Sachin’s autobiography was one book I had a lot of expectations on, as an avid fan and book reader. While the fan in me was delighted to read about his exploits on and off the field, the book reader in me was a tad disappointed, because the narration made it seem like a summary of his professional career, from Sachin’s perspective. However, given the length of his career and the number of important moments in them, I feel the book has done a good job overall, in being honest and keeping the reader interested till the very end.

Sachin recounts his experiences, right from his childhood, to playing for Mumbai and then for India and the highs and lows he faced while playing for the country, in a way that only he can, calm and composed, and never too excited in his narration. While I was sometimes surprised by his innocence and humility, and his various indulgences, I also realised how this man, with the hopes and expectations of a billion people, strived to be not only an honest sportsman devoted to his game and country, but also be a good human being who respected his parents, siblings, family, friends and everyone else who has stood by him. His pangs at not being there for his family, and the hurt he felt when India lost or when people doubted his commitment, shows how deeply he cared for both.

It was joyous to read about the emotions Sachin went through, after reaching his first century, the famous 241 at Sydney, and also some tough moments like his injuries or how he felt after the 194 declaration in Multan. But such revealing incidents were few and far between, and left the reader craving for more.

The best feeling for anyone reading this book would be when we realise how we have grown along with Sachin, and reminisce what we were upto, when Sachin was plundering bowlers at different stages of his career. Be it the 1996 semifinal world cup loss, or the sandstorm innings at Sharjah, to the 2003 world cup final defeat, to Sachin crossing Brian Lara’s record for test runs, the “Superman from India” moment when he reaches his 200, the world cup victory lap, and finally, to his last test innings of 74 vs West Indies. These are memories which, will not only stay with Sachin, but also the countless number of Indians who have grown up along with him, and that, I feel is why this book will be cherished by any Indian cricket fan.

Originally published here.