for sachin- the god

dear sachin,
for twenty years you have carried the hopes of an entire nation on your shoulders. for twenty years you have been the ray of light in thunderous nights when all seemed lost for the country. for twenty years you have sacrificed your sleep, rest, peace, love life, wife, kids, family, in short, all the luxuries that an ordinary man can afford; to bring joy to the millions who swear by your name. for twenty years you have been close to a god, and though i am sure you don't like it, have been forced to bear the brunt of losses that were not even your mistakes. there are no words which can truly capture what you have done for this country and its people. there are no phrases that can truly sing your praises. as one of the millions who love you, pray for you, and want you to succeed (sometimes too selfishly) there is only one thing that i can say today, as you complete 20 years of service- thank you. for all the times when you raised the bat to us, when u looked at us and smiled, for all the times when you made us go insane and cry with joy, for all the times you took everything on your shoulders and saw us through... thank you. inadequate as it may sound, someone as small as me can only give you this much- my gratidude, for being Sachin Tendulkar, right hand batsman, India.

we love you sachin, we all do.

and for a change, today i wish you get the rest you truly deserve, even though that might mean a gap in the team never to be fulfilled by anyone in the centuries to come.