Big B on the Little Master

Amitabh Bachchan

Firstly, I would like to wish Sachin a very happy birthday. Sachin started very young and this has added to his longevity, giving him a longer span of time during which to establish himself.

He has exceptional talent and received recognition at an early age. He proved his worth and value quickly and early on in the sports arena, and duly established himself. His achievements have been phenomenal. Very few start as young as he did, and with that comes the danger of early burnout. Fortunately that has not happened with Sachin. He has displayed the ability to continue.

It has not always been smooth-sailing for him, however, in areas like physical fitness and loss of form. In sports oriented fields, people quickly put you aside when you are unable to live up to expectations or perform. But Sachin has continued to amaze us, year after year, time after time.

I think the basis for enduring success is whether you continue to be liked and whether your performance has been consistently top grade. This requires perseverance, persistence, patience and the ability to come up with new kinds of successes and remain in the eye of those watching you as a performer.

As you go along, the experience you gain propels you further. Sachin's dogged perseverance is commendable and his experience has stood him in good stead even as newcomers have entered the team. In fact he has been a guiding force for new and young talent; and sometimes where juniors have failed, he has succeeded.
With experience and seniority, also comes the question of leadership.

Sachin has shown that he is extremely capable of captaincy. He wisely took it up, tried it, did his best, decided it was not his place and stepped down. He chose not to be in a captain's position because the many responsibilities were  affecting what he was actually known for — his game.

It is not an easy task to give up a position of responsibility and leadership and just be another member of the team where some of your colleagues might be 10-12 years junior to you, both in years and experience. It was a brave move.

We also find Sachin endearing, not just as a human being, but as a cricketer because with his achievements and accolades he is just like every other member of the team, an equal with his teammates.

Players who have come in years after him have emulated him, been in awe of him, watched him, wanted to be like him and suddenly find themselves on a pitch with him. It's a novel and unforgettable event. In spite of all this, he has remained down-to-earth and a normal person, which goes to show a great deal about his character and nature. And all these factors have added greatly to Sachin Tendulkar's longevity.
             
As told to Udita Jhunjhunwala