Don't go, Sachin.. Keep playing.

After India's defeat in the recent Karachi test, there were reports from India about people demonstrating against Sachin Tendulkar, and few even demanding to throw him out of the team. There has been a nationwide debate about Sachin's form, with many claiming that Sachin is finished, and its the beginning of his end. It happened for first time in past 16 years, that people wanted Sachin to stay out of the team... They wanted him to retire. Sachin never received such a treatment any time in the past.

I was agape and confused after reading these reports. Somehow my mind was not yet ready to accept Indian cricket without Sachin. I cant imagine someone else coming out for batting at no. 4 in tests. I cant imagine someone else killing the bowlers in one dayers. I cant imagine not listening to Sachin's voice once in a while. I cant imagine Sachin being thrown out of Indian team.

No way, not even in my wildest dreams.

Sachin is God. How can someone throw him out of the team?. I dont think anyone is good enough to fill-in his place in Indian team. And above all, I don't think Sachin is over. Sachin WILL bounce back to his best once more, and will bid adieu to cricket on his own terms. He has to. He's not a normal cricketer, he's special; in more than one ways, he's exceptionally gifted than mere mortals. He simply cannot go wrong in scripting his own destiny.

Sachin is probably the most complete batsman that we have seen till date. Yes, he may not be the best (Lara is more graceful than Sachin, Steve Waugh and Rahul Dravid are more reliable than him, Viv Richards was more aggressive, the list goes on...), but he is certainly the most complete batsman. No one else can match the array of strokes he possesses: his shots are as perfect as one can play. His hunger for runs, passion for the game, concentration, and dedication towards a team and nation is unparalleled.

Sachin survived all the transitions, storms, and controversies in past 15 years. Note this: he was never ever suspected in any of the scandals; be it off the field or on. No on has ever been able to find out any technical flaw in his cricket. There hasn't been a single instance on field in past 15 years when it appeared that things were out of his control. Noone ever wrote or said about 'how' Sachin went wrong in his game. He has been master of his domain all the while. He is probably the only bowler in contemporary cricket, who can bowl all kinds of deliveries. I am sure that if he tries, he will even bowl left-arm chinaman, and will get a wicket too.

Off the field, he is probably the best example of a public personality. He's down to earth, absolutely well-mannered, never shows his emotions and anger in public, and sets a very good example for the ones who look up to him. He's a perfect father, a good husband, and even better businessman. He has hardly done anything wrong in his life.

Its not easy to reach perfection of this precision.

Imagine how thoughtful and imaginative he must have been to carefully plan his career and write his own destiny. Coming from a middle class family, it would have been very easy for him to go crazy with all the money he was getting, and the kind of talent he has. But he didnt. He made sure that he's always on top of everyone. It needs a great brain, and that too a very level headed one.

Sachin has been a role model for me since past many years. I have taken some very valuable notes for myself from him- and the process continues till date. Whenever I am in doubt or am unsure of something in life... I think of how Sachin would react to such a challenge. So far Sachin hasn't let me down. I still look up to him to learn a thing or two.

I want Sachin to play at his best yet again. Just to prove that he can do whatever he pleases to, just to prove that he is still a genius. Just to give us immense pleasure of enjoyng a game called cricket. I remember the world cup 2003 India-Pakistan game: there were about 50 guys n girls in a small room watching Shoeb Akhtar running in like a horse, and Sachin facing him for first time.... Sachin hit the first ball his over point and into the stands... and there was an eruption in that small room. Those couple of minutes were the most thrilling moments of my life so far. I remember how I could not sleep after watching Sachin's heroics on that sand-storm nite in Sharjah. I remember Shane Warne's comments on Tendulkar after that innings: "These days I get nightmares of Sachin hitting six off my bowling".

I would hate to think Sachin as a failure, I would hate to see him being anything less than perfect.

I would hate to see cricket without Sachin... I am not used to it.

Don't go , Sachin... keep playing. We are there for you!