Editorial
East or West - Sachin is the best
Immediately after Sachin scored his 50th Test century, the cricket pundits asked the question whether Sachin was the greatest or was he only second best to the legendary Sir Donald Bradman. But a true lover of cricket should disapprove of this comparison simply because such a comparison has little basis and it cannot or should not be encouraged for it does a disservice to both these legends.
Comparing Sachin and Donald Bradman is like comparing Pele and Maradona in Football, Fischer and Spassky in Chess, Messi and Ronaldo in Football, Sampras and Agassi in Lawn Tennis, Muhamad Ali and Joe Frazier in Boxing and so on. It is also like comparing Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan, Kamal Hassan and Rajinikant, Hema Malini and Rekha in Indian Films. These debates add to the aura of the star, increase their brand value and encourage literature that accords these icons immortality. There cannot be conclusive answer as to who is the greatest. These comparisons are just fodder for a fan's fantasy.
The day when Sachin scored his 50th test century can be compared with the day when the 100-metre race at the 1988 Seoul Olympics turned out to be the race of the century because it pitted two of the best of all times, Lewis and Johnson. This race had captured world attention and millions, with no connection with these two men, tuned on to watch them in action.
Sachin has actually played over 1300 days of international cricket, a statistic which can make any contemporary sportsman develop inferiority complex. Sachin also boasts of having scored 32.000 international runs and 96 international centuries and taken 100 plus catches. Also he has been in the limelight continuously for 21 years. Sachin has achieved something which the cricket world has never before seen and will not perhaps see again in the next few decades.
When India had played at Lord's in 2007, hundreds of MCC members had turned up to watch Sachin score a century. They wanted Sachin to get his name up on the Lord's honour board, something which even Sir Donald Bradman wouldn't have experienced in his career. Sachin cannot be compared with anyone since he has performed an impossible feat. Sachin has given his fans incredible joy with feats of incredible brilliance. He is the only cricketer who gets a standing ovation every time he steps out to bat on an Australian field. That proves that Sachin is the best, whether in East or West!
East or West - Sachin is the best
Immediately after Sachin scored his 50th Test century, the cricket pundits asked the question whether Sachin was the greatest or was he only second best to the legendary Sir Donald Bradman. But a true lover of cricket should disapprove of this comparison simply because such a comparison has little basis and it cannot or should not be encouraged for it does a disservice to both these legends.
Comparing Sachin and Donald Bradman is like comparing Pele and Maradona in Football, Fischer and Spassky in Chess, Messi and Ronaldo in Football, Sampras and Agassi in Lawn Tennis, Muhamad Ali and Joe Frazier in Boxing and so on. It is also like comparing Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan, Kamal Hassan and Rajinikant, Hema Malini and Rekha in Indian Films. These debates add to the aura of the star, increase their brand value and encourage literature that accords these icons immortality. There cannot be conclusive answer as to who is the greatest. These comparisons are just fodder for a fan's fantasy.
The day when Sachin scored his 50th test century can be compared with the day when the 100-metre race at the 1988 Seoul Olympics turned out to be the race of the century because it pitted two of the best of all times, Lewis and Johnson. This race had captured world attention and millions, with no connection with these two men, tuned on to watch them in action.
Sachin has actually played over 1300 days of international cricket, a statistic which can make any contemporary sportsman develop inferiority complex. Sachin also boasts of having scored 32.000 international runs and 96 international centuries and taken 100 plus catches. Also he has been in the limelight continuously for 21 years. Sachin has achieved something which the cricket world has never before seen and will not perhaps see again in the next few decades.
When India had played at Lord's in 2007, hundreds of MCC members had turned up to watch Sachin score a century. They wanted Sachin to get his name up on the Lord's honour board, something which even Sir Donald Bradman wouldn't have experienced in his career. Sachin cannot be compared with anyone since he has performed an impossible feat. Sachin has given his fans incredible joy with feats of incredible brilliance. He is the only cricketer who gets a standing ovation every time he steps out to bat on an Australian field. That proves that Sachin is the best, whether in East or West!
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