THE MOST AWAITED 100



‘It’s finally done’, that’s what the master batsman, Sachin Tendulkar must’ve thought after reaching this seemingly impossible milestone. It somewhat seems surreal- this magical figure. An unreal number. But what transpired between the 99th and the 100th, we, as his ‘devotees’ know it, thanks to the media.

The quest went on from being one that’s celebrated to being a petty pursuit. Talks of his retirement started making rounds in cricketing cliques. Whatever the case maybe, the sheer weight of this feat is too heavy for anyone to shoulder. The context for Tendulkar’s 100th hundred will always be remembered- today, tomorrow, forever. Just the way, we all remember man’s first landing on the moon. The numbers will be difficult to replicate, let alone surpass. This is our generation’s 99.94. 

After deliberating over this feat, one thought Tendulkar’s career almost seemed destined to end in a Bradmanesque way- imperfect. In less than four months- from December 2010 to March 2011, the master batsman scored four centuries in 12 innings. And then the long wait started. 

Amidst all the hype and the hoopla, the Indian team had two major overseas tours. After the end of the Australian tour, the score read 0-8. Indian cricket had bigger problems than just worry about the impending hundred. 

But, we cricket fans, have a fleeting memory. And it’s our wont to latch on to anything new that comes our way. In this case, Tendulkar’s celebrated hundred. Most cricket critics would’ve liked it if the master would’ve achieved the milestone at a WACA or MCG. Rather than a dusty bowl called Mirpur, against a not-so formidable opposition, Bangladesh.  It definitely didn’t make for a great script. It lacked the nobility of a Test match and the purity of a Tendulkar’s classic inning. A few minutes after Mirpur had happened, Sanjay Manjrekar tweeted to say that attention should not be so much on the 100th hundred, "But how he got his 100 hundreds."

Yes, that’s what makes Tendulkar so special. Dedication, determination and an undying commitment to the game. He has managed to keep the highs of success, at bay. And simply focus on the game. It could’ve been very easy for him to get carried away, with the amount of adulation that he has been enjoying for the past two decades.

Players like Tendulkar don’t grace the game often. They come once in a generation or two. We, as cricket lovers, are lucky enough to have been born in the same era and to have got to witness a seemingly improbable feat. 

It was definitely worth the wait.




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