Even if you have scored a triple century in one match, the next one does not start on 300 plus one. You always begin at zero.

For fifteen record-breaking years, the master-blaster's presence on the field has spelt security and hope for the country's cricket fans. Extremely shy and reticent off the field, Sachin Tendulkar sheds his customary reserve in an exclusive chatathon and photo-session with Verve. SHRADDHA JAHAGIRDAR-SAXENA meets the man with the swashbuckling blade

Think Indian cricket…talk Indian cricket and the name that springs unbidden to mind is Sachin Tendulkar. Almost from the very first instant that the batsman picked up his blade to rewrite international record books and make short shrift of the opposition, Sachin started to amass a colossal fan following. For 15 long years, come this November, the little master, as he has been publicly christened, has evoked applause, accolades…and sometimes, acrimony.

The towering icon of Indian cricket

Even during the leanest moments of his career, what has remained undisputed is Sachin's avowed passion for the game…and for the country he represents. He has the National tricolour pasted inside his kit bag, an expression of what representing India means to him…. "I have played for India for so long, it has been a dream," says Sachin in reflective mode. "I am a reserved kind of guy. I do not wear my heart on my sleeve, except when I am out there in the middle, playing for my country.

When the master-blaster, all padded up and helmeted, steps out to take guard at the crease, he carries a whole nation with him. People switch on their television sets and switch off their lives. "I know that people expect me to work wonders all the time…" Sachin sighs softly. "But honestly, I am not god! The team has 11 players and is not made up of Sachin Tendulkar alone. The others are equally capable. It is just that sometimes you click, at other times, you fail. But isn't that life…and cricket?"

Tough choices

Under Ramakant Achrekar's guidance, cricket coaching moved up on the priority list in young Sachin's life. Initially, for a year - before he changed base to Shivaji Park to live with his uncle and aunt - he travelled there every day. The timetable was tough, leaving him no time to call his own. To enable the 12-year-old to focus on his cricketing aspirations, Achrekar urged for a change of school. So Sachin joined Dadar's Shardashram, an institution that had a keen reputation for the game.

Soon, it was time to take a decision, between cricket pitches and a classroom education. "At no stage was I pressured into giving up cricket. But I had been told subtly, that studies were as important as my game, particularly since my father was a professor," says Sachin. "No one expected me to top the class or do very well but I was expected to get decent marks. So, when I finally took the decision to stop studying, it was a tough one."

The 'model' cricketer

His superstar status has ensured a bounty of brands in his kitty, like Airtel, TVS Victor, Pepsi, MRF, Adidas, Boost and Britannia. Sachin is quick to reiterate that cricket is his first and lasting priority. "I stay away from commercial commitments while the season is on and try and complete them when we are not playing. The commercials are all happening to me because of cricket. I am not a model…I am only a cricketer who promotes different brands."

Yet, the cricketers - Sachin included - have faced a great deal of flak for paying more attention to their advertisements and neglecting their fitness levels. Sachin retorts, "People need to look at what we do carefully and then pass judgement. We are all mature enough to know that when we start playing, it is only cricket and nothing else. We don't talk about commercials or colas…we only discuss cricket." He continues with the swiftness that he has exhibited time and again on the field, "We may shoot for only one day in six months or a year…but the commercials are beamed about 30 times a day. That is what makes people think that we are more interested in shooting than in playing."