New Zealand captain Danielle Vettori said two days back that the NZ team fears Sehwag. That he always demolishes their planned attack and they just cannot plan out things when he is on the crease. Did he forget Indian batting line-up still has Sachin’s name figuring out there? Or has he just forgotten the meaning of the name Sachin Tendulkar?

163 of 133, that too unconquered. Sachin’s stats read
Sachin Tendulkar caught himself bowled himself 163*

Hardly was he beaten in the complete innings, but the highlights would surely be the vintage Sachin dancing down the track and heaving the NZ bowlers for six. But it seems this takes a bit power to hit. Then what for Dhoni, Sehwag and Yuvraj are there? If Sachin is hitting sixes, they have to be carved out so smoothly that it wouldn’t seem even a single at all. But when the delicate shots that Sachin played over extra cover region, sixes and fours were competing themselves to get ahead of the other.

Hardly the NZ bowlers were blessed with a dot ball after his ton. Sweeps, glances, late cuts, straight drives, pulls, cuts… I thought he was playing with a tennis ball. Marvelous. I felt a wave of premonition for the NZ that Sachin would continue the carnage and will become the first batsman to reach 200. Yuvraj and Dhoni, the youngistan brigade, were easily outplayed and outclassed. I was feeling to thrash all those critics who always criticized him.

He went ahead to complete 150, and then tragedy struck. Of late, it has been a regular for him not being able to play 50 overs because of a sprain, muscle pull or any other injury. We saw it in the WC 03 against Pakistan, and there are many such instances. What is common in all is that the strike rate has always been above 100, he has always scored in abundance and has been the dominating player of the match. Others just revolve around him to give support. Again a muscle pull, but he continued to annihilate the bowlers.

Sixes raining even in utter pain. A six, then need of comfort. Back to business, a four, again screaming of pain. This is the real power of a supreme genius. Sachin is not the greatest only about his game but the aura and the courage he infuses in himself and in the team is more than remarkable.

Critics have now got a point. Sachin’s fitness. I know rather than praising his valiant efforts, they will barb that he is unable to stand on the field for 3.5 hours. Without even thinking that it is needless for him to spend that time. What others can do in 3.5 hours, he can complete that task in less than 2. Indians should be thankful to the almighty that Sachin is born in India. If they cant, let them rot. For the time, my prayers for Sachin. He gets fit and ready for the next slaughter.