DNA Edit: Tendulkar stumped!

Till now Sachin Tendulkar’s innings in Parliament has been lacklustre. He preferred to be at the non-striker’s end, observing the art of political bluster. He has had long days in the sun, his life marked by records and stupendous adulation of fans from across the world.

It was a world he cherished: the greens, the stands, the scoreboard and a 22-yard pitch. Sadly, the googly of parliamentary politics, which combines tongue-lashing with unruly behaviour, has been a little overwhelming for him. It showed when his voice failed to rise above the din of Congress’s Rajya Sabha MPs who were demanding an apology from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

A soft-spoken Tendulkar is ill-suited for this kind of confrontation, even though he is accustomed to sledging. On the field, armed with his favourite weapon, he could destroy any form of opposition. But, politics, never the gentleman’s game, requires a different kind of skill set.

It would be unfair to expect the Bharat Ratna to become a jewel of Indian politics. It’s not his game, perhaps will never be. Imagine the change of scene: While countless admirers have always latched on to whatever little he said about his match-winning performances, in Parliament a somewhat stunned Tendulkar is striving to make himself heard.

Nonetheless, the time spent in the hallowed corridors of the legislature must have been an immense learning experience for the master. The intelligent man that he is, Tendulkar knows it’s best to let go of certain deliveries. Once his stint in Parliament is over, he can go back to where he is truly needed.

One of the greatest ambassadors of the game, Tendulkar is not just an icon. For many, he is the God who performed miracles for India. He will be an inspiration for generations to come who would scarce believe that such a man existed in flesh and blood.