Tendulkar overload in India
A KIND of hysteria engulfed Kolkata; a hungry, giddy, unctuous obsession which ran through the city from north to south, from slum to opulence.
This week India played West Indies at Eden Gardens in the first of a two-test series.
One little chap was the centre of rather more attention than the other players.
He is Sachin Tendulkar and this was his 199th test, his final series, his penultimate match.
The greatest modern batsman, possibly the best since Don Bradman, nears the end of his road. Now 40, Tendulkar is ready for his retirement. India may not be. The Bengal Cricket Association, handed the golden goose of this test at the last minute by the Board of Control for Cricket in India, renamed the week.
This was no ordinary seven days in early November, this was “Salute Sachin” week.
The treasurer of the association was quoted as saying: “There is no Diwali festival. This is a Sachin festival.”
All around the city, huge technicolour cutouts of Tendulkar were being hammered into place. Two hundred giant screens were set up for fans to watch the game live.
Two exhibitions of photographs of the little master opened near the ground.
A special coin was minted for the toss. On one side is a casting of Eden Gardens, on the other, Tendulkar’s face.
The match tickets were specially made with a sketch of those cherubic features imprinted into the paper.
When Tendulkar turned up at Eden Gardens on Monday for his first practice session, he was welcomed by a 24-blast confetti and rose petal salute, to commemorate his 24-year career.
An applauding line of children wearing Tendulkar-embossed T-shirts then lined his way to the dressing room, when he was met by a smiling life-size waxwork model of himself.
Tendulkar, a private man, if serenely patient, is said to be unamused by all the fuss.
But all this was nothing compared to the plans for the match itself — surely dreamt up by an official emerging from a hallucinogenic afternoon.
The first day’s ticket came with a commemorative book. The 68 000 spectators were also each given a mask of Tendulkar’s face to wear.
On day two, spectators found placards by their seats, which, when held up together, formed a mammoth Tendulkar head.
Day three was the release of 199 balloons printed with ... you’ve guessed it.
India’s innings and 51-run victory saw celebrations for day four and five brought forward. These included ameet and greet with dignitaries and Bollywood stars and three aircraft scattering 199kg of rose petals onto the ground.
At any given time the new album, We Miss You Sachin, by local artist Piloo Bhattacharya, played over the public address.
Such is the BCA’s enthusiasm that small mistakes crept in. There was some embarrassment when India’s captain, MS Dhoni, pointed out a mistake in the huge poster next to the scoreboard: “Celebrating Sachine Tendulkar.”
Only 5 000 tickets were made available each day to the public. The rest were given to VIPs, dignitaries, associations, explayers and members.
What remains of that shy 16year-old who first walked out for India against Pakistan at Karachi, and made 15 before being bowled by Waqar Younis, no one knows.
Three years later, Tendulkar played one of the best innings of all time against Australia at the Waca and reminded the elderly Bradman of himself.
He has won the World Cup, led his country 25 times, been part of the best Indian team in history. He has been a joy to watch.
But it has been nearly three years since he made a test century. For him, and his dedicated followers, there is no escape from the hand of time. —