Sachin: The Story of the World's Greatest Batsman

by Gulu Ezekiel

In the twelve years that he has been in the public eye, Sachin Tendulkar has been explosive on the cricket field and just as reticent off it. He was barely fifteen years old when he first wrote his name into the record books with a stupendous 664-run partnership with his childhood friend Vinod Kambli. Two year later, he struck his first century in first-class cricket. At eighteen, he became the second youngest man to make a hundred in international cricket, and after that there was no looking back. Records tumbled by the wayside as he captivated audiences first in his home city of Mumbai, then in the rest of India and all over the cricket-playing world. Today, Sachin is widely accepted as the world's finest batsman, with impeccable technique, an incredible array of strokes, and maturity far beyond his years. His teammates and friends swear by him, his fans worship him and there are few, if any, critics of his game or his temperament.

In this biography of the hero of Indian cricket, sports writer Gulu Ezekiel mines interviews, press reports and conversations over the last decade to create an accurate and sympathetic account of the man and his first cricket. He tracks Sachin from his childhood when he first caught the bug of cricket, through his early performances in the Ranji Trophy and other domestic tournaments, and follows him on his meteoric rise to international stardom. With unfailing attention to detail, he reconstructs the crucial matches and events that marked Sachin's career and unravels for us the magic of the charismatic cricketer whom Wisden once dubbed 'bigger than Jesus'.

The Story of the World's Greatest Batsman , the first, serious exhaustive biography of the Tendulkar career so far, brings back, like a warm autumn breeze does, the memory of the wunderkind's early exhilarating summers in international cricket...The book is akin to a documentary in prose...the book's big virtue is that it is laboriously researched and cross-referenced. For any quizzer on Mastermind India opting for "The Life and Times of Sachin Tendulkar" as their specialist subject there's good news. You just got yourself the ready reckoner that covers 1973-2002.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Sports

389 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Prabhat sharma · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sachin: The Story of the World's Greatest Batsman: (Paperback) by Gulu Ezekiel- Sachin Tendulkar's record in first class cricket can easily be seen from the statistics but to understand the story of development from a child protegy to a cricketer can be understood by reading this well researched book. Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Saurav Ganguly have written their autobiographies in which they have described home and foreign tour of Indian cricket team, sledging by opposing team so as to distract the attention of the cricketer, mis-judgment by umpires, penalising players for mistakes by third umpire, using negative tactics to slow down run rate, appeal for lbw even when the ball is not striaght and perisisting with the appeal forcing the umpire to re-think, negative and positive press reports and effect on players are well described. The book informs that Sachin is one person who does not talk much to the press and during a match does not read newspapers and talk on phone, thus remains more concentrated on the match. As a child, his talent for cricket was discovered by his elder brother and he joined coaching with Achrekar. Here Sachin was exposed to more cricket matches played from morning till evening . At school level, Vinod Kambli and he scored more than 300 runs. The newspapers brought them into limelight. Mumbai clubs have regular cricket but Sachin was selected by BCCI to play against Pakistan in a series of matches. Raj Singh Dungarpur is credited to have decided that even though below 18 years he was fit to be selected to represent the country. Description has been given by English country cricket where Sachin also joined for one season and how his simplicity, good behavior and high class cricket made him dear to the viewers. The Book has said much about the viewers of different cricket playing nations - viewers come for entertainment and in cricket the noise, support of the viewers is happy sign for the players. They concentrate, display their shots and send the ball to the boundary or above the boundary line. Pressure to captainship has been much discussed in the book. Sachin has remained captain. With his international experience of playing at different locations and at variety of pitches, he has taken extra care to inform each bowler about field placement and how he should bowl at each level of the game. His experience is that players do not exert themselves so much, hide their injuries and are tired within three days of continuous playing. Sachin loves and enjoys playing cricket therefore, the game is life for him. The competitive nature of the game and non-predictability of the result is charm for the viewers and players. Sachin has enjoyed playing for Ranji Trophy and has lot of confidence on local players who speak his language. Development of Brand Sachin as a next door, simple boy and later as young successful family man has been en-cashed by advertisers, leading whom was Mascarenhas. He has developed into a multi-million dollar brand. Match fixing has also been dealt with in the book. Sachin plays for the country and feels proud. In CBI enquiry about match fixing, he has reported that Azhar played slower than what he was capable of. Later, not much was concluded in the enquiry. All this hype, make the players realise that they must remain committed to the game and play their best. Complaints are enquired and shady deals will be unearthed. It is a good book to be bought and kept in a personal library. The research done is highly appreciated.

[Daniel Lang · Rating 3 out of 5]

Gulu Ezekiel's "Sachin: The Story of the World's Greatest Batsman" is an insightful and comprehensive biography that delves into the life and career of cricket's beloved icon, Sachin Tendulkar. This engaging narrative provides readers with a deep understanding of the man behind the cricketing legend, earning its place as a must-read for fans and enthusiasts alike.

Ezekiel skillfully weaves together the various threads of Tendulkar's life, starting from his childhood in Mumbai to his rise as one of the greatest batsmen in the history of the sport. The author goes beyond the statistics and cricketing anecdotes, offering a nuanced exploration of Tendulkar's character, values, and the impact of his achievements on the cricketing landscape.

The book excels in capturing the emotional highs and lows of Tendulkar's illustrious career. Ezekiel skillfully navigates through key matches, providing readers with vivid descriptions of iconic moments that have become etched in the memory of cricket fans worldwide. The author's access to Tendulkar's inner circle adds a personal touch, giving readers a behind-the-scenes look at the challenges and triumphs of the cricketing maestro.

What sets this biography apart is its attention to detail and the balanced portrayal of Tendulkar. Ezekiel does not shy away from discussing the controversies and struggles that Tendulkar faced, offering readers a more authentic and human perspective. The narrative is well-paced, keeping the reader engaged from Tendulkar's early days in Shivaji Park to his emotional farewell at Wankhede Stadium.

The inclusion of photographs and quotes from Tendulkar and his contemporaries enhances the storytelling, bringing the journey to life visually. While the book primarily focuses on cricket, it also touches upon Tendulkar's life beyond the pitch, providing a holistic view of the man who became a national icon.

In conclusion, "Sachin: The Story of the World's Greatest Batsman" is a compelling biography that successfully captures the essence of Sachin Tendulkar's extraordinary career. Gulu Ezekiel's meticulous research and storytelling prowess make this book a fitting tribute to the cricketing legend, offering readers an in-depth and enjoyable exploration of the man known as the "Little Master."

[Gayatri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story, but I think it'd be much more appreciated by die-hard fans of Sachin Tendulkar and cricket alike.

[Utsav Trivedi · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are a Sachin fan you must read it and if you are not his fan then you must definitely read it. For the fans its a long walk to the memory lane. Reading about the journey of Sachin made me remember each and every important moment of his life and also made me remember my reaction to it at that time.
For the critics it will help you clear your misconceptions. Those who think he wasn't a match winner, this book will be an eye opener. It tells you about his fighting knocks, reasons for his captaincy failures, the pressure he went through, all of it.

The book is well written and well researched. A must read I will say..

[Kaustubh Dudhane · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 2nd biography by Gulu, I have read. Like Sourav, this book covers One Day Internationals in detail. Gulu has covered the match fixing saga thoroughly and how it has impacted Sachin. I believe Gulu should have written this book at least ten years. As a result, he would have got more stories to tell. :-D

[Ajay Venkat · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book by Gulu Ezekiel! A complete history with an insight to the life of the world's greatest contemporary batsman. The Superman of Indian cricket presented in a couple of a hundred pages. Brilliant!

[Dhruv Aggarwal · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing. Perfect book and loved to read.

[Wayne Jordaan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A remarkable cricketer, who succesfully managed to keep his family life private throughout his career.