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Vintage Sachin shows his class, set for grand exit Mumbai, November 14 Did this really happen? Yes it did. Or it seems that it really did happen. Because the man we all watched as kids, and on whose dismissal we switched off the TV in the 1990s, will bat never again. It was an eerie moment of hypnotism -- possibly self-hypnotism. But the emotion seemed more real than reality. Tendulkar walked toward the door of the dressing room; he sat down at the last chair before it. He probably said one final prayer, then got up and opened the door, and walked some 40 steps down to the edge of the arena. The Wankhede Stadium had already erupted in a thunderous applause. The crowd, some 20,000 of them, had willed the fall of 12 wickets in the day for this moment to arrive. His mother Rajni Tendulkar, who uses a wheelchair, was at the ground for the first time, holding a portrait of her
son, a model cricketer and a model son. The first time, and also the last time. Wankhede was hit by a deafening noise — shouts of Sacheeeen, Sachin were predominant. His fans held hope and fear in their hearts. Sachin Tendulkar, after all, has succumbed to age. He's no more the magical conjurer of batting beauty. The West Indians had lined up in two rows to give him a guard of honour; they doffed their caps and wished him well. The master thanked them all, nodding right and left, waving to him here and raising his bat to him there. He was then greeted by Cheteshwar Pujara at the wicket. The two exchanged a few words, Tendulkar walked a few steps across this wicket, patting down a spot or two, and then bowed down and picked a speck of dust from the pitch, touched it to his helmeted forehead and then the middle of his chest — a mark of almost religious piety for the game he's loved and played with distinction. Who says it's just a sport? Who says Tendulkar is just an individual player in a team? Tendulkar transcended boundaries in his 24 years in Indian colours; when he goes out to bat anywhere in the world, he's seen as a Genius, not an Indian Genius who becomes the centre of everything. But cricket is a sport, and Tendulkar is just one of the 22 players in the match — this is true, too. Tendulkar the player must justify his place in the XI, even if it's his 200th and last Test. He did that today. He managed to find time for the one final joyful dance. His footwork was decisive, his actions quick and unhindered by hesitancy. His mind was uncluttered, fearless. Tendulkar was a liberated man; in the shouts of the thousands at the ground today, he possibly heard a sweet call that would free him from the burden of a billion hopes. He and Pujara have added 80 runs today, India are 157/2, only 25 short of the West Indian total of 182. Tendulkar is still in the middle, with 38 off 73 balls, with six fours. He turned back the clock today; he made music. There will be more tomorrow, before the music is stilled forever. The Wankhede party
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