Cricket makes me emotional. Sports makes me emotional. I cry. I cry whenever there’s something special or bad happens. I cried when my favourite players, legends retired. I cried when Roger Federer, Simona Halep or Serena Williams won trophies, I cried when India won the World Cup. There were moments before and after as well. If I had to name a person who consistently gave me happiness, it had to Sachin Tendulkar. People who knows me know how much I owe everything to him.
I began watching cricket because of Sachin and I began to write because of Sachin. Today, I’m here making career out of writing, running my own website named penbugs.com. Sachin is the starting point for everything and I couldn’t thank him enough for what he has done to me.
Today, when I saw him batting, there were thousands memories, thousands of beautiful moments ran like a movie inside my mind. I chocked a bit, had tears. It was like walking back in time, to the place where I had nothing but happiness.
I opened my old diaries, right from when I was 12 years old. I went through each and every single one till date. It was beautiful.
It was beautiful to read how I felt about the man whom I never met. He doesn’t even know that I exist but the connection I had with him is something else, something that made me the person today. Even today, hearing the chant Sachin.. Sachin.. for hours gives me happiness more than anything else. I preferred watching him bat rather than going to a wedding.
I’m not a normal kid. I was always afraid. I was an introvert. It took me years just to meet people and tell my name. I was afraid when I normally meet a crowd. I used to vomit every single day because of fear till I was 10 years old. Those days nobody knew about anxiety. I’m proud that I came out of my fear and today, at least, I can meet people. It was Sachin Tendulkar (and Roger Federer)who kept that kid alive, it was cricket that kept that kid going and that kid cannot thank them enough.
Life is super unpredictable and your inspiration can come from anywhere. It’s been five years since I watch him bat live and this tiny moment, the glance, the drive is enough for me to run my days, to survive, to battle things I’m going through.
Thank you, Sachin. Thank you, for everything. I love you.
-I don’t own the copyrights for the image, whoever did this, thank you!
I don’t know women’s game can continue to be as inactive as it has been: Ian Bishop