It's all about the endings

As Sachin chipped the ball and ambled down the pitch from 99 to 100, the world stood and applauded. There might have been viewers and spectators who expected a thunderous celebration from the master, to see him dancing down the lush in ecstasy, grinning at the sky, bowing down on the ground and kissing the earth, may be even flipping just like Kohli (nah!), but they were surprised. Sachin simply looked above at the blue with an impression of not an achievement, but rather a loss. He finally lost those nightmares about him not getting to his 100th ton at all or losing the charm of the milestone by getting to it in eons.

Sachin can now go to his room and sleep with no fear of nightmares anymore. I remember the wise words of Christopher Nolan when he said "it's all about the endings." This is how people will remember us. How we put a full stop to our legacy and move on is a measure of our maturity and growth over the years of ruthlessness, rashness, irrationality and unquenchable appetite and into the years of wisdom.

No doubts about it that Sachin took a sigh of relief with that 100th run for he was starting to question his decision of continuing his career post the high points of World Cup 2011. As Imran Khan, of Pakistan, stated that the best time for seniors to retire (Sachin, Dravid, Laxman and Sehwag) was right after World Cup 2011. "Sachin would've not been a lesser player with 99 international centuries" Khan concluded. But did Sachin misunderstood the apex of his career? He had surely changed after the World Cup. He was no longer dedicated to the team's success, rather he was on the ground for one thing only -- to put "a perfect" end to his illustrious career. And this was visible in his temperament and technique. The way he played in the last match against Bangladesh (Asia Cup 2012) was the way I would have played against Australia! Like a bleating lamb!

The point is anything in this world is judged, in an unfairly profound manner, by its start and more importantly by its ending. And we know that and so does Sachin. And what happens after the ending? A beginning of a new cycle. Unfortunately, biology of humans fail to synchronize itself with its psychology. In other words, the cycle returns with no regards to the fact that we are growing older. Surely, Sachin is now going to play like he used to when he walked in for the first time, unless he retires, and if he was 25 years old, he would eye the 200th ton. But I think he is wiser than this as we all should be. I think greatness is not necessarily reaching the maximum number of high points by completing the maximum number of cycles in your life, but it is about recognizing the end of that one cycle from where you can't see the end of the next. Sachin you saw the end of the next cycle through the fog and you got there. Take a bow Master!