Carry on, Tendulkar. 40 is just a number

Special editions of magazines and newspapers. Images dug out of archives, including that ubiquitous picture of a little boy with long curls, a big smile and bigger bat. Expert discussions on life after 40, for him in particular and sportspersons at large. For those who could score it, an interview with the man himself. For others, conversations with family members, former coaches and teammates/rivals. It was inevitable. We were bound to make a bit of a fuss over Sachin Tendulkar’s fortieth birthday. This has always been the media’s way of marking any significant landmark in cricket, particularly that of the little master. But since this particular statistic is awkward, it doesn’t naturally lend itself to fulsomeness. It is, shall we say, complex in its significance. So it is that, this time, there are as many thorns as roses in the bouquets. And they’re unusually prickly. So prickly that they burst any notion of a celebratory bubble. [caption id=“attachment_723699” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  There’s simply no running away. BCCI[/caption] Here’s the problem. Even though there is a constant stream of ‘age is just a number’ stories in the feel-good sections of media and popular culture, the truth is this: It just isn’t. No one really believes in the ‘40 is the new 30’ pep talk peddled by 20-something marketing and advertising kids, much like they scoffed at the ‘you are beautiful’ reassurances from Dove. World to ordinary person turning 40: Don’t worry. Age is all in the mind. You are only as old as you feel. It may sound uplifting and life-reaffirming to the ears but the mind knows better. We can look and behave younger but age has never been more significant as it is today, especially in competitive arenas. Inevitably, 40 has become a strange but solid line of separation. It has, in fact, in some ways and in some professions, become the new 50. Now, if ordinary folk struggle with this transition, think of Tendulkar, who is anything but a regular Joe. And he is a sportsman where, more than in any other career, all sorts of numbers matter. He has forever been the king of statistics but he has little control over this particular figure. He can fight his way into form but even he is caught in the age-perception battle. World to Sachin Tendulkar: You aren’t as young as you feel. And we’ll keep reminding you of that. Most of us have developed a ghoulish sense of mortality which often gets enhanced on reaching age-related landmarks. So we choose to live our own Peter Pan fantasies vicariously, through those we believe will stay forever young. The baby-faced Tendulkar of 1989 was one such, especially for those of his generation. His dominance over a beloved sport was intoxicating. We were young as long as he was. And that was going to be forever. Or so we desperately wanted to believe. He presents a proud face to his detractors but we don’t how long he will choose to defy the law of marginalization-by-age. Unlike teammates like Rahul Dravid, who too turned 40 in January this year, he doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to ride into the sunset despite incredulity and, sadly, a little ridicule. Even as the world exhorts him to hang his boots, he isn’t showing any signs of bending to untie the laces. The clock hasn’t stopped at 39. And neither has he. Even as we analyse his future, he is getting ready for a T20 game in Kolkata. Some will call it stubborn, selfish, self-defeating even. I call it brave, motivating. You can accuse me of bias – and as a long-time, unabashed fan, I won’t bother denying it – but I believe his enduring passion will be a source of inspiration for future generations of cricketers. It is easier for legends to quit while ahead. But by persisting in the face of ageist barriers, he is setting yet another benchmark for the sport and those who play it. After all, he didn’t care for his age when he faced bounce and pace from Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram at 16. Then why should he worry about aimless barbs and stones from critics at 40. The author writes on popular culture, cricket and whatever else takes her fancy. She tweets @abbykhaitan.