Earlier this week as I rode my bike through Goa’s capital city of Panjim, I noticed people staring at televisions like zombies and immediately thought the world might be ending.
Fortunately they were gaping at Indian cricketer Sachin Tendulkar breaking the world record as he scored 200 not out in a one-day cricket match against South Africa.
Tendulkar is known as the Little Master and unlike the pomaded and overrated Kevin Pietersen, the unfaithful and porcine Shane Warne or the thug and gambler Ricky Ponting, he is also a cricketer to be admired.
While Indian’s cricketing captain MS Dhoni advertises just about everything on sale in India and seems like a man on the make, Tendulkar limits his endorsements and appears as humble as only true outliers can be.
But every genius has a flaw and while some say it is his susceptibility to the short ball or 20 years of cricket finally catching up with him, it is a more likely source for a man approaching middle-age; a fast, red car.
In 2002, after equalling Don Bradman’s record of 29 Test match centuries, Tendulkar was presented with a Ferrari 360 Modena by the automaton, er I mean human being, Michael Schumacher, a gift he readily accepted.
At the time, India’s Justice Minister informed Tendulkar that he would waive customs duty on the car in acknowledgement of Tendulkar’s achievement. This would have been 120% of the car’s value, almost $250,000.
However, certain Indian lobby groups took exception to this exception and demanded Tendulkar pay the duty, which he refused to do. In the end Ferrari paid the money and everybody was happy, especially the Little Master… although just a little shine was taken off our hero’s star.
While Tendulkar prefers to arrive at cricket matches in more understated vehicles, it is well-known in Mumbai that our Little Master loves nothing better than a late-night burn-up in his car.
And as his retirement becomes more imminent and this cricket legend eventually leaves the stadium, expect Mister Sachin Tendulkar to get his Ferrari out of the garage rather more often. Proving that no man can dodge that mid-life crisis, not even cricketing superheroes.
Still, at least he won’t have to buy a Porsche and not that I’d known anything about middle-age crises … Now where did I leave my bike keys?
Monty Munford has more than 15 years' experience in mobile, digital media, web and journalism. He is the founder of Mob76, a company that helps tech companies raise money and exit. He speaks regularly at global media events with a focus on Africa, writes a weekly column for The Telegraph, is a regular contributor to The Economist, Wired, Mashable and speaks regularly on the BBC World Service.
