Tribute to Sachin Sirjee!!!!!

“Tum suicide to nahi kara na ab tak?”  [You didn’t committed suicide yet no?] One of my dearest and most concerned friend text me on that Sunday night. I didn’t replied whole night. He was concerned but didn’t call.

“Hain… Ye kya sawal hai…main kyon karne laga suicide, suicide to kamzor log karte hai, main to bachpan se bornvita pita hoon” [What… why do I suicide… weak people does suicide… I used to drink bornvita since my childhood] I replied in the morning.  

“Sachin retire” He immediately texts.

“Abhi test khelega” I replied with a smile.

“Hehe” next text… he was relieved man as he knew I am OK even after this heart breaking event.

Frankly speaking I never enjoyed his live batting after 1998. The most successful year of his career also added some popularity to me in my small community. That was the year when I never seen him getting out in live action. I was a child then, merely getting into teen and didn’t have even a black and white TV at my home. Watching match in neighbor’s house, I was not allowed to go for even pee when Master used to on strike. It was January 1999, [Date I don’t remember] against Pakistan in Chennai, He got out on 136 of Saqlain trying to hit him out of park. I was listening live commentary on Radio. India lost that match by some 10-12 runs. I was shocked, distraught, and left crying. I flunked in one of the class test next week. And that fear got embedded into me. It was like if he fails India fails and no wonder I too. There was a connection. Every time Sachin Sirjee used to hit a ball in air, my heart comes to my mouth. It still continues same way. With time I learnt few thing about cricket and started enjoying Dravid’s rock solid defense, Dada’s sixes on spinners, Laxman’s very very special innings, Sehwag’s fearless batting, Yuvi’s effortless sixes, Dhoni’s clam and coolness, Gilly’s assault, Ponting’s never die attitude, Steyn’s outswing, and now even Kohli’s arrogance but one thing is still there I still used to get heart attacks every time ball takes aerial route after hitting bat of Sachin Sirjee. There is still a connection.

Every child needs a hero while growing up and I had one in form of Sachin Sirjee. I cannot even imagine if anyone would have been better than him. I cannot remember how many times I had fight with my friends due to Sachin Sirjee. There was time when for me Cricket was synonym of The Sachin Sirjee. I didn’t know Sachin Sirjee due to cricket; It was Sachin Sirjee who introduced me to cricket. After a time I started to smile on his bashers knowing they don’t know about Cricket, they are still learning about it.

I know this is not only my story. There are millions of stories, connections around the globe like this one.

"Thank you" will be insult to your contribution to our life Sachin Sirjee. There is no word which can describe millions of heart break after realizing we will never see you in Blue with small tricolor on your Helmet.

Hats off to Sachin Sirjee for everything!!!!!!