Vlxi Tech

The headline is borrowed from a famous Amul hoarding in the mid 90s. While some of Amul’s communication is cynical and most of it exaggerated, this line was indeed spot on. It succinctly captured the sorry state of Indian cricket throughout the 90s. It was a time when most (if not all) cricket fans simply turned off their TVs the moment Sachin lost his wicket. I can personally recount many instances of community viewing when the Tandoori chicken was left to turn cold and the beer warm… His dismissal symbolised a sharp free fall of hope and viewer interest!

Tendulkar has finally decided (or has been coaxed as some may argue) to hang up his boots. Publications and websites are replete with articles saluting the genius. Every self-confessed fan will be brandishing records ranging from 100 centuries (which he painstakingly accumulated) to the first ever ODI double hundred (though the record belongs to the Australian woman cricketer Belinda Clark – unfortunately, we don’t seem to think much about women’s cricket).

It might be a super idea to take Sachin to the nearest lab to decode his genius dna. But since that could risk a “copyright” battle with the mighty BCCI – I have resorted to the next best option… Here is my list of 5 “filtered” stats that possibly highlight the mammoth proportions of brilliance that flows through his veins.

Bigger the Better: Sachin played a lot of cricket and is bound to be among the runs, but he saved his best for the biggest challenge. No one comes close to his record in the World Cup – most runs, most half centuries, most centuries and the maximum number of man of the match awards. In fact, even in his last World Cup when he was well past his prime, he was the highest run scorer for India. It was only fitting he got his hands on the coveted trophy.