[Book] Sachin Tendulkar: A Definitive Biography

I finally read a book ;-) Personal achievement. Those Bookworms out there, completing one book a day might feel it ODD but yes, i did take more than two months to complete it.

This memoir of the Master Blaster has every minute detail of Sachin's scintillating Career. Starting from his childhood days to the moment the book was published, 2008 i guess. Though we all know about Sachin's acheivements and have witnessed most of them Live, the author Vaibhav Purandare still unveiled some unforeseen incidents about the Country's only Son !Isn't it suprising? Someone so Young identified for the center stage so early? That too, for a Tour to Pakistan? The Author has discussed in depth - the sequence of events in his carrer that took him to the international Arena, so early at 16 !
I liked this Quote cited at a particular chapter when sachin was compared with Sir Donald Bradman. It goes as follows.

Stripped to the truth, he was a solitary man with a solitary aim.
-RC.Robertson-Glasgow on Sir Don Bradman
He bats just the way i did.
-Sir Don Bradman on Sachin Tendulkar

Sir Bradman once told his Wife that Sachin bats just like him but he did not say why he felt that way. It remained a mystery after he permanently shifted to heaven later. The Author, in dedicated chapters, compares the legends to find out the reason behind Don's thoughts. Apart from that, there are a lot more you can find out. Few of them are,

• How his nose bled in his first ever test series in Pakistan
• How he made his mark against the greats of Wasim Akram, Imran Khan & Waquar Younis
• How the fielders around did their best to hurt him psychologically
• How he stayed put and smashed the next ball for Four
• How he smashed Abdul Quadir - the best Leg-spenner on the day - repeatedly into the stands without losing his cool
• How he saved a Test in England with a superb Debut hundred
• How he registered a Fighting hundred on the world's fastest track in Perth when his entire team was crubling down
• How he become the team's top scorer of the 92' World cup at the age of just 18
• How vital his contributions are against the Pakistan game in the same tournament
• How he turned the Hero Cup finals upside down with his BOWLING when he snatched the ball from the hesitant Kapil Dev & bowled a brilliant Last over
• How he smashed the ball all over the park after volunteering to open the batting for the FIRST TIME against New Zealand on their own soil in 1994
• How he countered the Australian Quickies in 96' World Cup that even moved Sir Don Bradman himself
• How he smashed Shane Warne all over the country in 1998
• How he unleashed a storm against the Aussie attack in Sharjah
• How he took the team to the brink of Victory against Pakistan in Chennai at 1999 inspite of his intense pain?
• How he scored a brilliant hundred, putting aside all the pain when his father died during the world cup
• How he played one of the Focussed innings of his carrer in a local game when the whole world is immersed in Match-Fixing scandals
• How crucial his performance is during the home series against Australia in 2001
• How he handled Nasser Hussian's team despite Provocation
• How he survived and faced the Ball-Tampering controversy?
• How sleepless he went for 12 nights before the 2003 World cup game against Pakistan
• How he pummelled the pakistan attack with one of the finest ODI knock of 98 in the same game
• How he got 241 not out against Australia in Sydney WITHOUT PLAYING EVEN ONE SINGLE COVER DRIVE?
• How he failed in batting but took a match-winning catch of Inzamam-Ul-Haq at deep long on?
• How he fought injuries in 2005 & 2006 and put up a remarkable performance in 2007?

There are a lot, lot and lot more said there. This book is a must read for any Sachin Fan ;-)
Last but not least, the little Master himself feels it's good.

"Vaibhav Purandare has done extensive research and conducted several interviews to put together this in-depth and engaging biography. I have enjoyed this book on me."
– Sachin Tendulkar