Sachin Tendulkar Appreciation Thread

[DeeGame]

Tendulkar's career in photos

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44001000/jpg/_44001198_cut_02.jpg

India's selectors gambled on his prodigious success as a schoolboy when handing Tendulkar his Test debut aged 16

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44001000/jpg/_44001200_cut_03.jpg

His childhood idol in sport is John McEnroe, and this early photo reveals his interest in tennis

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44001000/jpg/_44001194_aug_1990_119no_ot_cut.jpg

In August 1990, he hits the first of a world record 39 Test centuries, against England at Old Trafford

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44001000/jpg/_44001208_feb1993madras_cut.jpg

Less than three years later, he adds a century on home soil against England in Madras, and celebrates in style

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44001000/jpg/_44001192_99wcvkenya_cut.jpg

Tendulkar enjoys tremendous success in one-day cricket, here hitting out against Kenya at the 1999 World Cup

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44001000/jpg/_44001193_99brisbanecaptain_03.jpg

As captain on the 1999-2000 tour of Australia, Tendulkar practises his bowling - but he struggles as a leader

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44001000/jpg/_44001201_engtour01_cut.jpg

By the time of the 2001 home series against England, his appeal amongst fans has reached boiling point

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44001000/jpg/_44001205_feb02charity_cut.jpg

Before the one-day series decider against England at his home ground in Mumbai, he gives a lift to a six-year-old cancer sufferer

[DeeGame]

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44001000/jpg/_44001211_sachin03_cut.jpg

Tendulkar is named player of the tournament at the 2003 World Cup, where India reach the final but lose to Australia

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44001000/jpg/_44001212_sachin_late03_cut.jpg

By the following winter, Tendulkar's most productive years are behind him, but taking his wicket is always a big moment

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44001000/jpg/_44001210_practice06_cut.jpg

Injuries also begin to take their toll, with wear-and-tear strains to various joints keeping him out for much of 2006

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44001000/jpg/_44001209_lashings_cut.jpg

In June 2006, he returns to fitness with a masterful century for charity side Lashings against Cambridge University at Fenner's

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/44001000/jpg/_44001213_wimbledon_cut.jpg

Just another face in the Wimbledon crowd? Tendulkar often brings his family to England to get away from the spotlight

http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/45087000/jpg/_45087409_gal_adelaide_ton416.jpg

His 39th Test century, a record in itself, comes in the Adelaide Test in January 2008 as he starts his 20th calendar year of Test action

[DeeGame]

India's Sachin Tendulkar has set a new record for the most runs scored by a batsman in Test cricket, overtaking the mark set by West Indies' Brian Lara.

Tendulkar, 35, scored the 15 extra runs he needed to overtake Lara's aggregate of 11,953 on day one of the second Test against Australia in Mohali.

Already the holder of a record 39 centuries in 151 Tests, Tendulkar hit the landmark runs off Peter Siddle.

A rapturous but sparse crowd in the Punjabi city stood to applaud him.

He spent the tea interval on 13 not out, just one run away from Lara's record. But after the 20-minute break he hit his first ball for three down to third man and the Australian fielders shook his hand.

Fireworks were set off around the ground.

LEADING TEST RUN-SCORERS
SR Tendulkar (India): 12,000+
BC Lara (ICC/W Indies): 11,953
AR Border (Aus): 11,174
SR Waugh (Aus): 10,927
R Dravid (ICC/India): 10,302
RT Ponting (Aus): 10,239
SM Gavaskar (India): 10,122
Names in bold current players

It was fitting that Tendulkar established the new mark against Australia, the overwhelmingly dominant team of his era - and a side against whom he has achieved distinguished success.

A prodigy as a youth, his century as a 19-year old on an ultra-fast wicket in Perth is often regarded one of the best innings ever to have been played in Australia.

He was only 16 when he made his Test debut, in 1989 and scored his first Test hundred, a match-saving one against England at Old Trafford, a year later.

Tendulkar was regarded by the late Sir Don Bradman as the one batsman of the modern era who most reminded him of himself.

A tremendous performer in the one-day arena, Tendulkar is also the highest scorer and century-maker in that format.

Former England batsman Allan Lamb paid tribute to Tendulkar's feat, telling BBC Radio 5 Live: "He's very classical. He's a batter who keeps very still at the wicket. That's something that every youngster is told to do.

"He's got all the shots in the book. He can play all round the wicket and he's got a lot of time to play his shots, and that's what makes him such a great player.

"Lara got his runs in 131 Test matches, so you've got to say that's an incredible achievement.

"Tendulkar's probably not the player he was two or three years ago, so he will probably hang up his boots in a year or so. But then you've got Ricky Ponting steaming up from the back so I don't know how long the Indians will hold that record."

[Neil Young]

He's good but his glove work rules him out as an all-time great for me.

Also he doesn't take enough wickets and, despite working hard when played out of position, he simply doesn't score enough goals.

[Tee]

He's good but his glove work rules him out as an all-time great for me.

Also he doesn't take enough wickets and, despite working hard when played out of position, he simply doesn't score enough goals.

Well done Sachin!!

[SouthAfricaRed]

He's good but his glove work rules him out as an all-time great for me.

Also he doesn't take enough wickets and, despite working hard when played out of position, he simply doesn't score enough goals.

And I heard he is terrible on a bicycle

[Joe King]

He's good but his glove work rules him out as an all-time great for me.

Also he doesn't take enough wickets and, despite working hard when played out of position, he simply doesn't score enough goals.

You could say he's the Dirk Kuyt of cricket

[Red Chilli]

Great player

[peekay]

What makes me like him even more is his humility:

The Indian team was training in Chennai 10 years ago and we had gone to watch them. After the practise, before getting on to the bus we surrounded them for autographs. Obviously there was a huge rush around Sachin with a lot of pushing and shoving. He immediately shouted " Calm down , I will stay and sign all of your autographs. The man must have signed more autographs in half an hour than the number of cheques by my family in our combined life span. He was smiling and laughing till the time he got onto the bus.

The word legend is overused in sports nowadays. I am not saying he is the best ever but he is the true icon of the modern game. Most other sportsman should take a leaf out of Sachins book on how to handle celebrity status.

Talent, application, confidence, humility, winning mentality: If he was a footballer Shankley and Paisley would have loved to have him in their team. Thats the biggest praise I can give him.

[Sarb]

Legend

[SouthAfricaRed]

Wonderful Record by Sachin

I was wondering with him probably retiring soon, who would threaten his record in the near future

This is a list of the Current Players

Tendulkar 12027 runs - 35 yrs
R Dravid 10341 runs - 35yrs
R Ponting 10244 runs - 33yrs
J Kallis 9761 runs - 33yrs
M Hayden 8256 runs -36yrs
S Chanderpaul 8001 runs - 34 yrs

I think Dravid will retire soon so Unless Ponting or Kallis does it before retiring, His record will last a few years

[Jayesh87]

Sachin will never retire

[Parm]

pure class, just so lucky to have seen him play through just about all of his career.