When Sachin Tendulkar Made His Debut, There Was No Social Media Nor Did Indians Have Cable And Yours Truly Was A Toddler
He was just 16 when he played his first Test.
November 15, 1989. The day Indian cricket would see the dawn of a new era. A 16-year-old kid by the name of Sachin Tendulkar was making his debut in Karachi vs Pakistan. A lot had been heard about him at domestic level and now he was making his mark at the international level. Little did any of us know that he was actually making a legacy in the game.
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It's hard to believe that the man we grew up watching, actually made his entry into the game at a time there was no social media, we in India had no cable (DD was the only option) and well the writer of this article was less than 3 months past his 3rd birthday (yes I was a toddler). But over the next 24 years, he would make us stay glued to the TV sets. When Sachin batted, India stood still. When he did well, we laughed, when he failed, we cried. It all started on that fateful day 33 years ago. I have no memory of it, but for those who have seen him from the start, saw the evolution of a talent into a lethal force that would break almost every batting record in the world.
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Never has a cricketer ever been taken in the same breath as Don Bradman. Well, Sachin earned that right too in 1998 when the Aussie legend said he reminded him of how he used to play. It is for no reason that we call him the Master Blaster. He's a master with the bat and could blast the opposition into submission.
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Your's truly grew up watching him. I was fortunate to belong to that generation which saw him in his prime. We were also the ones who saw him bow out of the game in 2013. The curtain came down on an era. For us, another link of cricket with our childhood was over.
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But forget all that. Back in 1989, this kid entered the side. Many were skeptical, but over time he proved he belonged. By the time he turned 19, Sachin was one of the best batsmen around. Before he was 25, he had stamped his authority on the game. At 30, he was the best in the world. At 40, his legacy could not be matched.
29 years have passed since that historical day. Sachin has retired and is now coaching youngsters to excel at the game. Social media and cable have made the world more connected and we are in the digital age. As for me? Well, yes am obviously not a toddler anymore. Choosing sports journalism as a career, I am now working in India's most reputed media house and everytime I do a story on Sachin (like this one), I take great pride in writing the article.
Thank You Sachin for coming into the game today 29 years ago. Without you the game would have been not that much worth watching.
