Immortal

October 2005 Nagpur: A 5 feet 6 inches boy walks onto the ground and takes a glimpse at the sun just to adjust his eyes for the amount of brightness; that's the only adjustment this boy did in the whole day, rest of the adjustment was done by the opposing team trying to stop the Little Master from breaking loose. It was not just the opposing team who had to make adjustments but even some of his own countrymen who claimed this boy had passed his peak and was now ready to hang his boots. He scored a magnificent 93 off 97 deliveries to prove that the tennis elbow didn't bother him any more and he was perfectly fit.
Incase you haven't realized whom am I talking about then let me narrate a recent incident. September 2006 Kuala Lampur: On a very dodgy pitch this boy walks out again and walks back in only after the end of the 50 overs scoring 141 off 148 balls. This time not just to prove his fitness but also to affirmatively state that only Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar can decide Sachin Tendulkar's future and the exact time to hang the boots.
This time around there weren't hundred's but thousands who doubted his capability and every one of them would have said that Sachin should have played a county cricket or local matches to get in the mood. But, what does Sachin do? Instead goes onto play a friendly match for Lashing's. Why? Those who know how exactly the mind of a champion works will know why he played for Lashings and not for a County Club. Its very simple; Sachin knew his shoulder wasn't good enough yet, he knew that if he was playing a serious, competitive cricket match, he would get into the mood of it and let fly a ripper from 75 yards. He wanted to play himself in at a more relaxed pace.* Just one practise game before his match against West Indies and a lay off period of 6 months. How many people would have taken a bet he wouldn't even reach double figures? I would say most of them, including me! But, what does he do, instead of trying to get into the groove and play a cautious innings goes out to slam 5 sixes and 13 boundaries.
Mortals run in front of doctors to prove their fitness, Tendulkar piles runs in comeback games to show all's well with him.
Sachin would truly fit into the statement: Genius Alone Lives..All Else is Mortal

* inspired from articles in Indian Express by Harsha Bhogale.