Sachin Tendulkar: A Moment Of Magic

Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. When he walks to the crease, a shudder runs through the opposing team; imperceptible but definite,wary of the coming destruction. There is that familiar feeling of powerlessness, and of Deja Vu, as all their plans crumble before their very eyes.

The world’s fastest bowler runs in and delivers a thunderbolt of a short delivery;it is meant to intimidate Tendulkar, to rattle him a bit, to remind him of who is in control. A step or two is taken outside offstump, and the fiercest of square cuts is played; as the ball is sent in to the stands over backward point. The next ball is even faster, pitched up on off and middle; designed to trap most good batsmen in front of the wicket. Tendulkar unfurls the beautiful flick shot;one of his own invention, and the ball is sent to the square leg boundary with awesome power. The bowler cannot believe it, the opposition is stunned into silence and the crowd is in raptures.

It is then that Tendulkar serves up his coup de grace; the bowler-his confidence in shambles by now, runs in and bowls the fastest of the three; on a good line and a very good length: nothing but a defensive shot is possible for such a delivery. That is exactly what Sachin does; he goes on the front foot , and plays a defensive shot. However, the ball is timed so well that it rockets past the mid-on fielder and reaches the boundary. This is the moment of magic; when all Tendulkar fans,all cricket fans ,and even the opposition players see a divine moment;this is the moment when God shows his own hand. These three strokes are etched in the consciousness of thousands of Indian fans and supporters, for it was with these three strokes that Sachin wiped out that feeling of inferiority, that fear which Indians had towards the Pakistan Cricket Team. He levelled the playing field, and on that magical afternoon in Centurion, he produced the innings of a lifetime.