God of Cricket : "Sachin Tendulkar"

"Saccchiinnnn Saccchinnnn....", the much loved voice in every Cricket Stadium across the country was shut down in 2013 in Wankhede Stadium when the greatest player of the game took retirement from Cricket.

Sachin Tendulkar on the shoulders of Indian players after winning the World Cup 2011 by beating Sri Lanka.
Image Source - Google | Image By - HARSHA

We have often heard that " If Cricket is a religion in India then Sachin is God." He just not only played Cricket for 24 years but earned so much respect and regards from each and every individual. His journey is always delight to know and lets see from where it was started.

Initial stage

Its all started way back in 1988 in the Cricket Club of India where those who are below the age of 18 are not allowed to enter in this club. But the famous club had to change their rule to allow a young boy of 15 years to enter in the club. This was the first stepping stone for Sachin Tendulkar. As soon as this short young boy came into the field with his bat in hand, everyone left shocked. Who among those knew, this boy is going to represent the national team in next year and become the best batsman of all time.

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Early days in International Cricket

It was 1989, the time which every cricketer is living for, had arrived for Sachin Tendulkar when he was selected for the Indian tour of Pakistan. Sachin made his Test debut in Karachi Cricket Stadium. Pakistan made 409 in the first inning. India were 41/4, when Sachin Tendulkar arrived at the crease. History was made when a short young boy having curly hair was up there in front of Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Imran Khan and Abdul Qadir. Legendary Pakistan pace, Wasim Akram opened up some conversation between him and Sachim Tendulkar. He said, " We had read about Sachin...that there's a sensation coming of age 16 years. But when he came, he looked like a 14 year boy and I told him "Mummy se puchke aaya hai? (Did you ask your mother before coming?)".

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Although Sachin scored just 15 runs in that inning and in an conversation with Former England Captain Nasser Hussain, Sachin admitted that he was clueless in his test debut. " I was clueless, I have to admit that. I played the first test as if I was playing a school match. Wasim and Waqar were bowling quick, and they were delivering short balls and all sorts of intimidating things they could do. I had never experienced anything like that, so first outing wasn't pleasant one", Sachin said. He further said that," Occasionally, I got beaten by their pace and bounce and when I got out on 15, I felt embarrassed when I walked back to the dressing room. I was like 'what have you done, why did you play like this' and then when I reached the dressing room, I went straight to bathroom and I was almost in tears". Sachin ended up scoring 259 runs in 4 test matches including 2 eye catching half centuries.

Sachin didn't had great ODI debut as he received second ball duck. He was dismissed by Waqar Younis. He was dropped from the next match. India lost the series 0-2. But, this tour will be remembered only for that man, Sachin Tendulkar.

Sachin Tendulkar acknowledges the crowd after reaching his century vs Australia at the fast pitch of WACA, Perth.
Image Source - Google | Image By - Clayton Murzello

India to tour New Zealand and Sachin received another 2-ball duck after making 36 runs in the next ODI. In 1990, India to tour England and the golden moment arrived for Sachin Tendulkar when he became the second youngest to score test century. Sachin Tendulkar cemented his place in the national team when he scored 2 centuries in the Australia Tour and caught everyone's attention before the ICC World Cup 1992.

The name, Sachin Tendulkar was there in every opposition. He emerged as the batting sensation in cricket world. 

Tendulkar's World Cup Legacy

Sachin Tendulkar with "Golden Bat" award after the final vs Champion Australia in World Cup 2003.
Image Source - Google | Image By- Press Trust of India

Sachin Tendulkar represented India in 6 ICC Cricket World Cup, the most by any player in the history of the game. In such big tournaments where there is a lot of burden of expectations, Tendulkar made the most of it and bookmark his innings in everyone's mind. He played 44 innings and scored 2278 runs at an outstanding average of 56.95 including 6 hundred's and 15 half centuries. His strike rate in those matches is 88.98. Some of his best knocks in World Cup history :

• 137 vs Sri Lanka in World Cup 1996.

• 140 vs Kenya in World Cup 1999. (Tendulkar lost his father prior to this match)

• 98 vs Pakistan in World Cup 2003.

• 120 vs England in World Cup 2011.

• 85 vs Pakistan in World Cup 2011.

Sachin Tendulkar with ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 trophy.
Image Source - Google | Image By - Ravi Sadrani

World Cup is Tendulkar's legacy. He finally lifted the World Cup in 2011 where India beat Sri Lanka in the final. Although, he didn't contributed in the final but he ended up team's top scorer in the World Cup 2011.

Best in both Test's and ODI's

With his success in many tour's, he became backbone of the team. He carried the burden of Indian team in his shoulders and won many matches single handedly. He soon become a role model of new players which includes the likes of Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan. 

In ODI's, he scored 18,426 runs in 463 matches with 49 centuries and 96 half centuries. The two knocks of 143 and 134 that he played vs Australia in Sharjah in 1998 is still considered as his best innings. He smashed Australian bowlers especially their legendary spinner Shane Warne, all around in Sharjah.

There is no doubt in a fact that Sachin Tendulkar made his mark superbly in One Day Internationals. But, he is not far behind when compared to Test Cricket. His numbers in Test Cricket speaks for him. He played the most, 200 test matches in the history of cricket. In those 200 test matches, Sachin scored record 15,921 runs with 51 hundreds and 68 fifties at an marvelous  average of 53.78. 

Sachin Tendulkar was raised by Yuvraj Singh after winning the Chennai Test vs England in 2008. This win is very emotional as it came after the terror attack in Mumbai (26/11).
Image Source - Google | Image By - Krish Sachinist

Some of his best knocks in Test Matches :

• 119 vs England in Old Trafford, 1990

• 114 vs Australia in Perth, 1992

• 169 vs South Africa in Cape Town, 1997

• 155 vs Australia in Chennai, 1999

• 241* vs Australia in Sydney, 2004

• 103* vs England in Chennai, 2008

Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar celebrating after reaching the 200 mark, the first in ODI's, against South Africa at Gwalior
 Image Source - Google | Image By - By Arunabha Sengupta

Golden moment came in 2010 when Sachin Tendulkar goes on to break the 200 run mark in the ODI's, the first one to do so. 

Sachin Tendulkar celebrating his 100th international century. He reached the milestone in a game against Bangladesh in Asia Cup 2012.
Image Source - Google | Image By - Ajay Singh

In 2012, Sachin Tendulkar reached the magical milestone after scoring his 100th international hundred vs Bangladesh in Asia Cup. The sense of satisfaction can be easily seen in Tendulkar's face as he made his fans wait a bit longer to score his 100th international ton. 

Emotional Retirement

As they say " If Cricket is a religion in India then Sachin is God." In 2013, their God is all set to take retirement from International Cricket and the home series against West Indies would be his last series. Prior to that, he already taken retirement from One Day International's in 2012 in Asia Cup. He played his last ODI match vs Pakistan. India won that match. Sachin Tendulkar scored 52 runs in his last ODI inning.

Sachin Tendulkar acknowledged full packed crowd at Wankhede. He got out after scoring 74 in his last test inning.
Image Source - Google | Image By - BCCI Photo

But stage is all set in Wankhede Stadium, as the local boy, Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar will play his last international match. Emotions all around stadium and all they want was to see their best cricketer to score a century in his last test. When Tendulkar crossed 50 run mark, people acknowledged and had the belief that a century is all set to come from Master Blaster. The Wankhede Stadium silenced when Sachin got out on 74. Tears all around at Wankhede. Emotional Sachin was leaving the ground for the last time. 

Tendulkar made it to the Bharat Ratna

Sachin Tendulkar receiving Highest Civilian Award, Bharat Ratna from President of India.
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