The lion is young. His bones are
hard, claws sharp and teeth that can cut steel. This lion is aggressive and
bold, terrifying and petrifying, ruthless and cruel. He devours on every animal
that comes in his way. Every resistance that challenges his supremacy and
dominance is preyed upon. Spilling enough blood, this lion makes his way to the
top. He is now the King of the jungle. For others, he is God.
Sachin
Tendulkar was the new lion in the jungle. This lion covered countries and
continents and thrashed bowlers all over the world. If it was Warne in Sharjah
(my favourite one) then it was Akhtar in South Africa World Cup. Roger Federer
marks the other version of the lion. Though coming from another sport, this
lion was no less in terms of dominance. Elegance, style, composure, maturity –
you name it and it was there in his game. From Australian to French, from
Wimbledon to US, this man had conquered all and demolished every one.
Time
passed. The lions grew older with each passing day. The very strengths which
would intimidate the prey, started fading. The jungle soon showed signs of
instability. Other lions were soon seen on the horizon. Alas, the spot for the King
was just one. Only one could sit on the throne.
The
Spaniard and the D’Joker arrived. Class soon seemed outclassed. Elegance faded
in thin air. Composure was lost. Feet
started moving slowly. Crowds switched side. Forehand and backhands no longer garnered
applause. The finals which were once marked with tears of joy soon were highlighted
by dejection and dullness. The other lion, after getting things right for 99
times, could not find it going for 100th one. Depression and disappointment
marked the battles. Foreign jungles soon
seemed to be alien territory. Head went down after every battle. Shots which
fetched boundaries, few years ago, went to slips. Fatigue was seen in body
language.
So,
what should the old lion do in such a case? Should he give up his power and
move to other avenues of life and explore other options? Should he continue to
resist and fight till the last drop of blood in his body? Is it worth holding
the land, when you have already proved your valor? What if the lion perishes on
the battlefield due to his stubbornness? One thing that the lion needs to
remember is that the crowd remembers what you did in the recent past. They will
never remember your glorious past if you have an inglorious present. History
remembers those who went to the top and stayed there. Not those who hit the
nadir after reaching the pinnacle.
The
last battle the old lion has to face is the fight within. He has to find that
opportune moment to step down. And no one can know it better than him. Perhaps,
he does have one last fight remaining. If this is what echoes within his inner
conscience, then it should be seen in the performance on the field. Dropped
shoulders, dejected face and slow feet are surely not the signs of it. The poor
form does not hurt only the player. It gives excruciating agony to the fans that
idolized, worshipped and cherished everything that the player did. Be it good
or bad. Soon, as the form keeps dropping, a sense of negativism starts gripping
the fans. Fanatics would remain loyal. But, emotional and sane fans will not.
Others will soon start hating the person. Sadly, many in India fall in the last
category.
The lion is exceptional and no one
can ever match him. But the lion needs to be prudent enough to know when it is
time. However, no one should coax the lion to retire. After all, he is the
lion, the King and the best one. But in order that people remember this lion
for the blood that he shed in the battles and the battles that he has won, it
is important that the lion ends the story at a winning note. As Harvey Dent
rightly puts it in The Dark Knight “You either die as a hero or you live long
enough to see yourself become a villain.”
