My favourite Sachin Tendulkar moments!

I have been a crazy cricket fan since Sachin started playing and there are probably very few innings of his that I have not watched live (on TV, ofcourse). That said, there have been some great cricketing moments that have involved the master and here are a few from my recollection.

1992: Hero Cup semi-final vs. South Africa
The Proteas required 6 of the last over to win the game with one wicket in hand and the dependable Brian McMillan on strike. Sachin went up to the then captain, Mohammed Azharuddin to ask him for the ball since he believed he could pull it off. In the only over of the game that he bowled, he conceded only 3 runs and pulled off a miraculous victory.

1994: 2nd ODI vs. New Zealand in Auckland
Requiring to chase a modest 144 for victory, Sachin requested Azhar and Ajit Wadekar (then coach) to let him open the innings since Navjot Singh Sidhu was out with a stiff neck. He asked for only one opportunity with the self-imposed stipulation that he wouldn’t ask them again if he failed.

He scored 82 of 49 deliveries and India romped home in 23 overs.

1996: The World Cup in the subcontinent
Probably one of his best phases, Sachin scored 523 runs in 7 matches with 2 centuries and 3 fifties at an average of 87.16. He was the highest scorer in the world cup.

1998: India vs. Australia 1st Test match in Chennai
Sachin saved his best for the best team in what was his best year in international cricket. Out for 4 runs in the first innings to Shane Warne, Sachin came into bat in the second innings with India leading by 44 runs.

What followed was a master class innings of 155 not out despite Warne bowling round the wicket into the rough. India led by 347 runs at the end of Tendulkar’s assault and won the first match setting the tone for the remainder of the series.

1998: The 1st ODI vs. Australia in Kochi
Sachin got out for a paltry score but Ajay Jadeja held fort with a magnificent 104 to take India past the 300 mark. Australia was cruising at the 30-over mark when Azhar tossed the ball to Sachin. He turned his golden arm over and India won the match convincingly.

Man-of-the-match Sachin took 5 wickets for 32 runs in 10 overs of crafty leg spin that would have made Shane Warne proud.

1998: Twin centuries in the desert
The desert storm innings is now part of cricketing folklore. Chasing 284 for victory against Australia in Sharjah, Tendulkar was waging a one-man battle against the Aussies before a sand storm halted the match. After the storm subsided, India needed to score 246 to qualify for the finals against the same opponents.

In what can only be termed as savage counter attack through unbelievable cricketing shots, Tendulkar (143) smashed the Aussie bowlers all over the park to help India qualify for the final. The Aussies had been hit by the Sachin storm after the sand storm and did not recover from it even in the next match.

Sachin scored yet another clinical century (134) and helped India win the tournament on his 25th birthday.

1998: ICC quarter final vs. Australia
This match would be best remembered for the way Sachin single-handedly demolished the opposition. He scored a belligerent 141 in 128 deliveries and capped it with 4 wickets to win the match.

1999: The World Cup in England
It was during the World Cup that Sachin lost his father and flew back for the funeral. His mother goaded him to go back and play for the country, since that was what his father would have wanted.

Sachin came back and in the next match against Kenya, scored 140 of 101 deliveries despite the personal tragedy.

Notwithstanding the quality of the opposition, this innings stands out in my mind for the sheer grit and resolve he showed in managing to separate his personal tragedy from his duty towards the country.

1999: 1st Test match vs. Pakistan in Chennai
In my eyes, this probably was his greatest innings and also the most emotionally draining for him, the team and Indian spectators.

Chasing 271 for victory, India was tottering at 82 for 5. Tendulkar scored a brilliant 136 battling all odds and a severe back spasm. Shepherding Nayan Mongia, who played a good hand of 52, Sachin got out to a Saqlain Mustaq doosra, just 17 runs short of victory.

With 4 wickets in hand, India lost the plot and the game by 12 runs. Sachin was in tears and so was I.

2003: The World Cup in South Africa
By this time, it was an established fact for me that Sachin always performed at the biggest stage of international ODI cricket. The 98-run innings against Pakistan was one of his best one-day knocks and the six off Shoaib Akhtar over third man is etched in our memories. He also hit a similar shot against Sri Lanka off Dilhara Fernando.

But for me, the moment that defined the mind of this man in the mega event of cricket was a superb hook off Andrew Caddick that went for a six over midwicket. He scored 52 of 50 deliveries in that innings, of which 36 came off Caddick’s 19 deliveries.Caddick ended up with his most expensive bowling analysis and India won the match.

Sachin also scored 673 runs in the World Cup and was yet again the highest scorer at an average of 61.18.

2006: DLF Cup, 2nd ODI vs. West Indies in Kuala Lumpur
Sachin, now 33, had been criticised by many on his reflexes, his reduced flamboyance and his longevity.
Yet again, Sachin silenced his critics with an unbeaten 141 of 148 deliveries. Tendulkar scored his 40th ODI century in this comeback match after an injury layoff. He was 18 centuries ahead of the next in line – Saurav Ganguly and Sanath Jayasuriya.

2009: 5th ODI against Australia in Hyderabad
Sachin scored a chanceless 175 chasing 351 for victory before falling 19 runs short of victory. The Indian tail did not wag and we lost the match by 3 runs.

But this match stands out in my mind for landmarks achieved by Sachin – the 17,000 run mark and his 87th international hundred!

Now is the time...to act!

It has been over a month since the Bombay attacks, and apart from increased pressure on Pakistan, a few PILs and some candle light marches nothing has changed.

 Well, that is not entirely correct. Some things have changed. People have moved on, expectedly. I obviously did not expect people to mope about this and not earn their daily bread. While we can, we have to catch our evening trains from VT station to get back home, or grab a beer at Leopold's. The Taj and the Trident have opened their doors to customers and people have yet again begun talking about the solidarity of the city and its ability to bounce back.

However, I am still anguished. I don't like this nonchalance. The new mantra - getting back to normal life is our answer to terrorism - is the poorest excuse I've known for us being unable to do anything significant.

Oh please!!! Like the terrorists will stop because of this! Do we honestly think they are going to feel it’s a waste of their time because Bombay was back on her feet in no time? Let us not be under any false notion that only Bombay has this ability!!

New York and London were back on their feet very quickly too. None of these cities can afford to sit on their bottoms and whimper. They are global financial hubs and world economy will plummet further if they did. So let's, for God's sake, stop producing such statements to hide our incapability and accept that we still have not done anything of significance to prevent the next attack.

What the US did post 9/11 is something that we need to do and in double quick time. We were and still are sitting ducks. We need to ensure that we have sufficient multi layered checks at different points of entry to all cities. Yes, I do understand that it is probably impossible to have a foolproof plan, but the least we can do is ensure strong vigilance and not provide easy access to these lowbred.

We need to fast develop a homeland security strategy. Indian technocrats need to fast update their skills and formulate a bird's eye-view level strategy and then zoom in to different levels, identify the issues and formulate strategies based on that. These could well form the cornerstone of the ground level operational strategies that was so found wanting during the recent attacks.

We need to develop a two-pronged approach - development and security. One cannot sustain without the other and we all know how developed we are. What development, you may ask - education, basic amenities, critical infrastructure, etc. We have a lot to do even now and the ever-expanding population is no help in this anyway. We need to up the ante on our investment in our people, our public health and education.

India needs to have stronger and real-time information sharing, quick decision making powers, no bureaucracy and redo our existing strategies. Having an NSG platoon in each of the metros in not a solution. They cannot restrict terrorism but merely counter it. A counterterrorism initiative needs to be a synergy between a various intelligence agencies.

Work with the international community - something we haven't done much of over the last few years. Well, we aren't entirely to be blamed in this regard, thanks to the chaotic neighbours we have around us. We need to strengthen relations beyond this region and the information and knowledge shared with these countries can only help us manifold. Terrorism is not just a national threat, but also a global one.

India needs to set higher standards for herself. Why? Because she needs to! We need to create postgraduate level courses in emergency preparedness. Right now, we can probably send some bright minds to other countries to learn and implement what they have from their experiences. We can then put it in a learning format for students in India and train them. Combat training is not the only thing.

It is not that the US is not a threat anymore post 9/11. It is very much a threat, but they are better prepared. India's regression variable is corruption. We need stronger systems and quick punitive action against those implicated.

The key word is speed - speed in thought, in action and implementation. We virtually have our backs to the wall and the only way from here is forward.

We have it in us to be a champion country. I end this post with the words of Vince Lombardi, "I firmly believe that any man's finest hour - his greatest fulfillment to all he holds dear, is that moment when he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle - victorious!"

Let us work our hearts out, please!!

Less talk, more action...please!

I am sick and tired of everyone lashing out at politicians for the security lapse concerning the recent terrorist attacks on India's business capital. I am not backing the actions of politicians, but merely questioning the importance of this finger-pointing post the event. What is the rationale behind this so-called rational anger?

Yes, we have suffered casualties and we should mourn them. However, let us remind ourselves every day that we cannot afford to have repeat telecasts of this gory episode.

By blaming the establishment, we are giving them the upper hand and letting them continue to believe that we need them for our safety and well-being. We don't!! The politicians of our country should be made to realise that they are dispensable and they are! After all, aren't the cemeteries of the world are full of indispensable men?

That Narendra Modi came to south Bombay, and was also followed by Vilasrao Deshmukh has become a furore. That L K Advani and Manmohan Singh came separately instead of coming together has become a talking point in most of the channels.

What is the point of all this now? What was the point of all this even when the commandos were fighting it out? We know we have elected an incompetent bunch and that even the other parties have leaders who seem more interested in getting to those coveted chairs, but not in doing anything to make it worth each vote that helped them get there.

Time and again, politicians have been an easy target of public ire but their thick skin prevents our pain from tugging at their hearts. So let us not waste our justifiable anger, energy, time and even thoughts on these angels with a facade.

Rather, the need of the hour is a focused approach to channelise this energy and wrath to bring out practical solutions to ensure that we don't have to endure such barbaric incidents again. What we also need to do is ensure that India and Bombay (I still love to call her Bombay) regain their true cosmopolitan nature and not be coerced by a radical who today wants to create a divisive Bombay or others who have forever played religious politics.

I do not know what the pragmatic solutions are. I hope this post generates a discussion where people contribute ideas to make this country a better place to live in. My suggestions might sound naive, but I want to list my thoughts here with the hope that a group of people capable of making these decisions, stumble on this blog and strive to create a difference.  Let me assure you that my contribution towards making a positive difference will be unrelenting!

Here are some of the questions that need answers:

• Is private governance a possibility? What are its pros and cons?
  
• Why not let corporations handle various cities or at least parts of cities like the Tatas manage Jamshedpur?
  
• Isn't it high time we amended our constitution after having almost entirely absorbed the British constitution in 1948?
  
• Can we have a judicial system that will deliver speedy justice?
  
• Can we have a sound law and order system that will ensure that the guilty are indeed brought to the book and not circumvent the long winding legal system?
  
• National security is of paramount importance. Will it be given in the hands of someone capable?
  
• Can we finally move towards ensuring that the real needs of the masses are met, rather than playing religious and vote bank politics?
  
• Can we please have a plan to address various concerns plaguing our country today?
  
• Can we also have people accountable for their duty?
  
• Can we have deadlines for all that we plan to do and actually be transparent about their completion or otherwise?
  
• Can we have better infrastructure and not build bridges and transport systems that take decades to complete?
  
• Can we please have less talk and more constructive action?

It is high time!!!