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What experts want Sachin to bat for as MP in Rajya Sabha
Rohit Mahajan/TNS

Sachin Tendulkar signs the oath book as Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs V. Narayanasamy watches during the swearing-in ceremony at Parliament in New Delhi on Monday. — PTI

Chandigarh, June 4
The ways of God are mysterious but Sachin Tendulkar, the man turned into god by cricket’s fans, is quite overt about what he wants to do in the Rajya Sabha. After being sworn in as an MP, Tendulkar said while cricket comes first, he has not taken his eye off the less fortunate, less popular “other sports”.

“Today with the nomination, I am in a better position to help not only cricket but also other sports,” Tendulkar said.

When he does find time to take his special knowledge or practical experience into the house of elders in Parliament, what would Tendulkar do?

“He (Sachin) is the best judge for that,” Kirti Azad, former cricketer and MP. “There are great people who’ve set great examples - like Javed Akhtar, who spoke for the rights of the artists and got the copyrights amendment Bill passed against all odds.”

Tendulkar was the great hope on the field. Unhappily for him, those hopes have been transferred to off the field - he’s seen as the man who can do no wrong. Doing the right thing - like supporting Lalit Maken in his crusades against politicians in sport, or the powers in the BCCI - is going to be controversial.

Tendulkar detests controversy, but as the great hope of the wretched sporting fans of this land, he must ruffle feathers and consider doing the following:

1) Support moves to make sporting bodies and officials accountable;

2) Support efforts to make the BCCI, indirectly funded by the taxpayer’s and fan’s funds, answerable to someone - anyone!;

3) Help popularise and revive the truly global sports in this country of a billion people. India’s ratio of medals won in the Olympics and population is the worst in the world. A word from Tendulkar could help increase India’s talent pool in the Olympics;

4) He continues to need to make money, but he needs to reconsider if he wants to remain a marketing tool - his move to link his birthday with a marketing campaign was a particularly ill-advised move;

5) He loved sport, not just cricket, with a rare passion - that and his Rajya Sabha role put him in a privileged position to speak against its over-commercialisation.

“I believe that there will be a few obstacles along the way, and I will need help from my fellow parliamentarians, administrators, media and our countrymen,” Tendulkar said. The ‘god’ has the support of millions. “When an achiever of his status speaks, everyone would listen in the Rajya Sabha,” says Kirti Azad. “I’d be very happy to guide him if he needs any help in Parliament.”

No boy of 16 played cricket better than Tendulkar. The Rajya Sabha gives Tendulkar the opportunity to add sheen of gravitas to his still-schoolboy passion for the sport. He must grab this opportunity.