Is this the way to treat a hero?

Almost every week there is a report on Sachin Tendulkar's retirement. If report A states the BCCI is about to instruct the legend to retire after his 200th Test, report B is an immediate contradiction issued by the BCCI. Frankly, these reports don't help at all. Either way it is not the BCCI's call or even the media's. It is totally and pertinently Sachin's own decision. Every cricket fan in this country might have an opinion on the issue. It is only natural for there's been one constant in Indian cricket over the last 24 years and that's been Tendulkar. It is inevitable that for someone who has made us laugh and cry, rejoice and celebrate, the country will have an opinion. And there's no harm whatsoever in having that opinion. At the same time an opinion is simply an opinion. It isn't a binding rule. So a million people might feel he should retire while another million might beg to differ. It just doesn't matter in the end. If Sachin feels he ought to give it up and he isn't motivated enough I am sure he will call it a day. If not he will continue.

If the BCCI or the national selectors feel he is holding up a place they should please speak to him or rather drop him. There's no point in planting stories in the media that end up having an adverse impact on the person and the fraternity. This isn't the way to treat your greatest cricketer. No media reports need be planted. It is a private matter between Sachin and the BCCI and need not even come out in the press. And frankly, there's no point trying to tell him what he needs to do. It is his decision and will forever remain his decision. If you feel he isn't good enough any more the simple thing to do will be to communicate that to him and if he is unwilling to listen please go ahead and drop him.

For us in the media also we need to show a little restraint. Here's a man who has been a hero to all of us for a good 25 years. He has shaped our cricketing imagination, won us many a memorable victory, fought lone battles in adverse circumstances and given it his all for India and our cricket. The least we can do for him is show respect. Treat his achievements with the degree of esteem they deserve. We get nothing by trying to pull him down and show him in poor light. It only demonstrates how fickle minded we are and how we treat our heroes. For soon after Sachin retires we will call him the greatest cricketer who ever played cricket for India and the greatest sportsman India has ever produced. Such things don't help in the long run and demonstrate a lack of sensitivity and understanding.

The thing now is to push the champion on before his 200th Test match. The scale of the achievement, the monumental nature of it and the impact of this occasion around the cricket world should make each and every Indian cricket fan proud of it. It will never happen again is something that is almost a given. No cricketer can continue to play for 25 years leave alone play 200 Test matches. It is this we need to celebrate come November and the West Indies series. We just need to soak in every moment of the Test match because such an occasion will never happen again in our lifetime. We need to watch every ball of the match because that's how we will see history unfold before our eyes.

It is true Sachin will not be around for too long. For whatever time he is we need to just enjoy his presence, see him stride out, take guard and face up one more time for India. Every stroke will be missed and there will be no one else for who every cricket fan the world over will stand up and applaud. I don't care when he decides to retire. All I am bothered with is how long is he still around for I will watch and soak in all of him till then. Retirement is inevitable but there's still time to it. Time that we need to live through and enjoy.