It hasn't sunk in yet... may be probably it never will. the great man wont be seen again in his temple. Time and again we take certain things for granted, like air, sunlight etc., we also took Sachin for granted. So as the years passed and the realization bestowed upon us that the end is near. we ignored it. so much so that when the announcement came. It is like OK he is going to retire, but still there are 10 days of cricket. and yesterday when he walked into bat probably for the last time, and then I saw this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iamhIpas210. Then I started to realize. All the memories came rushing, the desert storm, the Cape town assault, the Sydney monument, the Pakistan uppercut, the South African double, and many in between. the humility which so rare these days.
yes we took him for granted, because he is one of us. the questions like Chote ka kitna huwa? (when India's position is good?) or Chote hai kya? (when the position is bad) wont be asked any longer. Times change as do heroes, but Sachin is an addiction. you have to under go a rehabilitation to get rid him and like all addicts I don't want to do that. no never.... ever.
Cricket after Sachin will be hard to imagine. I have already switched from watching cricket to following cricket. but the love for the game which gave me Sachin wont diminish. Is it not ok for grownup men to cry, may be on this day it is.... thank you cricket, thank you Sachin.
