The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) confirmed that the 39-year-old living Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has retired from one-day cricket (ODI). Last Sunday Sachin Tendulkar announced the end of his illustrious career in one-day-international cricket.
In a statement released on Sunday, he said: “I have decided to retire from the one-day format of the game; I feel blessed to have fulfilled the dream of being part of a World Cup winning Indian team (in 2011); I am eternally grateful to all my well-wishers for their unconditional support and love over the years.”
In March 2012, Tendulkar played his last one-day match against Pakistan, the team against which he made his début almost exactly 23 years ago.
Known as the “Little Master,” Tendulkar holds the record for scoring the highest number of runs in ODIs, and the first batsman in the history of the one-day cricket to score a double century.
All acknowledge Sachin Tendulkar as the greatest living batsman and second only to Don Bradman.
In June this year India glorified the living cricket legend by nominating him as a member of the Rajya Sabha (or Council of States or the upper house of the Parliament of India).
Total balls bowled: 8,054
Total runs given: 6,850
Total wickets taken: 154
Career best: 5 wickets for 32 runs
Average runs given : 44.48 runs per match
His ardent fans in India and abroad call him “The God of Cricket”, and the above figures justify that.
We have to thank Shri Raj Singh Dungarpur, former president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India for introducing Ramesh Tendulkar to the world of cricket. The BCCI selection committee under the chairmanship of Dungarpur chose Sachin Tendulkar for the 1989 Indian tour of Pakistan. On his international Test debut in November 1989, Sachin Tendulkar was 16 years 205 days of age, the third youngest cricketer to make his first appearance in international cricket.
Former Indian skippers Krishnamachari Srikkanth and Sourav Ganguly were full of praises for Sachin Tendulkar. Both declared that his records could never be matched.
Srikkanth said: “I am surprised by his move, but he is leaving ODI cricket on a high.”
Sourav Ganguly said: “I felt that he might have played on, but it is his decision.. There was a doubt on whether he would play ODI cricket or not. However, I am not surprised by his decision. He has done what he thought was right.”
“Actually I am surprised,” said Dilip Vengsarkar, the former India captain. “If he is continuing with international cricket [in Tests] then he should have continued with ODI also.”
The Indian spinner Harbhajan Singh tweeted: “Sachin tendulkar a great batsman. great human being. a great friend. great man to look up 2. proud indian. Real son of india. I salute u nd love u. 423 matches, 23 yrs, 18426 runs !!!! These numbers no body else wil be able to come close to. salute salute salute to sachin.”
The England batsman Kevin Pietersen tweeted: “Statistics NEVER lie! They tell a very true story.. Well done Sachin! What an incredible ODI career.. #thebest.”
I have played with him long enough to understand his approach, but I am amazed at the man’s zeal. He wants to be perfect always. His humility is amazing. I have seen Sachin carry drinks for the junior most, much to the embarrassment of the youngster. His discipline is infectious. For Mumbai nets, he comes in the Mumbai training gear. He would never don an India cap or T-shirt for a Mumbai match. He will also not allow anyone to carry his cricket coffin.” –Pravin Amre (Sachin Tendulkar’s coach at Mumbai)
Raj Singh Dungarpur a former president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India introduced 16-year-old Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar to the world of cricket. The BCCI selection committee under the chairmanship of Dungarpur chose Sachin Tendulkar for the 1989 Indian tour of Pakistan
International Test debut
On his international Test debut in November 1989, Sachin Tendulkar was 16 years 205 days of age, the third youngest cricketer to make his first appearance in international cricket. Mushtaq Mohammad of Pakistan has the honour of being the first youngest person to play Test cricket at 15 years and 124 days; however, there exists some doubt about his exact age at his debut. The second youngest Test Player Aaqib Javed debuted at 16 years 189 days. Since then there have been two players who were younger than Sachin on the day of their cricket Test debut: Mohammad Sharif of Bangladesh (15 years 128 days), and Hasan Raza of Pakistan (14 years 227 days).
Sachin Tendulkar played his first Test match against Pakistan in Karachi. He made just 15 runs bowled out by Waqar Younis, who also made his debut in that match. Cricket critics commended Sachin for braving numerous blows to his body at the hands of the Pakistani pace attack in this series. In the final test in Sialkot, though hit on the nose by a bouncer, he declined medical assistance and continued to bat, with a bleeding nose. In that Test series, Sachin scored 215 runs in all at an average of 35.83.
In a 20 over exhibition game in Peshawar, Tendulkar scored 53 runs off 18 balls, including an over in which he scored 27 runs off Abdul Qadir. The then Indian captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth later recalled this match as “one of the best innings I have seen.”
Maiden International TEST Century
On August 14, 1990, in his 9th international test appearance Sachin Tendulkar scored his maiden Test century vs. England at Old Trafford, Manchester. He was 119 not out in the second innings. This innings is particularly noteworthy as it helped India to clinch an honorable draw in the face of a certain defeat.
At that time, Kapil Dev held the record for the youngest Indian centurion. On January 24, 1979 Kapil Dev scored 126* with four fours and one six in a drawn match against West Indies at Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, New Delhi.
When Sachin Tendulkar scored his maiden century in 1990, he was the second youngest to score a century in international Test cricket.
Mushtaq Mohammad of Pakistan set the first record as the youngest to score a century in his 6th Test with 101 runs against India in Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, New Delhi when he was just 17 years and 78 days old.
Mohammad Ashraful of Bangladesh bettered Mushtaq’s record that stood for over 40 years. Ashraful made his Test debut on 6 September 2001 against Sri Lanka. He top-scored in each innings. Although Bangladesh slumped to an innings defeat, Ashraful scored 114, and in the process became the youngest player to score a Test century, beating Mushtaq Mohammad’s record and the second Bangladesh player to score a Test century on debut, the first since Aminul Islam Bulbul in 2000 during Bangladesh’s first Test.
This video show Sachin Tendulkar scoring his first century in International Test.
Yesterday, Friday March 16, 2012, playing in the 4th One Day International match of the Asia Cup 2012 against the hosts Bangladesh, Sachin Tendulkar scored a century thus becoming the only man in the history of the sport to score 100 centuries in international cricket. He took the single off Shakib Al Hasan of Bangladesh and finally achieved the elusive milestone.
Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh congratulated the Master Blaster saying, “I join the nation in congratulating Sachin Tendulkar on his making history – a hundred centuries… He has made India proud. Tendulkar’s long career has been a triumph of class, character and courage. Wish him many more innings and feats to continue inspiring the youth.”
ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat also congratulated the iconic batsman achieving the feat.
“On behalf of every cricket fan around the globe, I congratulate Sachin on becoming the first person to score 100 centuries for his country. This is indeed a magnificent feat and not likely to be easily emulated,” said Lorgat.
“Fans have admired Sachin for more than 20 years and have recently waited with great expectation for his 100th international century. The number 100 is special for a batsman and to record 100 centuries for your country is a massive statement.”
Lorgat also said that Tendulkar was a marvel to cricket lovers around the world and a true role model.
“Like millions of others, I have personally followed his career ever since he first played for India as a gifted 16-year-old and now, more than two decades later, his passion and personal records, which include more than 33,000 runs at international level, is a modern-day wonder.
“He is a marvel to cricket lovers around the world and with an array of batting records, Sachin is a true role model who will undoubtedly hold a special place in cricket’s history,” he said. (PTI)
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President N Srinivasan heaped praises on Sachin Tendulkar for becoming the first cricketer in the world to score 100 international centuries and said that 16th March 2012 would never be forgotten.
“Ever since he made his international début in November 1989, Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar has strode cricketing arenas the world over, like a colossus. He has broken old records and set new benchmarks. He has been an inspiration to billions, and an ornament to the sport,” said Srinivasan.
“16 March 2012 will never be forgotten by cricket-lovers. On behalf of the BCCI, I would like to congratulate Sachin Tendulkar for completing a century of international centuries,” he added. (PTI)
And bollywood? Of course it went crazy and started twitting.
“God’s special creation …Sachin Tendulkar!! India breathes normally..!! Sachin completes an incredible feat!! A hundered 100’s…Never done before, perhaps never after!!!” said Amithab Bachchan. “A lion does not concern himself with the opinions of the sheep,” the megastar tweeted hinting at Sachin’s critics.
And his son Abhishek Bachan tweeted, “How good is Sachin? he’s the best. period! stop analyzing him. stop being cynical. just celebrated him!”
The 82-year old Queen of Melody, Lata Mangeshkar, twitted: “A big congratulations to Sachin. He has once again created history with his superb innings.”
Actress Bipasha Basu tweeted: “Saluting The Great Tendulkar for his 100th 100! We stropped our shoot to see it happen! Jubilant and Ecstatic.”
Action hero Akshay Kumar tweeted, “Salute to the man who never gave up in spite of all the criticisms. Finally he did it, Sachin creates history in world cricket! Congrats to Sachin Hundredkar.”
“Truly Superman!! Sachin Tendulkar India salutes you for your 100th 100,” tweeted Tollywood actor Rana Daggubati.
38-year-old cricket star, Sachin Tendulkar has scored 49 centuries in One Day International matches and 51 in international Tests.
Tendulkar scored his 99th international hundred more than a year ago on home soil. It took him more than one year to reach the milestone of scoring 100 centuries in international cricket.
His 49th ODI hundred in Dhaka brought up a unique century of centuries that no other player is close to achieving. Former Australian captain Ricky Ponting is next best with 71 international centuries, and South Africa’s Jacques Kallis trails behind him with 59.
In the 1990s, Adidas signed world’s iconic batsman Sachin Tendulkar of India and made shoes for him. Tendulkar still wears Adidas shoes while playing matches. Since 2008, Adidas has sponsored the cricket bat used by Sachin Tendulkar. It created a new bat, ‘Adidas MasterBlaster Elite’, personalized for him.
Students hold a huge poster of Sachin Tendulkar after the master blaster scored 100 centuries in international cricket. (Source : dailymail.co.uk)