Sachin Tendulkar, the anthem of Indian cricket for the past two decades

There is the small matter of a Test match to be played and won. 22 players on the field. Wickets to be taken, runs to be scored. But let's not fool ourselves. The Wankhede Test match is not about any of that. It is about a grand farewell to the greatest cricketer India has ever produced. One of the greatest the world has ever seen.

You can see it in the eyes of the crowds that are flocking to the ground, eyes preparing to moisten once the legend raises his bat for the very last time. You can sense it in the chants of "Saaachin Saachin", the very anthem of Indian cricket for the past two decades.

You could almost hear the sigh of impatience once Dhoni won the toss and put West Indies in to bat. That potentially defers the big moment for a day or more. At least one cheeky tweet this morning said, "Gayle is out. Another 11 wickets to go!"

And so we wait. The crowds are in -- but just wait for a few more hours, till India bats. Till the main event begins.

Don't let the naysayers and cynics persuade you otherwise. The hype is fully justified, and not just because of his track record -- the runs, the centuries, the wickets, the man of the match awards. It is justified because of what Sachin has meant to India. He has been the symbol of a resurgent India; able and willing to take on the world. He has been a symbol of unity -- a figure who can get all Indians from Tamil Nadu to Mizoram to joyously wave the flag.

It is justified because of what Sachin has meant at a personal level to so many millions of Indians. Most Indian cricket fans are young -- most of our population is under 30. For all of them, cricket has always meant Sachin; from the very first time they first saw the flickering images of a Test match on a TV screen. How many Indians will recall trying to copy Sachin the very first time they picked up a cricket bat? As their fathers muttered, "No, no, see how Sachin is holding it" in their ears?

It isn't surprising in the least that emotions will bubble over at the Wankhede Stadium. There will be regret at the passing of an era, there will be respect for his achievements, there will be gratitude for all the memories. And yet, strangely enough, sorrow itself will be somewhat muted. And that's because cricket fans know that it is now time for him to go.

There has been so much talk of Sachin's retirement over the past 2-3 years. Had he retired in 2010 or 2011, there may well have been deep sorrow and a sense of being orphaned. But now, a new generation has risen. The likes of Virat Kohli, Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Cheteshwar Pujara seem to have almost seamlessly stepped into the giant boots vacated by Dravid, Ganguly and Laxman. The One Day side is doing fantastically well even without Sachin. And so, India can look forward to its cricketing future with a sense of optimism.

That isn't to say that we won't miss Sachin. And we will always be deeply grateful for the memories.

They say that parting is such sweet sorrow. But to part with love, with affection, with respect, with nostalgia, but without sorrow? That makes this an even sweeter farewell.