GALLERY

Tendulkar First Interview

Sachin Tendulkar - A Look at the Great Man ....

The most complete batsman of his time, the most prolific runmaker of all time, and arguably the biggest cricket icon the game has ever known. His batting is based on the purest principles: perfect balance, economy of movement, precision in stroke-making, and that intangible quality given only to geniuses: anticipation. If he doesn't have a signature stroke - the upright, back-foot punch comes close - it is because he is equally proficient at each of the full range of orthodox shots (and plenty of improvised ones as well) and can pull them out at will.

There are no apparent weaknesses in Tendulkar's game. He can score all around the wicket, off both front foot and back, can tune his technique to suit every condition, temper his game to suit every situation, and has made runs in all parts of the world in all conditions.

Some of his finest performances have come against Australia, the overwhelmingly dominant team of his era. His century as a 19-year-old on a lightning-fast pitch at the WACA is considered one of the best innings ever to have been played in Australia. A few years later he received the ultimate compliment from the ultimate batsman: Don Bradman confided to his wife that Tendulkar reminded him of himself.

Blessed with the keenest of cricket minds, and armed with a loathing for losing, Tendulkar set about doing what it took to become one of the best batsmen in the world. His greatness was established early: he was only 16 when he made his Test debut. He was hit on the mouth by Waqar Younis but continued to bat, in a blood-soaked shirt. His first Test hundred, a match-saving one at Old Trafford, came when he was 17, and he had 16 Test hundreds before he turned 25. In 2000 he became the first batsman to have scored 50 international hundreds, in 2008 he passed Brian Lara as the leading Test run-scorer, and in the years after, he went past 13,000 Test runs 30,000 international runs, and in 2010 became the first player to score 50 Test centuries.

He currently holds the record for most hundreds in both Tests and ODIs - remarkable, considering he didn't score his first ODI hundred till his 79th match. Incredibly, he retains a divine enthusiasm for the game, and he seems to be untouched by age: at 36 years and 306 days he broke a 40-year-old barrier by scoring the first double-century in one-day cricket. It now seems inevitable that he will become the first cricketer to score 100 international hundreds, which like Bradman's batting average, could be a mark that lasts for ever.

 

Tendulkar's considerable achievements seem greater still when looked at in the light of the burden of expectations he has had to bear from his adoring but somewhat unreasonable followers, who have been prone to regard anything less than a hundred in each innings as a failure. The aura may have dimmed, if only slightly, as the years on the international circuit have taken their toll on the body, but Tendulkar remains, by a distance, the most worshipped cricketer in the world

 
 
 
 
Full name Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar




Born April 24, 1973, Bombay (now Mumbai), Maharashtra



Current age 37 years 332 days



Major teams India, Asia XI, Mumbai, Mumbai Indians, Yorkshire



Nickname Tendlya, Little Master



Playing role Top-order batsman



Batting style Right-hand bat



Bowling style Right-arm offbreak, Legbreak googly



Height 5 ft 5 in



Education Sharadashram Vidyamandir School

Tendulkar braves demanding conditions and delivers

Sachin Tendulkar had just reached his double-century. He was into the ninth hour of his innings. He had been on the field for the whole match, except for perhaps one session. He had had a few visits from the physio. The tea break was approaching. Twice in the next two overs, MS Dhoni hit shots slightly wide of the outfielders. And Tendulkar hared across for the twos, running as though they were his 199th and 200th runs. That was perhaps the most impressive aspect of the 95 runs Tendulkar added today to his overnight 108. If a run was there to be scored, he was there to score it.

After Tendulkar had helped India to relative safety on day three, today ceased being a battle between bat and ball. There was hardly anything to trouble Tendulkar. It had come down to endurance, and the need to bat as long as possible to try and prevent his bowlers from having to bowl in the humidity.



Tendulkar spoke about the physical challenge of batting for 516 minutes after having fielded for more than five sessions. "It's been challenging," he said. "Of course the conditions are tough. Yesterday when I got into the dressing room, I had a long ice bath. I was in the ice tub for a while. Then I did some stretches, had an early dinner, and I was in bed by 8.30.



"I just relaxed as much as possible. Because I went off to sleep early, I was up early morning, sort of relaxed a bit and stretched a bit in the morning. When you are off the field time flies in between. When you are off the field, go back to the hotel and sleep, when you wake in the morning, it's time to go back to the ground again. But that's what Test cricket is all about. For almost all four days, I have been on the field. It's been demanding on the body, but it's held up pretty well."



Another moment that stood out in what was largely an error-free effort was when Suresh Raina brought up his debut hundred. There was as much joy on Tendulkar's face as on Raina's. Like Virender Sehwag said, it was difficult to tell who the debutant was. They then spoke for what seemed a longish period between deliveries.



"I was very happy for him," Tendulkar said of the moments after Raina got his century and before the next ball. "Many guys doubted whether Suresh was a good Test player or not. He has done well, I am very pleased. The way he batted was fantastic. All I told him was, 'Enjoy this moment. You have earned something special. This will always be the highlight of your career. You will have many more hundreds, you will achieve many more things in your life, but this will always be something special.'"



Admittedly this was a flat track - Tendulkar didn't try to suggest otherwise. But he also knew that - until the follow-on was avoided -India were one mistake away from getting into big trouble. He had to curb the temptation of looking for runs, especially because the track and the bowling were ripe with runs.



"It was tough. There were times when you felt you could go over the fielders," Tendulkar said. "But also the Test match was poised critically. It was an important phase, and one mistake would have cost us quite a bit. So I felt it was important to just try and control all those temptations, and play a percentage game."



Those joyful shots came at intervals. His scoring-rate never fell though he eliminated risks. With not much life left in the match, everybody's thoughts turned to the elusive triple-century. This was a good chance: there was enough time left, all he needed was for MS Dhoni to stay with him.



The error from Tendulkar arrived, though. Just after tea, the first ball of Tillakaratne Dislhan's spell turned a bit extra and Prasanna Jayawardene pouched a bat-pad offering. Tendulkar later said that the triple-century was not on his mind.



"I have always gone out and played," he said. "People look at records, not me. I would want to score as many runs as possible. Whenever it comes, it comes. It is never too late. I will keep trying, but that is not the end of the world to me. There are many more things to cricket, and that is where the focus is. It's not on records. If it has to come, it will come."



Whatever milestones he passed during the course of the innings - be it the most 150-plus scores, be it drawing level with Steve Waugh's 168 Test caps, or be it yet another double-century - saving the Test was his top priority. To keep the series alive. And he was a satisfied man at the end of it all. And when he is satisfied, so is the rest of India.

CC: Cricinfo.com

Greatest ODI Innings Ever........Tendulkar @ 200*

This Was The Innings That U Dont Want To Miss..........

Fans Went On To Rampage On That Day

Next Days Newspaper Reports..

The more you talk cricket;the more you learn about the game !

"It is a way of working together. I would like to help the youngsters in the team. It's not that only

the senior players can help. Even a junior player's view is important. I've learnt that the more you
talk cricket, the more you learn about the game."

Sachin Tendulkar shares his philosophy of working with the youngsters

Sachin is India's best role model

Sachin Tendulkar has been voted as India's role model of health and happiness in a countrywide survey initiated by a magazine.

According to the survey done by global research firm Synovate for 'Complete Wellbeing' magazine for its December issue, out of 320 nominations, Tendulkar emerged as the best, a media release said.
Alongside Tendulkar, Bollywood icon Amitabh Bachchan and former President A P J Abdul Kalam emerged in the top three bracket.
Tendulkar, who only yesterday guided India to a sensational Test victory in Chennai against England, expressed pleasant surprise at being crowned as the top role model of health and happiness.
"Is it true? My countrymen think I am the healthiest and happiest person in the country? What a compliment! I am truly overwhelmed. I will cherish this compliment forever," Tendulkar was said to have reacted to the survey results, the release added.

Ganguly: Sachin is a phenomenon !

Former India skipper Saurav Ganguly termed the batting maestro, Sachin Tendulkar, as a "phenomenon".

"I have not seen (Don) Bradman playing cricket. I have played with Sachin and he is a great batsman and I have not seen a player like him," Ganguly, who is leading Bengal in the Vijay Hazare one day knock out tournament, told reporters.
"Sachin is a phenomenon and a great cricketer..