Opportunity of a lifetime..

It's not everyday that India chases a target of 387. It is not everyday that Sachin scores a ton. It is not everyday that Yuvi plays test cricket like one day cricket, with all flair. It is not everyday that Viru plays test cricket like T20, with all audacity. It is not everyday that a match is played in Chennai. It is not everyday that India creates history chasing a fourth innings total therefore coming fourth on the all time list of fourth innings scores. What happens when all this comes together? What happens when you are there to see this happen? Whatte fun!! That is the experience of a lifetime! 

I had spoken of Sehwag's clean hitting being one of the most memorable innings of his life, but today's Sachin innings was THE most memorable innings of his life. He made a century in a winning cause in the fourth innings for the first time in his life, and it is not everyday that someone of Tendulkar's stature comes with a first. Sehwag himself said it was the best century of Sachin he'd seen. It seemed so unlike Sachin, no big shots, no risks. There was a very similar situation in 1998 versus Pakistan when he made 137, before throwing his wicket. There were five wickets in hand when it wanted 37 runs to win. Sachin supposedly told Sunil Joshi that the match was getting too long and he was planning to finish it. The next ball was looped by Saqlain Mushtaq, and Sachin went for a lofted shot, but with half power, as his back was already not cooperating with him, and got out, and the rest of the team crumbled as India lost by 13 runs. This also at the very same Chepauk. Here, he had made his mind to stay till India won. A ton, and able support from Yuvraj, he played a momentous knock of 103 not out, spanning over 196 balls, 317 minutes, and 246 runs scored while he was at the crease. That shows, that unlike usual Sachinism, this was one long, slow innings. It had just 9 boundaries, three of them which came among the last 19 runs of the match, as he jumped from 88 to 92, then 92 to 96, and then from 99 to 103, thus completing the victory. Otherwise the first 88, had 6 boundaries, unlike his usual aggresive self, he was self-control personified, controlled to an extent he hasn't exhibited so far in his 19 year old career. He played the knock of a lifetime, the mammoth knock, he dedicated it to the victims and survivors of the Mumbai terror attacks. He did something for them in the best way he knew, letting the bat speak! Kudos to youthful Yuvraj, gallant Gambhir, luckless(!!) Laxman and of course, swashbuckling Sehwag for the knocks they played too, but superb Sachin stole my heart as usual. It was the match of a lifetime, and Dhoni played to the gallery as he summed the match up by telling the Chennai crowd was one of the main reasons of motivation for the match to be won *lifting my collar up*, and that he'll be back to meet us during the IPL.  But one thing is for sure, India rocks, atleast the cricket team definitely does.

I'll be back.

Ever yours,

Without wax

Vignesh/Chappli.