Sachin-The Icon of a Billion

How important is Sachin Tendulkar to India. For all his cricketing heroics( a world cup, 100 international centuries will soon be in the list), he is just an entertainer after all. Rakhi Sawant does the same( Of course Sachin does it in a much better and dignified way). Then why is Sachin such an icon?
Sachin has been around for 20 years. As a nation, people say, India has changed drastically over this period. I am sure we have. But the one who brings joy and happiness to the nation is still the same man. In a nation and decade, where corruption and terrorism have been the order, he has cheered up the nation through it's hard times. People hardened by the betrayals of politicians, leaders and beaurocrats, saw in him the ray of hope that kept them going. He stood upto the masses' expectations. People had someone who wouldn't let them down. And thus emerged our Hero.

Sachin is lucky to be blessed by supreme talent. Coupling it with his hard work he has achieved his milestones. Yuvraj Singh and Vinod Kambli were probably as gifted or only slightly less. But both came nowhere close to him. Achieving success is one thing, handling it is another. Sachin biggest quality is his modesty. With all his accomplishments, he has every right to be arrogant. Instead, if ever an example of humility and modesty would be given, it would be Sachin.( Not necessary to mention but I find Amitabh Bacchan's modesty fake, he can of course act well enough to convince people).

Sachin has shown to the world that one could be superstar just with onfield feats. No off-field controversies, no larger-than-life show-offs. Just Cricket. To a generation that misunderstands modernity as a disgust for tradition, he is a teacher. His habit of looking up towards the sky to remember his father after every milestone (practically every other inning) is a reminder to all of us of the core Indian value, which we seem to have forgotten in our 'modernization' process.

Sachin would retire sooner than later. Age is not on his side. There is a famous saying- Great players shouldn't retire when people are asking why not, but why! I am sure Sachin will earn himself the most graceful exit. To a lot of us, Cricket would change forever then. Till that happens, keep rocking Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar, the God of Cricket.