First there was Nixon's 'Watergate', more recently UPA's 'Coalgate' and the latest news discussions centered around a certain sporting icon for being bowled 'through the gate,' and many times in succession, leading to talks of the dirty 'R' word (retirement).
In a nation ridden with scams of various proportions, our other national obsession, cricket has been abuzz with heated debates on the possible slowing down, or the mortalization of Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar.
While ardent fans and iconic former cricketers are going all out in defence of the legendary batsman, who has over 34,000 international runs (over 18,000 runs in ODIs and 15,000 runs in Tests) to his credit there have been heated debates on his slowing reflexes, and talk that he should retire while still on top of his powers.
It is no doubt a very unsettling phenomenon to be asking a man who has served, and saved his country from many embarassing situations in the middle order, dishing out some top-class entertainment to his cricketing fans all over the world over the last 23 years, to call time on his game.
While it is a fact that Sachin has been going through an extended dry patch in both Tests and one-day internationals, with his last century in the shorter format being a rather laboured 100 in the Asia Cup game against Bangladesh back in March 2012, the fact is that his sheer mountain of runs and the number of times he has rescued his team from hopeless situations for the past two decades gives him the right to make such a crucial decision on his own terms.
Several stellar innings readily come to mind when, as an ardent cricket fan, I sit back and recall the Master Blaster's best knocks, and there will not be enough space to mention all of them. Which is why fans and former players alike have started expecting magical knocks from this man with the same frequency at the ripe old age of 39 as they did when he was 23.
While Sachin bolstered an often struggling middle order with his pyrotechnics back in the 90's till well into the new millennium, the consistency has definitely waned in the recent past, and with the young gun Virat Kohli who enjoyed a purple patch in 2012 bolstering the middle order, there was increased pressure on the legendary Master to make way for youngsters.
This led to what seemed a sudden decision by Tendulkar to call it quits in one-day cricket just after making himself available for the one-day series against Pakistan this month.
The timing of his decision was undoubtedly due to the pressure put on him by certain former cricketers, commentators and anybody with half an opinion on the game.
While Sachin Tendulkar has had a glittering career spread over two decades, there are certain select knocks which stand out in my mind which will live on in the hearts of his fans for decades to come.
The 'sandstorm' at Sharjah didn't seem to affect the flow of runs from the Little Master's bat as he singlehandedly took on the Aussie pace attack and Shane Warne, scoring a blistering 143 runs to take them through to the finals of the Coca Cola Cup in Sharjah in 1998.
The rich vein of form continued in the final a couple of days later as well, with Sachin scoring 134 this time and ensuring an Indian victory.
The other masterly knock that comes to mind is one where he fell just short of a century, taking one of the best Pakistani pace attacks to the cleaners.
A smashing 98 off 75 balls in a crucial World Cup game against arch rivals Pakistan in 2003 was an absolute delight to watch.
Bowlers of the calibre of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar were smashed all over the park as India managed to chase down a stiff target of 273 rather comfortably.
One knock that will be totally unforgettable came at a phase where injuries had begun to strike him and his scores began to drop by his own lofty standards.
The Master Blaster conquered the 'Everest' of one-day cricket with a then record score of 200 against South Africa, where he conquered bowler of the calibre of Dale Steyn, Charl Langeveldt and Wayne Parnell in a chanceless knock.
While the man has churned out countless other knocks that have pulled India out of the second rung to becoming World Champions in 2011, the way he has been treated in the twilight years of his career has left a bad taste in the mouth. The legend seems to have taken it in his stride though, continuing to toil away at the Ranji Trophy post ODI retirement.
Nothing seems more apt as the Little Master ends his innings in the 50-over format of international cricket than these words spoken by commentator Robin Jackman: "Well played and thank you, Sachin Tendulkar for the entertainment".
In a nation ridden with scams of various proportions, our other national obsession, cricket has been abuzz with heated debates on the possible slowing down, or the mortalization of Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar.
While ardent fans and iconic former cricketers are going all out in defence of the legendary batsman, who has over 34,000 international runs (over 18,000 runs in ODIs and 15,000 runs in Tests) to his credit there have been heated debates on his slowing reflexes, and talk that he should retire while still on top of his powers.
It is no doubt a very unsettling phenomenon to be asking a man who has served, and saved his country from many embarassing situations in the middle order, dishing out some top-class entertainment to his cricketing fans all over the world over the last 23 years, to call time on his game.
While it is a fact that Sachin has been going through an extended dry patch in both Tests and one-day internationals, with his last century in the shorter format being a rather laboured 100 in the Asia Cup game against Bangladesh back in March 2012, the fact is that his sheer mountain of runs and the number of times he has rescued his team from hopeless situations for the past two decades gives him the right to make such a crucial decision on his own terms.
Several stellar innings readily come to mind when, as an ardent cricket fan, I sit back and recall the Master Blaster's best knocks, and there will not be enough space to mention all of them. Which is why fans and former players alike have started expecting magical knocks from this man with the same frequency at the ripe old age of 39 as they did when he was 23.
While Sachin bolstered an often struggling middle order with his pyrotechnics back in the 90's till well into the new millennium, the consistency has definitely waned in the recent past, and with the young gun Virat Kohli who enjoyed a purple patch in 2012 bolstering the middle order, there was increased pressure on the legendary Master to make way for youngsters.
This led to what seemed a sudden decision by Tendulkar to call it quits in one-day cricket just after making himself available for the one-day series against Pakistan this month.
The timing of his decision was undoubtedly due to the pressure put on him by certain former cricketers, commentators and anybody with half an opinion on the game.
While Sachin Tendulkar has had a glittering career spread over two decades, there are certain select knocks which stand out in my mind which will live on in the hearts of his fans for decades to come.
The 'sandstorm' at Sharjah didn't seem to affect the flow of runs from the Little Master's bat as he singlehandedly took on the Aussie pace attack and Shane Warne, scoring a blistering 143 runs to take them through to the finals of the Coca Cola Cup in Sharjah in 1998.
The rich vein of form continued in the final a couple of days later as well, with Sachin scoring 134 this time and ensuring an Indian victory.
The other masterly knock that comes to mind is one where he fell just short of a century, taking one of the best Pakistani pace attacks to the cleaners.
A smashing 98 off 75 balls in a crucial World Cup game against arch rivals Pakistan in 2003 was an absolute delight to watch.
Bowlers of the calibre of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis and Shoaib Akhtar were smashed all over the park as India managed to chase down a stiff target of 273 rather comfortably.
One knock that will be totally unforgettable came at a phase where injuries had begun to strike him and his scores began to drop by his own lofty standards.
The Master Blaster conquered the 'Everest' of one-day cricket with a then record score of 200 against South Africa, where he conquered bowler of the calibre of Dale Steyn, Charl Langeveldt and Wayne Parnell in a chanceless knock.
While the man has churned out countless other knocks that have pulled India out of the second rung to becoming World Champions in 2011, the way he has been treated in the twilight years of his career has left a bad taste in the mouth. The legend seems to have taken it in his stride though, continuing to toil away at the Ranji Trophy post ODI retirement.
Nothing seems more apt as the Little Master ends his innings in the 50-over format of international cricket than these words spoken by commentator Robin Jackman: "Well played and thank you, Sachin Tendulkar for the entertainment".
