The master's healing touch

Those that don't love sport like I do often ask me why it matters. It's usually a provocative question that comes with a fair dollop of intellectual snobbery. After all, only muddied oafs and flannelled fools play, and those that watch it are little better. For me, the answer has always been a simple one. Sport can heal, and it has the power to make you forget.

For those few minutes at least, as you watch a Diego Maradona waltz past five defenders or a Sachin Tendulkar play the paddle sweep with such precision, you're transported to a world that transcends the mundane. The global economic crisis, unhappy marriages, mortgage repayments and all the other cares that wear us down are pushed to one side as we watch those we wish we could be. These are the men who brings alive our childhood dreams.

I'll never play a European Cup final, but I've seen Steven Gerrard transform one and hugged complete strangers in the stands afterwards. I'll never make a century at the Eden Gardens, but I've seen VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid do so much more against the team that couldn't be beaten.

Those are the moments that you cherish for ever. Nothing and no one can take them away from you. Each time I look at my Istanbul match ticket - tucked away between pages 254 and 255 of one of my favourite books - I can feel the warm glow returning. No substance on Earth can give you anything like the same high. 

In the years to come, the 30,000 that cheered till they were hoarse at Chepauk on Monday will have quite a story to narrate. That it featured India's most beloved cricketer was a delirium-inducing bonus. So many of those screaming "Sachin, Sachin" would have spent the night of November 26 in front of television sets, watching with horror as the true extent of the carnage in Mumbai became apparent.

Tendulkar too had undergone the same ordeal, in his hotel room in Cuttack. "What happened in Mumbai was extremely unfortunate and I don't think by India winning or my scoring hundreds, people who have lost their dear and loved ones would feel better," he said later. "It's a terrible loss and our hearts are with them. All I can say is that in whatever way we can contribute to make them feel better, we'll make that effort."

On Sunday night, I handed over a pass to a cousin of mine. He had never been to a game in his life, though he can probably give you the lowdown on every single innings that Tendulkar has ever played. There are millions of Indians like him, and the past two decades have seen some scarcely believable highs and morale-shattering lows.

Initially, he wasn't even sure that he would come to the stadium, but after an opening session where Tendulkar looked like he meant business, he set aside his fears of jinxing the side and took the train into town. He left four hours later, having witnessed the fourth-highest run chase in the 131-year history of Test cricket. I don't know if he hugged strangers too, but he most certainly won't forget what he saw.

It wasn't just the victory, it was the manner of it - 387 chased down in just 98.3 overs. All those years ago, when Sunil Gavaskar's glorious 102 inspired the pursuit of 403 at Port-of-Spain against Clive Lloyd's West Indies, it had taken India 147 overs to cross the line. Such conventional methods tend to go out of the window when you have Virender Sehwag as opener though.

Sehwag was a great choice for man of the match, and even Tendulkar stressed how immense his contribution had been. “He set it up brilliantly. How many players in the world can do that? Without any doubt, it was Viru's contribution that mattered. Very few people in the world can do what he does and we're extremely happy that he plays for India.”

But as much as Sehwag's innings will be cherished, by team-mates and fans alike, this match will ultimately be about two teams that came to play - the rapturous applause for Kevin Pietersen at the presentation ceremony was indicative of how much respect most Indians have for him and his side - and the genius who decided to mark the occasion with the defining innings of a career that has seen so many outstanding ones. "My dream has come true," said Yuvraj Singh at the end of the game. "I have won a Test for India with Tendulkar."

"There will always be people who will doubt your ability," said Gavaskar. "Sachin has around 40 ODI centuries, around 16,000 ODI runs, another 41 Test centuries ... I don't know what else the man needs to do, why people still doubt his ability. It's absolutely ridiculous."

He knows what he's talking about.

You can also read my Cricinfo piece here.

Comments

[tushar ambede]

Its a victory of cricket.we should be very thankful to english team,bz of them we could enjoy a good game. sachin is god of cricket. I am bagger of word to discribe sachin and his team.just selute to all,who participete in this victory of cricket.

[V.keshava rao]

hi this is keshav from hyderabad.i just want to tell for all the indians talking negative about Sir Sachin Tendulkar is that they are not really human beings and cannot compare with the animals also.Sachin is god of the cricket and he is the master for all the cricketers in the world. the persons who go to the hell god asks only onething for them is that why u had comment negative about Sachin.

[Pritam Sinha]

Yes definitely, sport is a healer in the best of times. In the world I think there are numerous people who turn to sports page first when they get their hand on any newspaper especially in the morning, it is a huge proof for me.
"Cricket is a mild drug that soothes you" says Harsha Bhogle, the famous Indian commentator.
There was this comment by Kevin Pietersen that 'who writes Sachin's scripts'. Obviously he was impressed. So Sachin's innings epitomised what is best in sports and Mr Premachandran has written this piece beautifully indeed. May the sports tribe grow to make this world a better place.

[Pav]

Hi Dileep

I am also a Liverpool fan, India supporter and rank Maradona as numero uno. I agree that sport is the greatest healer and whether it be the Falklands, Hillsborough or Mumbai, the greats rise to the occasion for their fans.

Pav,Leeds

First, there is GOD. Then there is Sachin Tendulkar. :)

Just borrowing it from Mr Dravid and some changes in it.

And, hats off to KP and his Team, to returning and playing the way they did. I do not think anyone would 'mind' loosing to someone like Sachin (once in a while, not always, of course). Can you really do anything, when someone plays like that? Most probably, No.

Great game. Looking forward to teh 2nd one, game and tight security arrangements also :P

- By Kavit

[Punit]

@ST

The England team have received plenty of praise from India. Really. You're mistaken on this.

I'm not sure what more you could want?

The English media have been piling into the team and Monty in particular. The Indian media have been considerably more generous.

[Krish]

@ ST,

We may not know the meaning of the word "magnanimous" however we do know the meaning of "whingeing poms". 30,000 people gave KP a standing ovation, every news paper in India has appreciated and thanked the English captain and his team, every Indian player has thanked the English team (including the obnoxious weed) and I have written on many forums what a gracious English KP has been. Wait a second, I know why he is gracious that would be because he is South African. What do the English know about graciousness, hey ST? Or perhaps in order to be magnanimous we should have lost the game to England? I would rather stop here for I fear I might allow my anger to get in the way of my education.

[ST]

I was wondering if there was ever going to be any sort of acknowledgement or appreciation to the England team in that article. I'm not sure half a sentence is sufficient, but then we all know Indian fans don't appear to know the word "magnanimous".

[Kap]

What a great, great game cricket can be. I have no words, just thanks to both teams.

As an aside, any information on the mutual dislike between Yuvraj and Pietersen? I had assumed after KP's gushing praise after the ODIs that he and Yuvi were chums but today I have read a few articles hinting at genuine needle. Would appreciate your take on it. Ta.

[Ratnu]

Brilliant piece of writing Dileep. Many ways, the agony of the 1999 innings eased up with this. Amazing innings indeed. Didn't he make many a million people to feel a little better today. For sure he did.

[Mahendra SHikaripur]

Excellent Piece Dileep

[Punit]

Completely agree with you, Dileep. Isn't it ironic that this win, just like Liverpool's European Cup win in Istanbul, are almost surreal. We would laugh at the impossibility of these results if they were played to us in a H/Bollywood blockbuster, but there they are.

I didn't see a stroke or a ball, but I followed the game through scorecards. I was buzzing with excitement, snatching the occasional radio update here and there and picking up on the growing sense of despondency and fear in the summarizer's voice (English station, of course). I would have loved to have seen the game, but the feeling I have from that win is immense.

And as you mentioned, we cannot forget the part England played in this game. Again, I applaud them for fronting up and for playing their part in the game. Had they come and just laid down, the win would in no way be as sweet.

Despite what others might think, I have been impressed by both KP and Dhoni since they have become Captains. I used to think they were both glamour boys, but they have proven to be real team players and bigger than "just" sportsmen.

A mention also, for what I hope is Yuvraj's coming of age as far as Test cricket goes. Perhaps the timing is apposite.