As I read his column on Sachin Tendulkar the very next day, I had a sense of déjà vu. Here goes another eulogistic piece on the ageing maestro welcoming him back with the usual exaggerated lionizing that only we desperate Indians constantly on the look-out for superheroes can do with such remarkable finesse. I was therefore surprised to read a refreshingly candid piece, written with an insight that cannot be easily attributed to many former cricketers, who usually get their pieces written by fictitious ghostwriters possessing none of the enterprise of a certain Captain Jack Sparrow.
Not surprisingly, the week end reading this rainy Sunday in Mumbai was so vastly entertaining, I have got to personally message Manjrekar with tons of gratitude. I read the reactions of several cricketers in the print media, and conscientiously followed some other experts on TV programs; and they all uttered the standard gibberish and diplomatic claptrap; " Sachin is Sachin. And Manjrekar should have known better than to make wild personal allegations against India's prized national treasure. What utter nonsense. Frankly, it was all humbug and hullabaloo for nothing.
Here are my succinct observations on another needless Sachin controversy:
1) I think 90 per cent of those grim faced veterans had not even read the article.
2) Many of them responded to questions posed to them as if India was about to stage a nuclear war against China and Pakistan combined? They predictably buckled and played safe.
3) In fact, Sanjay Manjrekar was actually giving Sachin Tendulkar a fabulously embarrassing compliment; he was stating that even a half-fit Sachin could create magical history on the cricket ground. Now if you are a Sachin fan, why would that offend you, pal?
4) Manjrekar stated that with diminishing physical prowess it is inevitable that a player's reflexes slow down, so Sachin should stop putting an uncalled for pressure on himself on top of the already humongous public expectations! Now tell me, how is that a prejudiced and malevolent perception?
If at all, as a former colleague he was giving Tendya some honest heart-to- heart stuff; something that probably NO ONE does, as most Indians treat Sachin as infallible, god-like and sacrosanct.
To rubbish the honourable PM Manmohan Singh on public disinvestments policy is an acceptable form of national behaviour; to tell Sachin to take risks in the December of his career is like committing a religious sacrilege. What shit (I have been following George Bush, as you might have guessed)!
5) Manjrekar has appropriately given the towering example of none other than Brian Lara who has had to reinvent himself and adapt his stroke play at 36, but who still remains an ominous threat and a dangerous opponent. Now why should that offend our self-inflated pundits and fraudulent gurus?
6) And it is downright juvenile to insinuate that Sanjay has alleged that Sachin has been fudging injuries. What unadulterated crap is that? On the contrary, Manjrekar states that Sachin has been over-reacting to his injuries as he is obsessed with attaining 100 per cent fitness levels which at this crucial stage of his career and after 17 years of wear, bear and tear may be a trifle naïve to expect. In short, Manjrekar states that Sachin should learn to live and play with niggle and minor nuts and bolts repairs. Is anything wrong with that view?
7) I think the most stupid part of this silly episode was the bizarre reaction of Sachin himself, as he sounded sulky, petulant and peeved. But for what? I think Sachin has got over-sensitive and gets easily provoked these days. A player of his international caliber should both welcome and be able to handle a blatantly biased criticism as well as constructive feedback. I think Sanjay's comments have been incorrectly interpreted and completely misunderstood; either it reflects that Sachin has developed a deep disdain for outside opinions or he is somewhat ill equipped to distinguish the wheat from the chaff.
Bottom-line, I think we Indians should stop being obsequious about Sachin Tendulkar. If anyone says anything remotely critical of the Little Master he is treated like dirt or a vicious creature with anti-national intent. I am surprised no one has accused Sanjay Manjrekar of the Mumbai blasts or filed a PIL against him. It is time we Indians grew up! And so did Sachin Tendulkar! About the AuthorSanjay Jha Sanjay Jha is a hard-core “Congressi” largely on account of being enchanted by the incredible brilliance of the Gandhi-Nehru mystique, its array of in...Read Morefirst published:July 24, 2006, 10:26 ISTlast updated:July 24, 2006, 10:26 IST
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Just a few days ago I bumped against the affable, ever-smiling and ubiquitous Sanjay Manjrekar, who looked as if he could have been auditioning for a role in a TV serial. Looking like a cool dude in faded jeans and uncharacteristically long curls, the former cricketer was bursting with his trademark kinetic enthusiasm.
As I read his column on Sachin Tendulkar the very next day, I had a sense of déjà vu. Here goes another eulogistic piece on the ageing maestro welcoming him back with the usual exaggerated lionizing that only we desperate Indians constantly on the look-out for superheroes can do with such remarkable finesse. I was therefore surprised to read a refreshingly candid piece, written with an insight that cannot be easily attributed to many former cricketers, who usually get their pieces written by fictitious ghostwriters possessing none of the enterprise of a certain Captain Jack Sparrow.
Not surprisingly, the week end reading this rainy Sunday in Mumbai was so vastly entertaining, I have got to personally message Manjrekar with tons of gratitude. I read the reactions of several cricketers in the print media, and conscientiously followed some other experts on TV programs; and they all uttered the standard gibberish and diplomatic claptrap; " Sachin is Sachin. And Manjrekar should have known better than to make wild personal allegations against India's prized national treasure. What utter nonsense. Frankly, it was all humbug and hullabaloo for nothing.
Here are my succinct observations on another needless Sachin controversy:
1) I think 90 per cent of those grim faced veterans had not even read the article.
2) Many of them responded to questions posed to them as if India was about to stage a nuclear war against China and Pakistan combined? They predictably buckled and played safe.
3) In fact, Sanjay Manjrekar was actually giving Sachin Tendulkar a fabulously embarrassing compliment; he was stating that even a half-fit Sachin could create magical history on the cricket ground. Now if you are a Sachin fan, why would that offend you, pal?
4) Manjrekar stated that with diminishing physical prowess it is inevitable that a player's reflexes slow down, so Sachin should stop putting an uncalled for pressure on himself on top of the already humongous public expectations! Now tell me, how is that a prejudiced and malevolent perception?
If at all, as a former colleague he was giving Tendya some honest heart-to- heart stuff; something that probably NO ONE does, as most Indians treat Sachin as infallible, god-like and sacrosanct.
To rubbish the honourable PM Manmohan Singh on public disinvestments policy is an acceptable form of national behaviour; to tell Sachin to take risks in the December of his career is like committing a religious sacrilege. What shit (I have been following George Bush, as you might have guessed)!
5) Manjrekar has appropriately given the towering example of none other than Brian Lara who has had to reinvent himself and adapt his stroke play at 36, but who still remains an ominous threat and a dangerous opponent. Now why should that offend our self-inflated pundits and fraudulent gurus?
6) And it is downright juvenile to insinuate that Sanjay has alleged that Sachin has been fudging injuries. What unadulterated crap is that? On the contrary, Manjrekar states that Sachin has been over-reacting to his injuries as he is obsessed with attaining 100 per cent fitness levels which at this crucial stage of his career and after 17 years of wear, bear and tear may be a trifle naïve to expect. In short, Manjrekar states that Sachin should learn to live and play with niggle and minor nuts and bolts repairs. Is anything wrong with that view?
7) I think the most stupid part of this silly episode was the bizarre reaction of Sachin himself, as he sounded sulky, petulant and peeved. But for what? I think Sachin has got over-sensitive and gets easily provoked these days. A player of his international caliber should both welcome and be able to handle a blatantly biased criticism as well as constructive feedback. I think Sanjay's comments have been incorrectly interpreted and completely misunderstood; either it reflects that Sachin has developed a deep disdain for outside opinions or he is somewhat ill equipped to distinguish the wheat from the chaff.
Bottom-line, I think we Indians should stop being obsequious about Sachin Tendulkar. If anyone says anything remotely critical of the Little Master he is treated like dirt or a vicious creature with anti-national intent. I am surprised no one has accused Sanjay Manjrekar of the Mumbai blasts or filed a PIL against him. It is time we Indians grew up! And so did Sachin Tendulkar!
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