New Delhi, Nov 14 (IANS) By the time Sachin Tendulkar made his debut in one-day internationals in 1989, the format had been in existence for 19 years, but it would not be an exaggeration to say that the little dynamo provided the impetus for the tremendous growth of the format.

Tendulkar redefined the rules of the shorter version and took it to new frontiers, setting milestones at every conceivable distance in the 20 years he has been around. He has been an inspiration for generations of players to follow.

The popularity of ODIs soared in the subcontinent when Tendulkar was at his peak. And in India, Tendulkar acquired the status of a demigod. Each time he walked down holding his bat, the nation of a billion waited in anticipation. The colour of the clothing fades and the bright stadium floodlights get hazy with Tendulkar's electrifying presence out in the middle. And the administrators of the game went to the banks laughing every time Tendulkar played in an ODI.

The 45 centuries that he has cracked in 436 ODIs came in a torrent once he got his first hundred five years and 79 matches after his debut, against Australia. Remarkably, 32 of his hundreds carried India to victory.

He was also the first player to score 10,000 runs in the ODIs, and after that every 1,000 he added was part of history, surpassing his own record.

He is the only player to post nine centuries in a calendar year in 1998 and also the only batsman to amass 1,000 runs in a calendar year seven times. No other batsman has contributed to as many runs as he did for a winning cause -- 10360 (ave.56.92) in 217 matches.

Besides, he has the most man of the match (60) and most man of the series awards (14).

Tendulkar's stats in ODIs as on Nov 15, 2009:

M I N.O. Runs H.S. Ave. 100 50

Total: 436 425 39 17178 186* 44.50 45 91
Home 150 146 13 6102 186* 45.87 17 34
Away 140 139 10 4873 163* 37.77 11 24
Neutral 146 140 16 6203 152 50.02 17 33
As Captain 73 70 5 2454 186* 37.75 6 12
Not as Captain 363 355 34 14724 175 45.86 39 79
For a winning cause 217 214 32 10360 186* 56.92 32 54
For a losing cause 192 192 2 6269 175 32.99 12 35
No Result games 24 16 5 518 105* 47.09 1 2
Tied games 3 3 - 31 24 10.33 - -
World Cup 36 35 4 1796 152 57.93 4 13
Asia Cup 20 18 2 799 112* 49.93 1 6
ICC Champions Trophy 16 14 2 441 141 36.75 1 1
Tournament Finals 39 38 5 1833 138 55.54 6 10
1st position 47 2 1625 120 36.11 2 9
2nd position 266 19 12437 186* 50.35 39 61

No.3 10 1 92 31 10.22 - -
No.4 61 8 2059 140* 38.84 4 15
No.5 36 8 797 82* 28.46 - 5
No.6 4 1 148 57* 49.33 - 1
No.7 1 - 20 20 20.00 - -

Milestones:

1st Match: vs.Pakistan at Gujaranwala on Dec 18, 1989
100th Match: vs.New Zealand at Pune on Nov 24, 1995
200th Match: vs.Zimbabwe at Harare on Sep 30,1998
300th Match: vs.Sri Lanka at Colombo,RPS on Sep 30,2002
400th Match: vs. Australia at Baroda on Oct 11,2007

ODI - career highlights:

At 16 years 238 days, he was the youngest Indian player - vs. Pakistan at Gujaranwala on Dec 18, 1989.
Holds an Indian record for the longest career - 19 years and 325 days
Most consecutive matches - 185 between April 25, 1990 and April 24, 1998
Holds a world record for aggregating most runs - 17178 (ave.44.50)
Most matches (436) by an Indian
Most Innings (425) by an Indian
Most Centuries (45)
Most Fifties (91)
Most Nineties (17)
Holds a dubious distinction of being the only player to have been dismissed on 99 on three occasions.
Holds the record for aggregating most runs in a calendar year - 1894 (ave.65.31) in 34 matches.
Only player to post nine centuries in a calendar year (1998)
Only batsman to amass 1000 runs in a calendar year seven times.
Most runs for a winning cause - 10360 (ave.56.92) in 217 matches.
Most Man of the Match awards (60)
Most Man of the Series awards (14)
Only all-rounder to complete the triple of 15000 runs, 150 wickets and 100 catches.

Holds ODI partnership records for the second and third wickets - 331 (2nd) with Rahul Dravid vs. New Zealand at Hyderabad on 8.11.1999 and 237* (3rd) with Rahul Dravid vs. Kenya at Bristol on 23.5.1999.

Only player to hit nine centuries against one opponent - Australia
Only player to have aggregated 2000 runs or more against three nations - Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
His run-aggregate of 3005 (ave.46.23) is a record by any player against Australia
His run-aggregate of 2749 (ave.44.33) is a record by any player against Sri Lanka
His 186 not out against New Zealand at Hyderabad on 8.11.1999 is a record for the highest individual innings for India
He is the only player to aggregate 500 runs in a single edition of the World Cup twice. His run-aggregate of 673 (ave.61.18) in 11 matches in 2002-03 is a World Cup record for one edition
His run-aggregate of 1796 (ave.57.94) in 36 matches is a World Cup record
Holds the record for taking the least number of matches from 10,000 to 13,000

Fomer captains feel they were lucky to lead Sachin

New Delhi, Nov 15 (IANS) Former captains Krishnamachari Srikkanth, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble felt they were the lucky few to have lead a team with Sachin Tendulkar in it.

On the eve of Tendulkar's 20th year in international cricket, the four former captains went ga-ga over greatness of the 36-year-old batting maestro.

They feel that to last 20 years in international cricket is a fantastic achievement and for that one has to have special qualities. Tendulkar had everything that made him the best in the world.

For Ganguly, Tendulkar will always remain special. During his five-year tenure as the India captain, Tendulkar and Ganguly formed the most exciting opening pair in the One-day Internationals (ODI) and they tore apart the best of bowling attacks.

"Fortunately I have played nearly 300 ODIs with him. It is not easy to share all the great moments I had with him. I congratulate Sachin on the fantastic achievement of playing 20 years for the country," Ganguly said.

Recalling his first interaction with Tendulkar, Ganguly said: "My first interaction with him was at the under-15 national camp in Indore. But before that I heard a lot about him because he was making news even then."

Incidentally, Dravid, who was also in the same camp, said that Tendulkar was always a step ahead of others of his age.

"He was always special. The fact that he has lasted 20 years in international cricket is a big achievement in itself. He has fulfilled the expectations of a billion fans and has done it regularly for many years," Dravid told IANS.

"He is very chatty in the dressing room and he is an outgoing person. He has contributed a lot to the game. Personally I feel privileged to be able to play for such a long time with him, a legend," he said.

Kumble concurs with Dravid.

"It is amazing to see the way he has lived up to the expectations of the nation, how he has carried the burden of expectations of millions of people. He has managed to deliver almost every time he has been expected and that shows his consistency and commitment. He has also managed to maintain his image on and off the field and that is what youngsters should learn from him," he said.

Srikkanth, Tendulkar's first captain, recalled the turbulent times in which Tendulkar played in his debut series in Pakistan.

"The players and the cricket board were on a collision course over players' contract. Before the Karachi Test a tense Sachin came to me to share his feelings. I assured him that he was too junior to get into any trouble and asked him to play freely. The rest is history," he said.

What surpised Srikkanth was the ease with which Tendulkar handled leg-spinner Adbul Qadir, who then was the best in the world.

"Sachin stepped out twice and hit Qadir for two consecutive sixes. I was at the other end and asked him to be careful since Qadir was the best spinner then. Sachin just raised his hands and told me 'boss just be relaxed. I am fine.'" he said.

Tendulkar has plenty left in the tank: Leaders in other sports

Hyderabad, Nov 15 (IANS) Petrol-heads in India believe that Sachin Tendulkar's keen interest in motor sport, especially Formula One, makes him an ideal ambassador for Indian motor sport, though it would mean an uncertain wait since the national icon, who completes 20 years of international cricket Sunday, has no thoughts of retirement at the moment.

Speaking to IANS, Vicky Chandhok, the chairman of Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India's racing commission, said: "I have met Sachin a few times in recent years and was struck by his deep knowledge of the sport. I would say he is anything but a casual Formula One fan, and come to think of it, he will make an ideal brand ambassador for Indian motor sport." 

Pointing out that Tendulkar's love of motor sport was very apparent, Chandhok said: "He has more than a passing knowledge of the race strategies and such intricate matters that are part of Formula One. Sachin follows my son's (Karun) racing career and of course, for all his achievements, he is so humble and down to earth." 

Chandhok believes that Tendulkar has plenty left in the tank. "I suspect he is waiting for someone who can replace him and would like to continue until such time. Of course, nobody can ever fill his slot and his records will stand the test of time. He is anything but history and I am convinced, after his 175 in Hyderabad the other night, he has another four years of top level cricket left in him," Chandhok added.

"I would say Sachin Tendulkar is the Michael Schumacher of cricket. There are a lot of parallels between the two in terms of the amazing records they have set in their respective sport," he said. 

Meanwhile, India's top rally driver, Gaurav Gill of Team MRF, recently recounted his meeting with Tendulkar at a get-together. "I spent a few minutes with him and I was amazed by the kind of questions he threw at me. Even you media guys haven't asked me such questions! He wanted to know about various driving techniques like left-foot braking, car set-up, etc.

"Our conversation was frequently interrupted, but each time he came back to me with more questions. For his iconic status, he is such a humble person and I would always remember those precious moments I spent with him." 

Multiple World billiards champion Geet Sethi, who enjoys an iconic status in cue sport and has been playing at the international level for over two decades, said he has not met another sportsperson as focused as Tendulkar.

"I met him about five years ago when I was called to give a talk to the Indian cricket team. We exchanged a lot of ideas and views and I was struck by his calmness which I think is his greatest asset. We are all humans and prone to distractions.

"But the difference with Sachin is that he is able to blank those distractions and that I think is the secret of his longevity. I mean, playing at that level and with such consistency is phenomenal," opined Sethi. 

Reigning World billiards champion Pankaj Advani said: "I have met him only once, when I was a kid and got his autograph at the Bangalore airport. However, Sachin is an inspiration to all Indian sportspersons and an excellent role model. I would say that he has fully tapped his potential and made the best use of the talent given by God." 

Former Davis Cup captain Ramesh Krishnan felt that it was the passion for the game that drives Tendulkar and his ability to isolate himself from the surroundings made him so much more special. 

"I met Sachin briefly in Chandigarh, but have been following his performances on and off. He has been able to maximize the God-given talent to insulate himself from all that is going on around him. And to be playing at the top for 20 years is outstanding," said Ramesh. 

Karun Chandhok, presently in England to finalise his racing programme for the 2010 season said that Tendulkar was one of his kind and belongs to a special category of personalities who have consistently performed at the highest level over a period of time.

"For me, the sign of a legend in sport is someone who is able to consistently perform at the highest level of their sport for a long period in time. Michael Schumacher, Pete Sampras, Lance Armstrong and Roger Federer are perfect examples of that, and there is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Sachin is in that category.

"I can't say that I know Sachin very well. We met at a few Grand Prix races and have kept in touch a little bit after that. However, there are a couple things that come across within the first five minutes of meeting the man. Firstly, his incredible humility. I mean, he is the greatest Indian sportsman of my generation and the way he still has his feet on the ground with absolutely none of the prima donna attitude that you read about with the younger players is something special and a rare quality that any person, in any field can learn from him.

"The other thing that struck me was just how knowledgeable he was about motor sports. By the questions he asked and the details he spotted, you could see that he is more than just a casual fan who turns on F1 on the TV once every two weeks and then forgets about it. It is a great endorsement for us to have a true legend of sport as a supporter," Karun said. 

Who is the greatest, Gavaskar or Tendulkar?

By Sirshendu Panth

Kolkata, Nov 15 (IANS) Who is India's greatest ever batsman -- Sunil Manohar Gavaskar or Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar? Indian cricketing circles have been abuzz with this debate for two decades since the time Tendulkar stepped into international cricket in 1989, two years after Gavaskar called it quits.

Both Gavaskar and Tendulkar have been given the sobriquet little master for their short stature. And both Mumbaikars broke practically all the world batting records in their time - be it that of the highest number of Test runs or hundreds.

Both have earned wholesome praise from cricketing experts for their elegant cover drives, though Tendulkar is much ahead in improvisation, ability to go after the bowling for longer durations in his innings and executing a wider range of strokes.

While Gavaskar called it quits with an aggregate of 10,122 runs from 125 Test matches, embellished with 34 hundreds, Tendulkar still goes strong after collecting 12,773 runs inclusive of 42 tons spread over 159 Test matches.

But while picking the better of the two in Tests could be as hard as solving a Chinese puzzle, Tendulkar stands taller in One-Day Internationals.

His awesome record of 17,178 runs from 436 games, adorned with 91 centuries, far outshines Gavaskar's record of 3,092 runs in 108 matches with only a single hundred to his credit in his penultimate ODI.

Tendulkar averages 44.50; Gavaskar has a modest 35.13, with a painstakingly slow 36 not out after carrying his bat for 60 overs in the inaugural World Cup (1975) still a festering sore among his admirers and an ammunition for his detractors.

In sharp contrast, the captaincy record of Gavaskar dwarfs that of Tendulkar.

Known for his on-field shrewdness, Gavaskar was the first skipper who led India to more wins than defeats, a record bettered only by Sourav Ganguly.

Against Gavaskar's 9-8 win loss record in 47 Tests, Sachin has won 4 and lost nine after leading India in 25 Tests. In what is considered a rarity, Tendulkar has even made his lack of interest in leading India known to the powers that be in the latter half of his career.

Here is what India's three spin legends - Bishen Singh Bedi, Srinivas Venkataraghavan and Erapalli Prasanna - had to say when asked to compare the two batting greats as also the Indian cricket eras of the 1970s and the present.

Venkataraghavan: He (Tendulkar) compares favourably to, if not better than any of our past greats. And I say this keeping in mind the likes of Sunil Gavaskar and Vijay Hazare. He is the greatest Indian batsman in the last 40-45 years.

Whether Sachin would have got the same amount of success playing in the 1970s is a matter of conjecture. But I think a player of his class would have adapted himself to any condition.

I saw Sunil as also Gundappa Viswanath succeed against top quality fast bowling. They did exceptionally well against the four fast bowlers of the West Indies. I think Tendulkar would have done equally well.

Prasanna: There is a big difference between the type of cricket played then and now. The batsmen did not have protective gears then. Secondly, the wickets were uncovered. Now the wickets are covered. This has made things easier for batsmen. So, in the 1960s and 1970s, to succeed a batsman had to be superb in technique and talent.

It won't be right to make such comparisons between two greats of two different eras. Because then matches were few and far between. There used to be lots of gaps between two series. So before every series one had to start afresh. Nowadays there are so many international games that you get a lot of match practice. Once you get into the flow, you can go on.

Bedi: It wouldn't be justified to compare Sachin with greats like Gavaskar or Vishwanath. They played in different eras. We may have different kind of opinions but one thing I have to say that Tendulkar is a genuine great. Sachin is a player who would have fitted into a team of any era.

Ganguly wants Tendulkar to fire at the 2011 World Cup

Kolkata, Nov 15 (IANS) Former Indian skipper Sourav Ganguly wants Sachin Tendulkar to fire at the 2011 World Cup.

On the eve of Tendulkar's 20th year in international cricket here Saturday, Ganguly said: "I hope he keeps on firing. If he fires in the 2011 World Cup and leaves an impact in the team then India could have a big time."

Describing Tendulkar as the best role model for sportsmen, all-rounder Irfan Pathan also wants to see the master blaster as a member of the World Cup winning team in 2011.

India, alongside Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, are hosting the 2011 World Cup.

Ganguly congratulated Tendulkar for completing 20 years in top flight cricket.

"It's a fantastic achievement playing 20 years for the country. Perhaps he is the best batsman I have seen," he said.

He recalled his maiden interaction with Tendulkar in the under-15 national camp at Indore in 1987-88.

"I had heard a lot about him because even then he was making news. He was considered a special talent and has lived upto expectation for two decades," he said.

Describing himself as fortunate for playing over 300 matches with Tendulkar, Ganguly said he has fond memories of the Mumbaikar on and off the field.

"I treasure these experiences. We have many sweet memories," he said.

Ganguly termed Tendulkar's 175 at Hyderabad against Australia as his best One-day International innings.

"It was perhaps his best ODI innngs. At least the best I have seen," he said.

Sachin's favourite - lobsters cooked Bengali style 

Kolkata, Nov 15 (IANS) Apart from clobbering bowlers all over the park, Sachin Tendulkar relishes lobsters - specially those cooked Bengali style.

While Tendulkar's enormous appetite for runs during 20 long years of international cricket has earned him plaudits the world over, his love of Bengali food is known only to a privileged few, who hosted him during his visits to Kolkata to play matches at the Eden Gardens.

"He is very fond of chingrir malaikari (lobster cooked in coconut milk). During every visit to Kolkata he drops in at my house and enjoys this delicacy at dinner. If it's a Test match, then he comes four-five days and if he is here for a one-day match, then he will be here least on two evenings," former Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) joint secretary Samar Pal told IANS.

"He is a foodie and eats 7-8 lobsters. He also enjoys dab chingri (lobster in green coconut) and Bhapa Chingri (steamed shrimp). His other favourite items are kasha mangsho (mutton in gravy) and Mishti Doi (sweet yoghurt)," he said.

Pal said Tendulkar has been coming to his residence for the last 20 years.

"He is a bit reticent. He chats with my daughter and spends a lot of time talking to his wife Anjali over phone," he said.

Tendulkar is also very fond of paintings and has a good collection of creations of famous artists at his residence.

Tendulkar's greatness is beyond comprehension

Comment By Veturi Srivatsa

Just when the Berlin Wall was being broken down 20 years ago, the cricketing world started talking about a boy wonder who would rise to be a cricketing colossus. Two decades in sport is more than a generation and Sachin Tendulkar carries on and on - not wanting to think about the day he would have to stop playing the game.

Everyone who writes about cricket has to write about Tendulkar. The two are inseparable entities. It clearly underscores the fact that he is one of the greatest cricketers and in modern day parlance an entertainer par excellence with the highest TRP rating because he scores runs by tons with relentless brilliance. 

Tendulkar's greatest quality is -- whatever he might say about his pre-match nervous energy -- that he has an air of deliberate confidence before he goes in to bat that he is going to make runs. And make runs he did with regularity. This uncanny ability places him a cut above two of his contemporaries whose names are invariably taken in the same breath, Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting. But both admit that Tendulkar has something extra that makes him stand out. 

The greatness of Tendulkar is that he spreads his skill through his teammates, lifting their morale and competence. Anyone who has played with him swears that he has benefited by his ability to transmit the knowledge about the game. Every player, who has shared with him the dressing room, struggles for words to describe the genius of the man. He is beyond their comprehension. 

If ever a player has overshadowed him, for sheer class of batsmanship, it is V.V.S. Laxman. After a record 353-run fourth-wicket partnership in the 2004 Sydney Test when Laxman hit 30 fours in his 178 to Tendulkar's 33 in his unbeaten 241, the master put the artistry of V.V.S. in perspective. 

"When Laxman was playing those shots, I decided it was best to just watch and enjoy his batting rather than try to do what he was doing." 

Tendulkar made quite a few subtle and not so subtle corrections in his batting from time to time to suit his physical ability. There are some hundreds of his wherein he chose to drag his second fifty inexplicably after reaching the first fifty in no time. He sought to justify that the bowling was of top class or that he was playing in the interests of the team. It is difficult to agree that any bowling could chain him. 

Looking at the unabashed praise lavished at Tendulkar it may appear he has few failings, both as cricketer and person. None of his contemporaries or his huge league of admirers, including some greats of the game, seems to find any human weakness in him. This is quite unlike Don Bradman who was not spared by his teammates who found chinks in his persona even as they praised him sky-high as a cricketer. Sachin, his admirers say, is more humane and likeable, though as captain he was too stubborn, refusing to deviate from his pet fads. 

Watching him these 20 years was one of the pleasures of making a living watching sport. Memories take one back to New Zealand in 1989-90, Tendulkar's second international tour after the debut one to Pakistan a couple of months earlier under a different captain. Those were the days when on tours there was not so much of nitpicking by the media and the teenager got all the protection he needed. 

Seldom has a player caught the imagination of a country as he did on that tour. He was the talking point wherever people discussed cricket. "What's special about that kid," the cabbies wanted to know and "I can't imagine a 16-year-old facing Richard Hadlee who has taken 400 Test wickets," said an amateur painter as he sketched the ambience of Christchurch, the garden city with Gothic architecture in South Island, as a memento to be given to him. 

Twelve years down the road in an interviewed at Harare, he was a confident young man. He knew what to expect from the media and how to sidestep uncomfortable questions. Asked about the two captains he played under, he would say he had played only under Azharuddin and it was too early to assess Sourav Ganguly. Anticipating the next question, he hastened to add that the '92 side was the best team he had played in. 

The only time he was irked by criticism was when, in the aftermath of the World Cup disaster in the Caribbean two years ago, there were shrill calls in the media for his head. He took on coach Greg Chappell and the Indian cricket board asked him to show cause for his outbursts. Otherwise, he always let his bat do the talking and it silenced and shamed his critics. 

He continues to make politically correct statements, though, for once, he did not mince words on "Marathi Manoos", saying that he was a proud Maharashtrian, but an Indian first, and that Mumbai belongs to India. 

Perhaps, Tendulkar from now on will be taken seriously when he speaks on subjects other than cricket.