Saturday is a very special day not only for Sachin Tendulkar, who celebrates his 37th birthday, but for all Indian cricket fans. Of course, 37 is not a number sportsmen like: it is an age when most of them are in the evening of their careers.
However, Tendulkar somehow has managed to disprove the norm, still retaining his child-like enthusiasm and commitment for the game. With the bat, he seems to be getting better with every outing.
One of his close admirers, teammate Harbhajan Singh, says that for him, Sachin will always remain the excitable 17-year-old. "Age is just a number for Paaji," Harbhajan said, "Just look at his wealth of accomplishments in the last six months. The way he is going about his business is just unbelievable. His hunger for runs is getting bigger by the day and he is also very consistent. He is still enjoying his game and it will be no exaggeration to say that he is leaving all the youngsters behind. To me Sachin is just like a 17-year old. And I want him to be around for as long as possible."
Harbhajan says Tendulkar is his "guru, friend, philosopher and guide". That is also the reason why Bhajji knows what the best gift will be for his Mumbai Indians captain: a win in the IPL final on Sunday. "It will be a wonderful gift from the team and a beautiful way of saying thanks," Harbhajan said.
Harbhajan also paid rich tributes to the little champion for his hands-on captaincy. "Paaji is a great leader. It is a treat to watch him handle the youngsters. He has a knack of taking youngsters along with him.
"Given his larger-than-life image, youngsters are initially in awe of him but Sachin himself takes the lead in breaking the ice and making them feel comfortable. He keeps things simple and is always encouraging the younger players. For every youngster in the side, he is just a phone call away. It says a lot about the person."
On a more personal note, Harbhajan threw some more light on the close bond he shares with Tendulkar. "I can count on him during my good and bad times because I know he will give me the best advice. When I am in trouble, and there have been quite a few occasions, he is the first person I look up to because I know he will guide me through the turbulent period. He is one person I can trust blindly. I am privileged to know him as a friend. And, to be honest, without him around I don't think I would have come this far in my career. I owe a lot to him."
Another person who has been immensely influenced by Tendulkar is the Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who joined his colleague Harbhajan in talking about the Tendulkar Effect. "As you know, I started playing cricket because of Sachin and he continues to be a huge source of inspiration in everything he does. As far as his career is concerned, he seems to have got the reverse gear going. I have joked before that there is a good chance that I might retire before Tendulkar," Dhoni said.
While Dhoni himself is a Rafael Nadal fan, he knows Tendulkar's liking for the one and only Roger Federer. Interestingly, the Indian captain underlined one big difference between the two legends. "While Federer's one big wish is to see his twin daughters watch him play at a Grand Slam tournament, Sachin's son Arjun has already had the privilege of watching his father from the stands. That says a lot about his skill and endurance."
However, Tendulkar somehow has managed to disprove the norm, still retaining his child-like enthusiasm and commitment for the game. With the bat, he seems to be getting better with every outing.
One of his close admirers, teammate Harbhajan Singh, says that for him, Sachin will always remain the excitable 17-year-old. "Age is just a number for Paaji," Harbhajan said, "Just look at his wealth of accomplishments in the last six months. The way he is going about his business is just unbelievable. His hunger for runs is getting bigger by the day and he is also very consistent. He is still enjoying his game and it will be no exaggeration to say that he is leaving all the youngsters behind. To me Sachin is just like a 17-year old. And I want him to be around for as long as possible."
Harbhajan says Tendulkar is his "guru, friend, philosopher and guide". That is also the reason why Bhajji knows what the best gift will be for his Mumbai Indians captain: a win in the IPL final on Sunday. "It will be a wonderful gift from the team and a beautiful way of saying thanks," Harbhajan said.
Harbhajan also paid rich tributes to the little champion for his hands-on captaincy. "Paaji is a great leader. It is a treat to watch him handle the youngsters. He has a knack of taking youngsters along with him.
"Given his larger-than-life image, youngsters are initially in awe of him but Sachin himself takes the lead in breaking the ice and making them feel comfortable. He keeps things simple and is always encouraging the younger players. For every youngster in the side, he is just a phone call away. It says a lot about the person."
On a more personal note, Harbhajan threw some more light on the close bond he shares with Tendulkar. "I can count on him during my good and bad times because I know he will give me the best advice. When I am in trouble, and there have been quite a few occasions, he is the first person I look up to because I know he will guide me through the turbulent period. He is one person I can trust blindly. I am privileged to know him as a friend. And, to be honest, without him around I don't think I would have come this far in my career. I owe a lot to him."
Another person who has been immensely influenced by Tendulkar is the Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who joined his colleague Harbhajan in talking about the Tendulkar Effect. "As you know, I started playing cricket because of Sachin and he continues to be a huge source of inspiration in everything he does. As far as his career is concerned, he seems to have got the reverse gear going. I have joked before that there is a good chance that I might retire before Tendulkar," Dhoni said.
While Dhoni himself is a Rafael Nadal fan, he knows Tendulkar's liking for the one and only Roger Federer. Interestingly, the Indian captain underlined one big difference between the two legends. "While Federer's one big wish is to see his twin daughters watch him play at a Grand Slam tournament, Sachin's son Arjun has already had the privilege of watching his father from the stands. That says a lot about his skill and endurance."
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