Sachin Tendulkar- Sharjah '98

That match against Australia, when the entire nation had almost, almost given up on an Indian victory, one man had the courage to view things differently. The Master did something remarkable; he played one of the most awe-inspiring innings ever played on the cricket field.

With India down in the dumps, the sandstorm had just started making its presence felt. Almost everyone, including the Aussies, were trying to shield their eyes. Some of the Aussies even preferred to lie down on the ground to escape the storm. But one man never tried to hide. Indeed, he was standing rock solid on the ground, willing to face nature's and his opponent's fury.

We were going to bed, my brother and I, but waited to watch the Master crack a few more boundaries. Deep down, I had hope, that one man may take the battle to the Aussies. But it was just a hope, not a belief.

Play resumed. A few sublime shots followed, and a look at the genius' face confirmed the fact that he had accepted an impossible challenge- that of helping India qualify for the final! What followed was mind-boggling, exhilarating and got my adrenaline flowing. I got completely charged up!

Every Aussie bowler was taken to task. Warne, Kasprowicz, Fleming, no one, absolutely no one could prevent him from exploding. It was one man fighting a lone battle against a team of eleven. One man, who had never learnt to say "no" to a contest. One man who fought for his team's success.

But he faltered at the final step. It wasn't his fault; the umpire messed up. Maybe he was dazzled too, like the rest of us, who were watching the match.

He played, not only to help the team qualify for the final, but to win the contest between bat and ball. He wanted to win the match for India! At the end this is what he had to say, "I don't think anything is impossible. Of course, I'm not always right."

He is a true champion and a legend- Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar