Well, I beg your pardon - your analysis is absolutely wrong. "But cold and dry statistics are not what the game of cricket is all about. It is about passion, love, agony, hope and every other possible human emotion. Stats can never reveal that."
What the heck are you talking about? Show me one person who can generate these numbers without the emotions you talk about. Ask the players you have mentioned, what they think about Tendulkar. You are a typical sports fan who gets on board with others when a player is in his best form. He has terrorised the bowlers from all over the world. He is still considered the prize wicket for any bowler. Just ask Shane Warne, who still gets nightmares when he thinks about Tendulkar and his batting.
How can you justify people speculating and booing Tendulkar? You talk about other journalist pointing fingers at crowd. Well, those people know what it takes make 23K total runs in cricket or score 74 centuries. You, like you said, cannot understand this.
I play cricket passionately in Dallas, and oh I wish, I could have 1/10th the talent, determination, passion and concentration Tendulkar has. Of course he has his share of shortcoming, even Sir Donald Bradman (whom you pose a question) was not perfect. He himself said, "Maybe God doesn't want me to have an average of 100."
{{/usCountry}}I play cricket passionately in Dallas, and oh I wish, I could have 1/10th the talent, determination, passion and concentration Tendulkar has. Of course he has his share of shortcoming, even Sir Donald Bradman (whom you pose a question) was not perfect. He himself said, "Maybe God doesn't want me to have an average of 100."
{{/usCountry}}Everyone talks about how well Dravid plays under pressure, which he does. Have you ever thought of the pressure Tendulkar has faced for last 16 odd years? It is easy to sit on the sidelines and criticise someone. Every one talks the talk but very few can actually walk the walk. Tendulkar has done that and more. He has brought us joy, pleasure and yes, agony. We, mortals have knelt in pressure various times in our respective lives.
But can you even begin to imagine the pressure to be considered immortal amongst the mortals? I don't think so. Ask Sir Donald Bradman.