1 (Friday night), I got a call from Soumya ( my fianceé then :P). I thought it was a routine call about how the shopping is going on, what I had for dinner. And in a few seconds the routine call became a special one. I was told I will be meeting Sachin Tendulkar the next morning along with her, her dad and her brother.

I asked her  “Tomorrow morning?? What time?? I just gave most of my good shirts for laundry and ironing. Are you serious? What do I wear? "

Soumya from the other side : “Sandhu ( as she calls me :P), Are you really worried about what you will wear? We will buy something on the way " and she started giggling. I realized later that she was pulling my leg.

I won’t be able to describe what I went through from the time I hung up the phone till I reached Sachin’s residence in Bandra the next day. Let me directly cut to 19- A Perry Cross Road Bandra.

Soumya’s dad is an electrical contractor. He had worked for Sanjay Narang who is Sachin’s family friend & business partner. Soumya’s dad tells me that despite his busy cricketing schedule, Sachin makes it a point to attend the planning meetings during the initial stages of any project. After that, it was always Anjali Tendulkar or his partner who used to handle the project activities.

Soumya’s dad just entered the gates of the bungalow. We, the younger brigade followed him. I was trying to gather my composure which was tough. There was this guy named “Rahul” who was the supervisor of the bungalow. Sachin was scheduled to meet us at 9.30 am.  We just met Rahul at the entrance. There were few policemen. I remember 3 exactly. Member of Parliament can afford such luxury. Rahul just asked us to get inside and be comfortable, and that Sir will be coming down in a few minutes.

We entered the bungalow. I see a cricket kit just near the entrance with leather balls lying around. We were asked to sit in the main Hall. I was taken aback within seconds. The main hall was aesthetically eye-catching just like Sachin’s strokeplay. Every furniture, every painting, every medal was special. MF Husain’s painting on one side. Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna medal on the other wall.  A Ganesha sculpture specially handmade in Italy (Not sure if the Congress President gifted it. :P). and the many special ones adored the main hall.  I just wandered around the main hall, clicking photos of every other corner of the room, the paintings, and the medals for posterity. In exactly 5 minutes, I saw a 5 feet 5 inch man in a yellow t-shirt and track pants walking towards us.

Oh, my GOD!!! (Pun intended). We got up. He greeted us or rather we greeted him. Not sure what happened there. Excerpt from the conversation from whatever I can remember. 

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Sachin: Hello.. Please sit down.

( I was dumbfounded by the sight of Sachin seated few feet away from me .

Sachin started talking to Soumya's dad about his business, office and later we were introduced to him.)

Dad: My daughter is getting married next week on the 8th of Dec. I came to invite you and family for her marriage.

Sachin: Ohh great !! Wonderful news. Congrats both of you. Where is the marriage?

Dad: Santacruz.

Sachin: Good!!! Its in Mumbai only. <Looking towards me> “What do you do ?"

<My palms sweating, hands shivering.. >

Myself:“I work as a Software engineer in Cisco systems, California”

 << As if I was answering the Visa interview question>>  Facepalm moment.

Sachin: So, when did you come to India? When are you going back? Will she accompany you back to US?

Myself: Yes. I came last week. We will be going back in the first week of January next year. I need to get her visa done.

Sachin: Great. In a hurried voice, What would you all like to drink ? Tea/coffee ?

He turned to Rahul (supervisor guy) and talking to him in Marathi “Hyanna Chaha wagaire Dhya”.

Dad: No. No. We are good. Sandeep wanted to meet you. He is a big fan of yours. Just came to know from a friend that you will be in town today and so dint want to miss this chance.

Soumya:  He wanted to meet you badly. He is a very big fan of yours.

Interrupting her in the middle, till then, I was talking in mono syllables.

Myself: “I am a huge fan of yours. I adore you a lot. I have grown up watching you. Look at my hands. I am still shivering and can’t believe that I am sitting in front of you and talking to you”

<I slowly started getting comfortable.>

Sachin: Thanks a lot.
 <And looks down. He tried not to have eye contact with me>.

When someone is praising you, avoid eye contact. Humility. Lesson no. 1.

<I continued.>

Myself: “I was planning to watch the day 4 in Wankhede”  <I did the unthinkable then. I followed it up by saying> “But the team got all out by then”.

<Sachin again looked down. I was aghast at myself. I thought to myself why I did I just say that line.>

When someone indirectly mentions about your failure, which I promise was not intentional on my part, avoid eye contact. Unruffled. Poised Lesson no.2.

<I changed the topic about the lost test match. :P I asked him when will he be leaving for the next match.>
Sachin: Since there is a break between the second and third match, the players went to their respective hometown. I stayed back in Mumbai and the team will meet on Monday in Calcutta. We will be practicing for 2 days.”
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Later we had a photo session. He gave some few ideas for a good pose. Like the one where he made me and Soumya hand over the invitation card to him We wished him best for the next Test match. He wished us best for our married life. There ended the most memorable 30 minutes of my life. I was a fan of this great cricketer but from that day onwards, I became a fan of Sachin, the human being.

We just hung around the guest area of the bungalow for some more time. The guest room and the office had innumerable trophies, gifts which were lying around fighting for space.  

I was waiting to write a note about this day for a year now. I just thought of putting out now, lest I forget about it. Thank you Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar for all the memories. You will be missed dearly…… :(