Birthday boy Sachin was the master of the game but behaved like a servant of the game

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To the legend with an eternal sweet spot on the bat and in our hearts. Here's wishing Master Blaster Sachin a very happy birthday, Yuvrajt Singh tweeted

Published: Fri 24 Apr 2020, 6:18 PM

Last updated: Sat 25 Apr 2020, 12:48 PM

From the incomparable Don Bradman to the incredible Garry Sobers, cricket has seen an array of extraordinary players over the years.
But none of them have had to deal with the weight of expectations like Sachin Tendulkar.
The sport has never seen a player stir the soul of a country like Tendulkar ever since he began his epoch-making journey by getting back on his feet despite being floored by that Waqar Younis bouncer in 1989.
It was as if the whole of India came to a standstill every time Tendulkar walked into bat, prompting former English cricketer-turned-broadcaster Mark Nicholas to conjure this beautiful line in a Daily Telegraph feature he wrote in 2001: "There is an expectation from the teeming masses that neither Tiger Woods nor even Michael Jordan could understand."
Now more than six years after he decided to hang up his bat, Tendulkar still remains the most admired cricketer in the world.

Have a very blessed Day Master Blaster @sachin_rt . Prayers and best wishes for you always ???? pic.twitter.com/YSSHtoaGKK
- Saqlain Mushtaq (@Saqlain_Mushtaq) April 24, 2020

And he may have refused to celebrate his 47th birthday on Friday as a mark of respect to the frontline workers who have risked their lives in the battle against Covid-19, but that couldn't stop his former teammates from pouring their hearts out for a man who inspired them to hold a bat.
"To the legend with an eternal sweet spot on the bat and in our hearts. Here's wishing Master Blaster Sachin a very happy birthday. May your life continue to shine like your records and may you continue to inspire billions through your noble deeds. Loads of love and best wishes," Yuvraj Singh tweeted on Friday.

A very happy birthday to @sachin_rt . Arguably the best batsman in the history of the game. Its a pleasure to have known you, playing with you & against you.
The battles against you on the ground are a treasure of my playing days. #HappyBirthdaySachin #SachinTendulkar pic.twitter.com/oJSN9vWCHd
- Shoaib Akhtar (@shoaib100mph) April 24, 2020

If Yuvraj spoke about that 'sweet spot', Virat Kohli marvelled at Tendulkar's passion for the game.
"Happy birthday to the man whose passion for the game of cricket has inspired many. Wishing you an amazing year paaji," wrote Kohli on Twitter.

And the best tribute on Twitter came from Virender Sehwag, Tendulkar's former opening partner, who felt the pandemic-ravaged world has a lot to learn from the Mumbai maestro's resilience.
Putting up two pictures - one from India's disastrous 2007 World Cup campaign where a dejected Tendulkar can be seen at the dressing room and the other from the 2011 World Cup with Tendulkar celebrating India's victory with his teammates - on Twitter, Sehwag wrote: "True that the great man could stop time in India when batting. But the biggest inspiration Sachin paaji's career is summed up in these two pictures. Much needed to remember especially in these difficult times that after every adversary comes victory."

To the legend with an eternal sweet spot on the bat & in our hearts, here's wishing MasterBlaster @sachin_rt a very happy bday. May ur life continue to shine like ur records & may u continue to inspire billions thru ur noble deeds. Loads of love & best wishes #HappyBirthdaySachin pic.twitter.com/l52w5dahA3
- yuvraj singh (@YUVSTRONG12) April 24, 2020

True that the great man could stop time in India when batting. But the biggest inspiration @sachin_rt Paaji's career is summed up is in these two pictures. Much needed to remember especially in these difficult times that after every adversity comes victory #HappyBirthdaySachin ???? pic.twitter.com/UODlDjbCEL
- Virender Sehwag (@virendersehwag) April 24, 2020

The world indeed has a lot learn from a man who never lost his poise despite having to carry the burden of expectations in a country of billion people.
As Harsha Bhogle recently said: "Sachin was the master of the game but behaved like a servant of the game!"
rituraj@khaleejtimes.com