Sachin Tendulkar, the divine force in cricket

He's often called the God of Cricket by millions of fans all over the world.

In case you don't buy that, fans of Sachin Tendulkar have a visual device to help you picture their hero as the Lord.

A gigantic poster depicts Tendulkar as Lord Vishnu.

It was shown off during Sunday's match between the Deccan Chargers and Sachin's IPL team, the Mumbai Indians in Navi Mumbai.

Tendulkar has been in sper form during the IPL, consistently powering all of the Mumbai Indians' wins. But he still insists that he won't be playing in the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies.

Ace off-spinner Harbhajan Singh had recently requested Tendulkar to play in the T20 World Cup, but the Master Blaster said that he would stick to his decision of not playing Twenty20 internationals any more.

"I am not going to play in the T20 World Cup. I abide by my decision taken in 2007," Sachin had said earlier.

Tendulkar weapon behind Harbhajan's brilliance

New Delhi: Harbahajan Singh revealed the secret behind his brilliant knock of 49 not out in just 18 balls against the Deccan Chargers on Sunday. The bat with which Harbhajan destroyed the Deccan bowlers belonged to none other than Sachin Tendulkar.
Harbhajan Singh thanked Tendulkar when he was declared man of the match for giving his bat to him before he walked on the field to bat.

The moment Harbhajan Singh came in, he smashed the bowlers all around the DY Patil stadium in his superb cameo.
Harbhajan hit eight boundaries and two huge sixes in his knock which helped Mumbai Indians defeat Deccan Chargers and maintain the top spot in the group stages.
Later Harbahajan also bowled beautifully to pick up three wickets including that of Adam Gilchrist.
Mumbai Indian now face bottom side Kings XI Punjab on Tuesday and would be hoping to continue their winning momentum and take another step to make it to the semi-finals in this edition of IPL.
Mumbai Indians now have five wins in the six matches they have played.

'Tendulkar's absence from WC good for other teams'

Karachi, Mar 28 (PTI) Pakistan's Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi has joined the list of advocates supporting Sachin Tendulkar's inclusion in India's Twenty20 World Cup squad, saying the champion batsman's absence from the next month's event is a blessing in disguise for other teams.

Tendulkar, who quit the format along with Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid in 2007, has been in red hot form in the Indian Premier League III and it forced former as well as present cricketers, including Afridi to ask the right-hander to change his decision and play in the upcoming T20 World Cup in the West Indies.

"The way he has blossomed in the last few years, he is only getting better and better as a batsman. If he is not playing for India in the Twenty20 World Cup, it is certainly a big advantage for other teams," Afridi said.

Building a museum on Tendulkar, announced by Maharastra Govt

NEW DELHI: Indian star batsman Sachin Tendulkar is busy breaking records in cricket field and off the field his achievements are being hailed in the country.

In recognition of his feats, The Maharashtra government has announced building of a museum in his honour. The museum will be based on the life and career of the master cricketer

Tendulkar will be second cricketer after the legendary Sir Donald Bradman that a museum will be built on his cricket achievements.

Tendulkar recently accomplished the milestone of becoming the first ever player to crack a one-day international double ton.

The Little Master holds the records of making the most runs in Test and One-day International cricket besides scoring the highest number of centuries in these forms of cricket.

Fifth Man of the Match award for Sachin in IPL

Mumbai Indians skipper Sachin Tendulkar's match-winning knock of 72 off 52 balls against Chennai Super Kings fetched him the fifth Man of the Match award in the Indian Premier League.

It is the most by any Mumbai Indians player.

Other statistical highlights of the match:

Subramaniam Badrinath's unbeaten 55 off 45 balls is his fourth 50 and, in the course of his innings, he has completed 500 runs in the IPL, aggregating 519 (ave.27.31) in 36 matches.

Sachin Tendulkar, playing his 25th match in the IPL, has become the first batsman for Mumbai to complete 800 runs at an average of 38.09, including six fifties. He has obliterated Jayasuriya's tally of 767 (ave.28.40) in 29 matches, including one century and four fifties.

Sachin's match-winning knock of 72 off 52 balls is his highest in Twenty20 and his eighth fifty.

In the third edition of the IPL, Sachin is the second player after Jacques Kallis (310) to aggregate 200 runs or more - 248 runs at an average of 62.00, including three fifties.

Shikhar Dhawan's top-class effort of 56 off 34 balls is his fifth IPL fifty.

Shikhar and Sachin have shared a 92-run stand, which is Mumbai's highest for any wicket against Chennai.

Mumbai Indians have registered their fourth victory in five matches, ensuring a place at the top in the points table.

Chennai Super Kings and Kings XI Punjab have lost four games each in the 2010 edition of the IPL.

Harbhajan Singh's tally of 5 wickets at 20.00 runs apiece in five matches, is the best for Mumbai Indians. His overall average is also good - 22 at 19.90 runs apiece in 21 matches.

Muralitharan is the top wicket-taker in the IPL and his tally is now 11 at 12.90 runs apiece.

Suresh Raina is the second batsman to aggregate 1,000 runs in the IPL and his tally (1,035 at 35.68) is exceeded only by Adam Gilchrist - 1,080 at an average of 32.72.

Raina's unbeaten 83 off 52 balls is his second highest innings in the IPL - his best being the 98 off 55 balls against Rajasthan at Centurion on April 30, 2009.

Raina's aforesaid knock is his sixth fifty in the IPL.

Raina and Badrinath were associated in a third wicket stand of 142 (unbroken), which is the highest stand for this wicket-position in the IPL

Campaign on Bharat Ratna for Tendulkar launched

Lucknow: Sachin Tendulkar's fans have launched a campaign in Uttar Pradesh to collect one million signatures on cricket bats to demand Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award, for the cricketer.
The fans hope to fill up 4,000 cricket bats to be presented to President Pratibha Patil, say the students and faculty members of a management institute in Shahjahanpur, 180 km from Lucknow.

"The campaign was launched on Wednesday and is getting popular. It is a small initiative to pay respect to Tendulkar who truly deserves the Bharat Ratna," Narayan Institute of Management head Shashi Bhushan told reporters on Friday in Shahjahanpur.
"The campaign will also be conducted in around 15 districts including Bareilly, Pilibhit, Badaun, Hardoi, Rampur, Moradabad and Bijnor," Bhushan said.

Dhoni: Bowling to Tendulkar is a mind game

Mumbai: Team India and Chennai Super Kings captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who has travelled and played along with Sachin Tendulkar for the last five years, is certainly a good judge of the master’s prowess as a batsman. The Mumbai Indians captain dished out his third Man of the Match performance in IPL Season-3 on Thursday evening, handing Dhoni’s side a convincing defeat.

Tendulkar struck eight boundaries and a six in his beautifully paced knock of 72, picking up the first 30 of his runs from 28 balls, the next 20 in 12, and the final 22 runs off his next 12 deliveries. “It is very difficult to stop him. The beauty of his batting is that even in this kind of a format he is not the sort of batsman who plays too many big shots, but plays proper ground strokes. He is very cunning, as he uses the pace of the bowler, and always bats on both sides of the wicket,” Dhoni said.

Dhoni reckons the use of variations and slower deliveries invariably backfires for the bowlers when bowling to the little master. “You can force him to play big shots, and try to entice him. But when somebody like Sachin Tendulkar is batting, you cannot bowl too many slower deliveries, as he can hit those for big sixes too,” the wicketkeeper batsman said.

The 28-year old feels it is a ‘mind game’ for a bowler who comes up against the little master. “It is more often a mind game between a bowler and Sachin Tendulkar. More often than not, it is Tendulkar who wins these battles,” he said during the post-match press conference.

There has been a lot of talk of Tendulkar reconsidering retirement from Twenty20 internationals, especially with the World Twenty20 looming large. Former cricketers and even a few current ones are keen to watch Tendulkar set the Caribbean ablaze next month. However, the Indian captain wants to respect Tendulkar’s decision. “It is his decision and we all have to respect it. He has even made it clear in a news channel that he is not keen on playing. I respect his decision,” Dhoni said.

Tendulkar is just 2 short of 1,000 runs in Twenty20 cricket – his first big milestone in the sport’s newest format, and has the opportunity of getting there against Deccan Chargers on Sunday.

No stopping Tendulkar in IPL 3

Twenty20 is supposed to be a youngster's game, but Sachin Tendulkar [ Images ] is proving that wrong.

Just a month shy of his 37th birthday, the Mumbai Indians [ Images ] captain is proving unstoppable with the bat in the Indian Premier League [ Images ].

It was Chennai Super Kings [ Images ] that felt the fury of his bat, in Mumbai on Thursday, when his composed innings of 72 from 52 deliveries helped set up Mumbai's five-wicket innings that fired them to the top of the IPL standings.

It seemed Tendulkar had calculated his approach right from the start as he started steadily, playing second fiddle to the rampaging Shikhar Dhawan [ Images ], who smashed a quick 56 from 34 balls.

In the middle overs, Tendulkar kept the scoreboard ticking at a good rate and kept striking boundaries at regular intervals before attacking towards the end.

He even got the better of his long time rival Muttiah Muralitharan [ Images ]; he charged down the wicket and lofted him straight down the ground for a six.

Tendulkar was also helped by Chennai's generosity as his last four boundaries were courtesy full tosses, which he merely placed in the gaps around the field.

He was caught top-edging a pull shot off Lakshmipathy Balaji after a fine innings of 72 from 52 deliveries, his highest score in Twenty20 [ Images ] cricket.

Tendulkar has now hit three half-centuries in five matches in the tournament and Mumbai will be hoping that the master's bat continues to fire.

Tendulkar breaks hearts, says no to World T20

New Delhi: Sachin Tendulkar is a difficult man to dislodge; from the wicket and from his decision. As voices rose in unison urging him to play for India in the forthcoming T20 World Cup, the Master Blaster on Tuesday made it clear that he will stick to his stand of not playing Twenty2o internationals.
Former India skipper Sunil Gavaskar had told CNN-IBN last night that Tendulkar should make himself available for the ICC World T20 in the Caribbean next month, but Sachin is not biting. He told CNN-IBN that he will not play the tournament.

The team for T20 world cup will be selected on Friday and Tendulkar does not feature in the list of the 30 probables.
"Yes. I will not be playing the ICC world T20. I have not played T20 internationals from 2007 onwards and I do not think it should become an issue now," Tendulkar told CNN-IBN.
Tendulkar, who has only played T20 games in the IPL, has been in superlative form for the Mumbai team this season and it is his show in this format that has led many to ask him to reconsider his decision of not playing T20 internationals.

Tendulkar on Wisden Cricketer cover

London: Sachin Tendulkar will grace the cover page of April issue of the Wisden Cricketer magazine which is recognising the Indian batsman's historic ODI double hundred against South Africa last month.
The world's best-selling cricket magazine made a late decision to change its original cover image to commemorate Tendulkar's landmark innings.

The magazine has a front cover tribute of Tendulkar's historic ODI double century on February 24 at Gwalior penned by its editor John Stern.
"This was a defining innings both in terms of it being the first double hundred after forty years of one-day international cricket, but also because it confirmed Sachin's unmatched skill, endurance and appetite for the game after 20 years as an international cricketer," Stern said.
"An astonishing performance by one of the game's true greats," he added.
The April issue of the magazine will hit the stands from Friday.

Tendulkar juggernaut crushes Chennai

Mumbai: A batting masterclass from Sachin Tendulkar saw Mumbai Indians rise to the top of the IPL standings with a five-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings at the Brabourne Stadium on Friday.
Tendulkar's 72 was the cornerstone of Mumbai's stiff target of 181 which the hosts overhauled with an over to spare. The master batsman continued with his rich vein of form that saw him post his highest score in T20 cricket as well.

Tendulkar was a calming influence on fellow opener Shikhar Dhawan, who creamed 56 from just 34 balls to power Mumbai's initial burst. Dhawan cracked five fours and three sixes in frenetic pace while Tendulkar expressed himself with splendid control for his 52-ball effort.
By the time Mumbai lost Dhawan and Saurabh Tiwary in quick succession, they were cruising to their total. Chennai bowlers pulled them back in the middle overs, but Tendulkar ensured smooth sailing for the hosts. Dwayne Bravo finished it off with the winning runs as Mumbai recorded their fourth victory, while Chennai were forced to their fourth defeat.
Earlier, half-centuries from Suresh Raina and S Badrinath powered Chennai Super Kings to a healthy 180-2. Raina hammered an unbeaten 83 off 52 balls while Badrinath was 55 not out as the pair added an unbroken 142 runs for the third wicket, the highest third wicket partnership in the IPL, after Mumbai Indians captain Sachin Tendulkar won the toss and asked them to bat.
The visitors were given a typically quick start by Matthew Hayden, but Tendulkar's move to bring on Harbhajan Singh in the fourth over paid off immediately as the off-spinner removed the opener after he had raced to 20. Hayden's decision to change to the Mongoose bat in the middle of his innings didn't work again.
Mumbai struck again next over when Ryan McLaren bowled Parthiv Patel, but the the hosts' bowlers had no luck for the rest of their innings as Raina and Badrinath cashed in. Raina's rapid knock was studded with seven fours and three sixes while Badrinath scored a sedate yet fluent 45-ball 55 that had six fours.
Chennai received a timely boost with the return of captain MS Dhoni, but he hard-hitting batsman didn't get a chance to bat with the visitors losing just two wickets.

Dhawan, Tendulkar give Mumbai win over Chennai

MUMBAI: Sachin Tendulkar and Shikhar Dhawan hit sparkling half-centuries as Mumbai Indians upended Chennai Super Kings by five wickets to soar to the top of the points’ table of the Indian Premier League here tonight.
Dhawan (56 off 34 balls) dominated the 92-run opening stand with Tendulkar (72 off 52 balls) to lay the foundation for a successful chase and the Mumbai Indian skipper lingered nearly till the end as the home side cruised to 181 for five in 19 overs for their fourth victory in five matches.
Earlier put into bat, Chennai Super Kings rode on the unbeaten 142-run stand between Suresh Raina (83) and Subramaniam Badrinath (55) to post a competitive 180 for two which in the end proved inadequate.
With Dhawan setting alight the Brabourne Stadium with his fifth IPL fifty, Mumbai Indians' chase got off to a flier as boundaries came thick and fast.
Tendulkar was not at his fluent best early on but Dhawan's clean hitting glossed over even that as the home side cruised along.
Dhawan hit Joginder Sharma for three fours in his first over and smote L Balaji for back-to-back sixes to make his intention clear.
A massive six off Shadab Jakati brought up his fifth IPL fifty but the left-arm spinner settled score in the same over when Raina pouched Dhawan's miscued shot.
Muttiah Muralitharan did not allow Saurabh Tiwary (2) to bloom, while Joginder castled R Sathish (5) but Dhoni dropped Tendulkar off Jakati when the batsman was on 23 and the batting great did not look back since then.
Desperate for a breakthrough, Dhoni pressed Thissera Perera in service but the Sri Lankan bled 19 runs in his maiden over and the match was in Mumbai Indians' pocket by then.

Tendulkar set for Bradman-like honour

Mumbai: Sachin Tendulkar is set to become the first living cricketer to have a grand sports museum built in his honour -- a rare tribute which has only been given to the legendary Sir Donald Bradman.
The Maharashtra government on Friday proposed to build a sports museum here to showcase Tendulkar's cricket career, adding another feather in the iconic batsman's well-adorned cap.
The proposal was mooted in the budget 2010-11 by Finance Minister Sunil Tatkare.
"Tendulkar is an honour for the country and his contribution in the field of cricket is incomparable. To encourage fledgling players, the government intends to build a grand sports museum to showcase the master blaster's career," he said, adding necessary provisions will be made for the purpose.
If the proposal comes through, the 36-year-old batsman will become the first living cricketer to have such a museum.
Australian legend Bradman has a meseum in his honour at Bowral, near Adelaide, but it was built only after his death.
Tendulkar created history last month when he became the first cricketer in the world to score a double century in one-day internationals by cracking an unbeaten 200 against South Africa in Gwalior.
The Maharashtra government has asked the Centre that Tendulkar be honoured with the Bharat Ratna, the highest civilian award in the country for his achievements in international cricket.
The champion batsman, a former Indian captain, has scored a phenomenal 13, 447 runs, including 47 centuries, in 166 Tests while he has aggregated 17,598 runs and slammed 46 centuries in 442 ODIs.

IPL 2010: Sachin Tendulkar and other golden oldies have chased my blues away with sublime cricket

he blues have vanished. I am less wistful about what cricket used to be from the time the previous blog was written less than 24 hours ago.
It didn’t take much, actually, to get the mood upbeat. In Monday night’s high profile match between Mumbai and Kolkata, Sachin Tendulkar played a sublime straight drive off Shane Bond in the first over itself to send the capacity crowd in raptures. By the time he won the match for Mumbai with an unbeaten 71, the entire city had gone delirious and I was in the swing of T20 madness again.
There was a beauty to Tendulkar’s batsmanship that belied the hurly-burly of T20 cricket. He could, in fact, have been playing in a Test match, such was the technical correctness of his tenure in the middle. The straight drive apart, he played a couple of silken cover drives and two dainty flicks off the Kiwi pace ace, most of which found the fence without being hit by too much power.
Tendulkar not only timed his shots exquisitely, but also found gaps in the field unerringly. There was little of the kind of manic hitting one usually sees in T20 cricket, though his young India teammates Ishant Sharma must’ve felt the impact of two bludgeoning blows to mid-wicket off deliveries pitched on the off stump or thereabouts. Even these hoicks were well-placed, aiming for the gap rather than clearing the fence.
Indeed, Tendulkar did not hit a single six in his innings of 71. Against Delhi too in an earlier match, he had scored 63 without a six hit. Yet, in both these matches, he had the best strike rate amongst batsmen from either side nonetheless. When you consider that opposing teams have had such uninhibited strokeplayers as Sehwag, Dilshan, De Viliers and Gayle, the genius of Tendulkar comes across more emphatically.
What has emerged after watching Tendulkar in this IPL is that fundamental batting skills have a place in T20. While it is imperative to improvise, there is no need for total compromise. Mindless slogging may work every once in a while, but more often than not, true-blue quality is likely to succeed.
Tendulkar’s form over the past 7-8 months has been so magnificent that people have been wondering whether he has not got a third wind. Having seen him from the time he made his international debut in 1989, one can only say that he seems to have turned the clock back 10-12 years back when he was considered to be at his peak. Now he seems to be at the pinnacle of his form, and in all three formats: Tests, ODIs and T20.
Interestingly, Tendulkar leads the charge of the Golden Oldies in this edition of the IPL too. Jacques Kallis, Matt Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, Chaminda Vaas, Shane Warne, Anil Kumble and Muttiah Muralitharan, along with Andrew Symonds and Viru Sehwag (not Golden Oldies yet, but veterans nonetheless) are some of the other players who have made a more striking impact than most of the younger players.
This tells me that even in T20 – considered to be the arena for young arms, legs and lungs, experience and acumen – the value of experience and acumen may actually be greater.
Which makes me feel good and wear my own years more lightly.

Wish Sachin to captain & Bachchans to promote team: Sahara

NEW DELHI: Having missed the opportunity to join IPL in the first round of bidding, Sahara group chief Subroto Roy on Monday said that he would want Sachin Tendulkar to captain the Pune franchise that the group won with a bid of over Rs 1,700 crore.

"Who would not... I certainly would want Sachin to captain if he is available," Roy, whose group is team sponsor of the Indian cricketing side, said.

Sachin currently leads Mumbai Indians IPL franchise owned by Nita and Mukesh Ambani.

Players are coming up for auction in September for the next three years and key players of any franchise would be available if there was no negotiated settlement between them and the owners.

Roy, who also has a close association with Bollywood, said that he would also consider talking to superstar Amitabh Bachchan and his family for promoting his team, which he acquired on Sunday in an aggressive bid against Videocon, Adani and others.

"No human can deny the element of glamour.. so glamour should be added to these kind of activities... it definitely helps," he said on ownership of teams by cine stars Shahrukh Khan, Preity Zinta and Shilpa Shetty.

Asserting that he would certainly talk to Bollywood stars for promotion of the team, Roy said that he would also broach the issue with Amitabh Bachchan, who the Sahara group chief is believed to have bailed out in reviving the Amitabh Bachchan Corporation Limited a few years ago.

"Why not... I have not talked to them yet (Bachchan family)... I will talk to him (Amitabh)," he said.

On his rather delayed decision to join the Indian Premier League, Roy said that on Monday the event is the biggest eye-ball catcher than any other event. "The TRP of even India Australia match is lower than IPL matches."

Explaining his decision not to participate in the first round of bidding for IPL, he said: "We are the team sponsors of BCCI and so emotionally I felt why put our logo on the club level chest... It was an emotional decision.

"Now, the situation is completely different... our decision (now) is a good combination of emotion and materialism... there is a business (angle) to it."

Roy said that having won a team, he would now want to make the best of the situation to make a success out of it.

"Right in the first year it will give operational profits," he said, although admitting that during the first year even the topmost bid of over $100 million by the Ambani, was considered very high.

"Now we have have bid more than 3-4 times and we consider there is value to it. In the long run, it will be very, very beneficial," he said, adding that though advantage would go to the first mover, the group would consider all the commercial aspects.

Invincible Tendulkar crushes Knight Riders

Mumbai: Sachin Tendulkar's unbeaten 71 dismantled Kolkata Knight Riders as Mumbai Indians went on top of the standings after a seven-wicket victory at the Brabourne Stadium on Monday.
Tendulkar was at his best and tore into the Kolkata bowlers as Mumbai chased down their target with nine balls to spare after the Mumbai bowlers did well to restrict the Knight Riders to 155 in their 20 overs. The victory also meant Mumbai kept their unbeaten streak against Kolkata intact after five clashes.

Tendulkar faced 48 balls that included 10 disdainfully-struck boundaries and was particularly harsh on Shane Bond and Ishant Sharma as Mumbai were off to a terrific start to their run chase. Shikhar Dhawan, playing his first game of the tournament, supported Tendulkar with a solid 23.
Mumbai were coasting in their run chase when Dhawan departed, but Saurabh Tiwary maintained a healthy asking rate along with Tendulkar before his quickfire knock was ended by a spectacular catch from Sourav Ganguly.
Despite a quiet period where Murali Kartik had held up the Mumbai Indians, Ishant Sharma's re-introduction opened the floodgates. Tendulkar accelerated and along with R Sathish, Mumbai returned to winning ways after their stutter against Bangalore.
Earlier, Chris Gayle made an impressive start to his IPL campaign as his solid 75 helped Kolkata Knight Riders to post 155-3.
Gayle, however, wasn't at his destructive best owing to Mumbai who bowled to a plan and didn't allow the Kolkata batsmen to dictate terms. Kolkata had only lost three wickets but they could never accelerate after captain Sourav Ganguly won the toss and opted to bat. Gayle and Owais Shah were out in the last over.
Gayle and Ganguly got the visitors off to a solid start but never managed to tear into the bowlers. The openers added 70 runs for the first wicket but it took up 11 overs before Harbhajan Singh struck, bowling Ganguly for 31.
Owais Shah and Gayle, however, picked up momentum in the last five overs which yielded 53 runs. Gayle was out off the last ball of the innings after a 60-ball effort which included seven fours and two sixes, while Shah scored a 23-ball 31.

INDIVIDUAL HONOURS & APPRECIATIONS

Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian award, 2008.

ICC World ODI XI: 2004, 2007

Rajiv Gandhi Awards – Sports: 2005

Player of the tournament in 2003 Cricket World Cup

Maharashtra Bhushan Award, Maharashtra State's highest Civilian Award in 2001

Padma Shri, India's fourth highest civilian award, 1999

Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, India's highest honour given for achievement in sports, 1997–98.

Wisden Cricketer of the Year: 1997

Arjuna Award, by the Government of India in recognition of his outstanding achievement in Cricket, 1994.

In January 2008, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown suggested that Sachin should be conferred with an honorary knighthood for his contribution to international cricket. He was mentioned in the TIME magazine as "The greatest living exponent of his craft."

BJP supports Bharat Ratna for Sachin Tendulkar

NEW DELHI: The BJP, on Wednesday, voiced its support to the growing demand to confer the Bharat Ratna on cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar, saying both the batsman and the award deserve each other.

"Tendulkar has already won the hearts of the country through his talents, capabilities and conduct. In the eyes of the people, he is already Bharat's ratna. Conferring Bharat Ratna on him is not only an honour for him, but it is an honour for the nation's highest civilian award too," BJP leader Prakash Javadekar said.

"The government should immediately take up the case to honour Sachin Tendulkar with the Bharat Ratna to fulfil the wishes of the people. Because, he is not only a great cricketer and a sportperson, but is also a great human being," he said.

Javadekar said, "The modesty with which he conducts himself, his calibre, capacity and conduct is a great thing we have seen over all these years. We must appreciate the people's feelings," he said.

Another senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu supported the idea of conferring the cricketer with Bharat Ratna, as there has been an overwhelming demand among the people for the same.

Dhumal supports Bharat Ratna for Tendulkar

SHIMLA: Himachal Pradesh chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal on Wednesday supported the plea to accord the country's highest civilian honour -- Bharat Ratna -- to batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar.

"He has done the country proud by his exemplary performances in the last two decades... he deserves the Bharat Ratna award," Dhumal told reporters.

"I will support any effort in this direction (according prestigious Bharat Ratna to Tendulkar)," HP CM said.

Showering rich praises on the legendary cricketer, Dhumal said even when a section of people used to question Tendulkar's continuation in the team due to bad performances, he used to say he was an asset for Indian cricket and would bounce back any time and he proved this with his historic double ton against South Africa.

"He is a rare player in the history of cricket and there is no doubt in it."

Dhumal also added that whenever he gets time to watch India's matches, he never misses Tendulkar's performance.

Bharat Ratna for Sachin: Cong says govt keeps all facts in mind

NEW DELHI: With BJP demanding a Bharat Ratna for Sachin Tendulkar for his cricketing feats, Congress on Wednesday said that in giving the Padma awards or the Bharat Ratna, government keeps all facts in mind and takes an appropriate decision.

"Bharat Ratna or Padma awards are given by the government after taking in view all facts at an appropriate time," party spokesman Manish Tewari told reporters.

He, however, said that not only India but the entire world respects the way Tendulkar has played over the years and referred to the first double century in a One-Day International scored by the Indian cricketer recently against South Africa.

LS member wants Bharat Ratna for Sachin Tendulkar

NEW DELHI: The demand for conferring 'Bharat Ratna' on cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar was raised in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.

Rajan Sushant (BJP) made the demand during Zero Hour contending that it would help inspire the youth of the nation to take to sports.

He also wanted the government to set up national institutes for sport and education in the name of Tendulkar, who last week became the first male cricketer to score a double hundred in one-day internationals.

Sushant also wanted an annual national award to be constituted in the name of Tendulkar for achievements in sport.

Jagdambika Pal (Cong) raised the issue of threat to Kolkata businessmen purportedly from Karachi.

J P Agarwal (Cong) wanted the Delhi Metro service to be extended to more parts of the capital. He contended that 75 per cent of the national capital was yet to be covered by Metro rail service.

Manish Tiwari (Cong) wanted the government to act on a study conducted by the Quality Control of India that showed high lead content in colours used to paint vehicles and other items.

He said the high lead content was affecting the IQ levels of children.

Silver bat to be presented to Sachin Tendulkar

GWALIOR: Gwalior Division Cricket Association will present a silver bat to Sachin Tendulkar for completing 20 years in international cricket.

The bat will be presented to Tendulkar on the second one-dayer between India and South Africa here on February 24, GDCA acting chairman Prashant Mehta said.

It will weigh around one-and-a-half kg and is being sourced from Jodhpur, he said.

I was just saying, finish it, finish it: Sehwag

NEW DELHI: Superstition kept Virender Sehwag from applauding most part of Sachin Tendulkar's double ton in Gwalior but once the batting maestro reached 190, he shunned his belief and cheered every shot of his idol till he reached the milestone.

"I am the superstitious kind. I never praise a shot because I fear the moment I do so, the batsman gets out. Till Sachin was on 190 in Gwalior, I was rooted in my seat in the dressing room. But when he got to 190, I couldn't contain myself. I came out and started cheering every stroke till he got to 200," Sehwag recalled.

While Tendulkar reached the magical figure in a controlled manner, relying on singles and doubles, the Delhi marauder said he would have finished it off in a hurry.

"When he got to 180, I knew he was going to get it, but when he was in the 190s I was concerned. If I was in his place, I would have tried to finish it quickly, because the longer I take, the greater the possibility of me getting out. I would try to wrap it up in three or four balls.

"Also, he was looking really tired: he had been clutching his right side and showing signs of cramping. So when I stepped out of my seat, I was just saying, 'Finish it, finish it'," he wrote in his column for 'Cricinfo'.

Sehwag said Tendukar's patience and control over his innings, makes him an altogether different batsman.

"But Sachin is never in a hurry. He is a different kind of batsman - one who can rotate the strike with ease and understands there is no need to take any chances. Whenever I have been on the brink of landmarks he has instructed me to do this and do that. But those are things only he can do," Sehwag said.

"You might say, this is 200 but then we are talking about Tendulkar. He looked calm and confident even when he was at the non-striker's end in those final moments. I knew he just needed one ball, and I also knew he would get the opportunity," he said.

Sehwag also disclosed the conversations he had with Tendulkar about this rare feat and said the Mumbai batsman was never bothered about the milestone despite expectations.

"He thought it was difficult, but I told him only he could do it. Last year in New Zealand, when he retired on 163 I told him he had missed the opportunity, but he said 'It will eventually happen if I am destined to do it'. He said the same when he got 175 against Australia last year. On Wednesday he said 'Woh likha tha, toh mil gaya (I got what was destined)'."

Several cricket experts feel Sehwag can also achieve the feat but the Delhi player said with the attacking game he plays, it would be difficult.

"In the past certain people have said I could have scored 200 in one-day cricket, because of my performances in Tests, where I have got near to a hundred before lunch. But I have had the tendency to take too many risks once I reach the 120 or 130-run mark in ODIs. That is difference between me and Sachin," he said.

'Sachin greater than Don'

NEW DELHI: Even as accolades poured in from all quarters for Sachin Tendulkar after his historic double hundred in Gwalior on Wednesday, former England skipper Nasser Hussain said the knock - the first-ever 200 in the 50-over game - should settle the debate on who is the greatest of all time, Tendulkar or Don Bradman.

"I have never liked comparisons between great players, but after Wednesday's incredible game it must be said Sachin Tendulkar is the greatest of all time," Hussain wrote in Daily Mail.

"Better than Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting, the other two great players of my era. Better than Viv Richards, Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border. And I would even say better than Don Bradman himself. Now that he has the first double hundred in a One-Day International he has swung it for me."

British media goes ga ga

The British media to hailed Tendulkar as the finest batsman ever. The Times remarked, "All kneel down and praise whatever god you fancy for the mighty Sachin Tendulkar. This could just be turning into the greatest year of his career, more than 20 years after it began."

Sachin is a phenomenon, says Ganguly

VADODARA: Congratulating Sachin Tendulkar for becoming the first batsman to score a double century in limited overs cricket, former India skipper Saurav Ganguly on Thursday termed the batting maestro 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 here.

"Sachin is a phenomenon and a great cricketer," he said.

Tendulkar sincerity personified: Kapil

KOLKATA: It's his dedication and passion for cricket that sets Sachin Tendulkar apart, India's only World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev said on Thursday.

Speaking at a promotional event at Ravindra Sarovar here, Kapil Dev heaped praise on Tendulkar for getting to 200, the highest score in one-day format.

"Tendulkar is sincerity personified. He has made sacrifices in his life, there is a lot of dedication involved and he is very passionate about achieving something," said Kapil Dev.

"He is like us but it's his mental toughness that sets him apart. He knows what exactly he is doing and he is strongly determined and focussed. He will bring more laurels to the country," he added.

Tendulkar greatest, happy he broke my record: Anwar

KARACHI: Describing Sachin Tendulkar as the greatest batsman of modern era, former Pakistan captain Saeed Anwar on Thursday hailed the Indian maestro for breaking his ODI batting record and becoming the only player to smash a double century in the limited-overs cricket.

Anwar said that he was not surprised that Tendulkar had broken his record of the highest individual score (194) in one-dayers when he scored 200 not out against South Africa at Gwalior on Wednesday.

"I am surprised that my record stood for 13 years because in this period there were number of players like Brian Lara, Ricky Pointing, Shahid Afridi and Virender Sehwag who could have broken the record. But I think Tendulkar did it because he is the greatest of modern era and a class apart," Anwar said.

"Honestly speaking Brian Lara seemed to me the most likely to break the record but he retired without doing it but he set his records in Test and first class cricket," said Anwar who had scored earlier record 194 against India in Chennai in May 1997.

"I am happy Tendulkar has done it because he is certainly the greatest batsman of the modern era. His feats speak for themselves," he added.

Anwar recalled how Tendulkar had congratulated him when he scored the 194 in the Independence Cup.

"I had just come back from an injury after four months and had little practice before playing in the Independence Cup in India. It was very hot and humid out there on that day and I consider it perhaps my best innings of my career," he said.

"Sachin was captain of Indian team in that tournament. He was the first person to come and congratulate me when I scored 194. Other Indian players also came and congratulated me. So I think it is only fair I pay him back the same compliment and congratulate him," he said.

Pak hockey star Rehan Butt wishes to meet Tendulkar

NEW DELHI: Pakistan's veteran striker Rehan Butt has arrived here with two goals in mind -- to win the hockey World Cup and meet cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar.

Proving that the cult of Tendulkar knows no boundary, the Pakistani veteran of 239 international matches said the Indian cricketer is a source of inspiration for sportspersons across the globe and he was desperate to meet him once.

"Players like Sachin come once in a century. There is no dearth of his fans in Pakistan as well. I did not get a chance to meet him till date. I hope that this time my dream comes true. We are here for World Cup and he is also in the country," Rehan said.

"He is a source of inspiration not only for the cricketers but also for every sportsman. We get inspired by watching him playing like this and that too after having 20 years of international experience behind him," said the poster boy of Pakistan hockey.

Tendulkar's aura only increased as the batting great smashed the first ODI double century against South Africa in Gwalior.

Most of Pakistani hockey players watched the match on TV and marvelled at Tendulkar's longevity and greatness.

AP assembly passes resolution congratulating Sachin

HYDERABAD: Andhra Pradesh Assembly on Wednesday passed a unanimous resolution congratulating batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar on becoming the first cricketer to score a double century in the history of One-day cricket.

Chief Minister K Rosaiah moved the resolution in the House which was seconded by Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu.

"The Andhra Pradesh Assembly congratulates on your stupendous achievement. You have already become a highest run-getter in Test cricket history. Now, your double century, which created history in One-day International cricket, is a moment of glory for the nation. It is a big day for Indian cricket as well. Keep it up," the resolution said.

The Chief Minister said he wished that Sachin would continue to play for the country for long and achieve many more laurels not only for himself but also the nation.

Leader of Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu remarked that Sachin was such a great cricketer that he broke his own records many a time in his 20-year career.

"He is 36-year-old but his age has not affected his batting. By creating yet another world record with his double century in One-Day International cricket, Sachin did India proud," he said.

"He is a Kohinoor of world cricket," the TDP chief said. Speaker N Kiran Kumar Reddy, an avid cricket buff and player himself, also hailed Sachin's stupendous innings.

"At his age, any sportsman would be affected by the worn-out factor. But Sachin continues to shine," he said.

All other parties too supported the resolution. Tendulkar created history yesterday when he scored an unbeaten 200 to steer India to a massive 401 for three against South Africa in the second ODI in Gwalior.

Tamil Nadu CM congratulates Sachin Tendulkar

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi congratulated master blaster Sachin Tendulkar for setting a world record by hammering a double century in One-Day International cricket.

"On behalf of the people of Tamil Nadu I convey our good wishes to you on creating a world record by scoring double century in one day internationals at Gwalior. We are highly delighted that you have surpassed all previous records in this regard", he said in a telegram sent to the Mumbai Cricket Association.

On Sachin dedicating his epic knock to the people of India, Karunanidhi said cricket-lovers all over the country were extremely happy for his choice of words.

"To be precise, I wish to say that this great nation feels very much proud of you", he said.

Lok Sabha congratulates Tendulkar

NEW DELHI: Lok Sabha on Thursday congratulated Sachin Tendulkar for creating history by scoring a double century in a One-Day International cricket match, with Speaker Meira Kumar saying the unique achievement was a matter of national pride.

"I am sure members will join me in conveying our heartiest felicitations and congratulations to Sachin Tendulkar for being the first cricketer in history of One-day cricket to score a double century," she said in the House.

Amid thumping of desks, Kumar described this as a "unique achievement" which was a matter of national pride.

"This is a source of inspiration for budding cricketers of this country. We convey our best wishes to Sachin Tendulkar for his future endeavours," she said.

She also congratulated the Indian cricket team for its "tremendous performance".

Hooda congratulates Tendulkar for getting double ton

CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Wednesday congratulated Sachin Tendulkar for creating history by becoming the first cricketer to score a double century in one-day internationals.

"Sachin's masterly innings of unbeaten 200 at Gwalior against South Africa in the second ODI has scripted cricketing history and done India proud," Hooda said here.

Congratulating the 36-year-old master batsman for his feat, Hooda said, "This batting genius has scaled new heights and put the Indian team on a new pitch of confidence. It augurs well for the World Cup next year".

Tendulkar struck a breath-taking unbeaten 200 to steer India to a massive 401 for three against South Africa in the second ODI at Gwalior.

Half of the runs of the master blaster's knock for which he consumed only 147 balls came off just the boundaries. He also hit three sixes.

It was not only Tendulkar's 46th ODI century but it also marked the highest score in one-dayers, eclipsing the previous record of 194 which was was held by Pakistan's Saeed Anwar and Zimbabwe's Charles Conventry.

President, PM congratulate Sachin for first double ton in ODI

NEW DELHI: President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Wednesday congratulated Sachin Tendulkar for becoming the first cricketer to score a double ton in one-day internationals and said the "master batsman" has climbed the "Mt Everest of the game".

"Sachin Tendulkar has yet again re-written the record books of cricket, by climbing yet another Mt Everest of the game," Patil said in a message.

She said in setting a new benchmark for the highest score by a batsman in one-day internationals as well as in notching up a double century, "the master batsman has set stiff targets" for future generation of cricketers to break.

Terming it a "magnificent achievement", the Prime Minister said that Sachin has led by "example and that all Indians are proud of his achievement".

Singh wished him many more glorious years in his cricketing career.

36-year-old Tendulkar today created history by becoming the first cricketer to score a double century in one-day internationals with a breath-taking unbeaten 200 to steer India to a massive 401 for three against South Africa in the second cricket ODI in Gwalior.

Sachin is better than Bradman: Harbhajan

JALANDHAR: Eulogising milestone man Sachin Tendulkar for his historic ODI double hundred, India's star off-spinner Harbhajan Singh reckons his illustrious teammate is better than Australian great Sir Don Bradman.

Harbhajan could not witness the record-breaking double century as he skipped the first two matches of the series due to his sister's wedding.

"I am short of words to praise Sachin. Some players compared him with Don Bradman. Although I have not seen Bradman playing but I am confident, he (Sachin) is better than him for which his records speak," Harbhajan said.

The off-spinner said Tendulkar's hunger for runs and amazing focus makes him an altogether different cricketer.

"Even after scoring 150 in the ODI, Sachin never looks tired and keeps his focus on the game. I have learnt a lot from him, be it on ground or in dressing room. I always observe how he prepares himself for every match," he said.

The temperamental spinner was disappointed that he could not witness Tendulkar's achievement in Gwalior due to prior family commitments.

"I am unfortunate, as I was not there on the ground to witness one of the historic moments. But Sachin's performance definitely added to my happiness during the family function.

"I was busy in the family function, when one of my relatives came with the news of Sachin's double century and I could not stop myself from dancing," he said.

Harbhajan also said the Indian Premier League will help the team prepare well for the ICC Twenty20 World Cup in Caribbean but cautioned the players not to pick up any injury during the mega event.

The World Cup will begin on April 30 in the West Indies, 15 days after the conclusion of the third edition of the IPL.

"The Indian squad is strong enough to deal with the challenge of any team and they will get an opportunity to sharpen their skills in the IPL.

"However, the players will have to be careful in IPL tournament to avoid injury, which may prove costly to the prospects of Indian team in the World Cup," he said.

Indian team had a forgettable experience in the 2007 50-over World Cup in the West Indies as they crashed out after the preliminary rounds but Harbhajan hoped success will not elude them this time.

"Although last time we could not perform well but this time it will be a different story," he said.

Talking about Mumbai Indians' prospects in the IPL, the 'turbanator' said his team, had a chance with the inclusion of talented youngsters like Kieron Pollard, R Satish, Tejinder Pal Singh and Ambati Raidu.

On his own performance and target after getting 350 wickets in Test cricket, Harbhajan said, "Kapil Dev has taken 434 wickets, I will try to match that."

"I cannot compare myself with Kapil Dev. He is one of the most successful cricketers India has produced so far," he added.

Lankan media joins chorus of appreciation for Tendulkar

COLOMBO: Much like their counterparts in other cricket-playing nations, the Sri Lankan media too bowed in appreciation for Sachin Tendulkar, lauding his historic and awe-inspiring double ton in the Gwalior ODI.

Calling him a "batting god", editorials lavished praise on Tendulkar who became the first batsman in the history of one-day cricket to score a double hundred when he struck 200 not out against South Africa.

"Sachin Tendulkar quenched the thirst of millions by his record breaking double century in ODIs," said a report.

The state-owned 'Daily News' devoted a voluminous article on the Indian and wrote, "It has been said and accepted that in India cricket is religion and Tendulkar god. And that belief came true when the batting god delivered in making the first double hundred in the history of one-day international cricket."

"At 36 years of age, he does not seem to have slowed. Like all great batsmen do, he first got his eye in, got a feel of how the wicket was playing, its bounce and movement and then began the batting show of the shows.

"A show that will stay etched in the memory of those fortunate to watch it live and listen on radio," the article said.

"He was a natural and a genius. Strokes come naturally to him and he is no slogger, but a batting maestro in the manner born," the newspaper added.

The newspaper said Tendulkar's stamina during the knock was laudable.

"He is 36 and like good wine seems to be mellowing with age. In this big innings he did not show any tiredness or cramps," the newspaper said in its article.

"He ran the singles and the twos like a teenager. We wish Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar many more years of runs full of cricket and may many more records dot his glistening career until he decides to call it a day. He's an example," the article said.

Delhi CM Sheila Dikshit hails Sachin

NEW DELHI: Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Wednesday congratulated Sachin Tendulkar on becoming the first cricketer to score a double century in the history of one-day cricket and said his innings would be remembered for all time to come.

"We all Delhiites join every Indian in celebrating this memorable achievement of Sachin Tendulkar," Dikshit said.

Tendulkar created history when he scored an unbeaten 200 to steer India to a massive 401 for three against South Africa in the second one day international in Gwalior.

"We all are proud of Sachin, who played a marvellous inning today against South Africa. Further, we are confident that he will continue to make world records. His innings will be remembered for all time to come," Dikshit added.

Tendulkar a role model for world cricket: Pakistani players

KARACHI: Former and present Pakistani players on Wednesday paid rich tribute to Sachin Tendulkar for becoming the first batsman in the history of the game to score a double hundred in one-dayers and said he is the perfect "role model" for any cricketer.

"For any cricketer he is the perfect role model. The great thing about him is that he has been outstanding in both Tests and ODIs. As a Pakistani player, I know how much value we have always put on his wicket," right-handed batsman Shoaib Malik said about the batting maestro.

Former skipper and wicketkeeper Rashid Latif said the feat was no surprise to him as it was only a matter of time for Tendulkar to achieve it.

"I always expected him to be the first one to score 200 in ODIs, but I was surprised that he took so long," Latif said.

Another former captain Aamir Sohail said, "The rule is simple when you give respect to the game, then only the game will give you respect."

Batting great Javed Miandad said he had always asked Pakistani cricketers to admire Tendulkar for his down to earth attitude, hard work and passion.

"Records are there to be broken but it makes you happy when someone like Tendulkar does it. I think he thoroughly deserves this record and many more in days to come," he said.

"Whatever he is achieving is because of his top physical and mental condition. He simply enjoys the game even today," Miandad said.

"Now-a-days big scores are common but it doesn't take away anything from Tendulkar because his achievement must be viewed in context of his whole career," he added.

Another ex-captain Rameez Raja said he would describe Tendulkar as the most consistent batsmen the world has ever seen.

"The way he is still scoring runs and breaking records is awesome and a lesson for the cricketing world. The unique thing is his passion for the game. He is still like a 10-year old and that is very important to keep on going at the top level," he said.

He said at the age of 36, Tendulkar's ability to retain his interest and hunger for runs was incredible.

"This latest record is not surprising at all. I loved watching him bat and I think he still has a lot more to give to India and cricket."

Former skipper and coach Intikhab Alam said he considered Tendulkar as one of modern day cricket's greatest players.

"The way he is going I feel sorry for the bowlers around the world. He will be a terror for bowlers in the 2011 World Cup."

Tendulkar 'most complete master' to grace cricket in last 60 yrs: Roebuck

SYDNEY: Batting legend Sachin Tendulkar, who is again in the headlines for scoring the first ODI double hundred, has been described as one of the most complete batsman of modern times, according to noted columnist Peter Roebuck.

Roebuck points out that Tendulkar continues to go from strength to strength and his dazzling double century in Gwalior reinforced his reputation as the finest batsman to appear in the past 60 years.

"After two decades of intense scrutiny and hard campaigns, he was fresh enough to bat an entire innings and collar all sorts of bowling. He has been sustained by a simple love of the game and, especially, batting. As Andre Agassi has confirmed, it's not as easy as it sounds. A lot can be lost once sport becomes a job," Roebuck writes in his column.

Tendulkar was not playing against any ordinary side, but was facing the might of South Africa, the Sydney Morning Herald quoted him, as saying.

"Tendulkar conquered South Africa not with brute force but with the purity of style that has been his hallmark since first he arrived as a child at Shivaji Park, a young boy seeking opportunity and competition. His ability to combine classical and virtuoso has been unique," he writes.

"No batsman has been as rewarding to watch in the past decades, and none has been superior. Among past masters, Viv Richards and Sunil Gavaskar stand out. Gavaskar ruled with meticulous technique. Richards dictated with relish," Roebuck writes.

"Among the moderns, Ricky Ponting, Jacques Kallis and Brian Lara stand apart. Ponting's greatness is an established fact. Lara has been the genius of the age. Tendulkar is not flawless. Of all modern batsmen, though, he has been the most complete," he adds.

Sachin was unstoppable in Gwalior: de Villiers

AHMEDABAD: Two days after Sachin Tendulkar made history in Gwalior, South African batsman AB de Villiers said it was an "unbelievable" batting display and no bowler in the world could have stopped the iconic Indian on Wednesday.

Tendulkar became the first batsman in one-day cricket's history to smash a double century in the match and his sublime unbeaten 200 off just 147 balls guided India to a series-clinching 153-run victory.

De Villiers, whose unbeaten 114 in the Gwalior match was reduced to a footnote, said Tendulkar was simply unstoppable.

"Sachin played an unbelievable knock...He didn't do much wrong in the last game, I don't think any bowler in the world could have tackled that," said de Villiers.

Over all, de Villiers said, bowling to Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag was a learning experience for the South African bowlers.

"When you are up against the likes of Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag, it puts a lot of pressure on you early on. The bowlers are quite young, so it is pretty tough for them coming out here and bowling to some of the best players in the world.

"I think the most important thing for our young bowlers is to learn and I think they did that. We had a nice team meeting yesterday and we discussed the game plan, where we went wrong and what we did right," he said.

India's back-to-back victories may have rendered Saturday's tie inconsequential but de Villiers said the South Africans were desperate to prevent a whitewash.

"It's not really a dead game for us. We have got a lot of pride to win back. We really want to win the last one-day international. 2-1 sounds a lot better than 3-0. We really want to fight and prove a point that we are a good side," said de Villiers.

He said there was nothing wrong with South Africa and it was actually India who had raised their game to clinch the ODI series with one match to spare.

"Not much went wrong. We still tried our best. Everyone is still in good form. I just think the Indians raised the bar and are playing better cricket. We are lacking in a few areas," conceded the 26-year-old batsman.

De Villiers felt the younger players in his team had learnt a lot on the visit which should stand them in good stead for the 2011 World Cup.

"Obviously, it has been a great experience for a bunch of young guys. The youngsters have learnt a lot of lessons over here, including myself, I have learnt quite a bit," de Villiers said.

"The one-day series is a bit of a disappointment but as long as we learn from our mistakes, I cannot see us going wrong in the future. We got a few very talented young boys in the team and if they learn from their mistakes here in the sub-continent coming to the World Cup, I see a bright future for us," de Villiers predicted.

The elegant batsman said that it was all about confidence and momentum which at the moment the visitors were lacking and thus were short of confidence going into the final game of their tour.

"It obviously is a lot about confidence and momentum. We have learnt quite a lot of lessons but playing with confidence and momentum is pretty tough at the moment. So we want to finish on a high note out here, get some good memories behind us before we come back here for the World Cup," he said.

"We have got a lot of cricket before then, so we got lots of time to get some confidence behind us and build some nice spirit in the team. Like I said, the one-day team is pretty young. We will definitely get things right.

"(Coach) Corrie (van Zyl) and the management team have been working very hard, taking notes about where we went wrong. Most importantly, we would like to finish on a high tomorrow and show exactly what we are capable of," he elaborated.

The batsman said he had lot of good memories of this venue having done well not only in the Test on his last visit but also in the Champions Trophy in 2006.

Pavilion, road in Gwalior to be named after Sachin

BHOPAL: A pavilion at the Captain Roop Singh Stadium, where Sachin Tendulkar rewrote the history by becoming the first cricketer to score a double century in ODI, would be named after little master.

Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) President Jyotiraditya Scindia has announced the decision to name a pavilion at the ground after Tendulkar, who cracked an unbeaten 200 to help India beat South Africa by 153 runs in the second ODI on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced that the City Centre-Hurawali Road in Gwalior would also bear the name of Tendulkar.

MILESTONE MAN

* The only Indian to have played for over 20 years - between December 18, 1989 and February 24, 2010 - 20 years and 68 days to be precise.

* Holds a world record for the highest run-aggregate - 17,598 at an average of 45.12.

* Holds a world record for most hundreds (46).

* Only one to register four hundreds against South Africa.

* Only one to register nine hundreds against Australia.

* Only one to post eight hundreds against Sri Lanka.

* With 1859 (ave.35.07) in 54 ODIs, holds a record for the highest run-aggregate against South Africa.

* His aggregate of 2965 (ave.45.61) in 78 ODIs is a record by any batsman against Sri Lanka.

* Only player to aggregate 3,000 runs against Australia - 3005 (ave.46.23) in 67 matches.

This 200 is for all Indians who stood by me: Sachin

GWALIOR: Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar dedicated his history-making unbeaten knock of 200 to the people of India. In the post-match ceremony, Tendulkar said that throughout his 20-year career, he got amazing support from his fans and the people of India. "I dedicate this ton to the people of India. I thank those who supported me and this is indeed a special moment," he said.

Tendulkar also expressed satisfaction that his body lasted 50 overs in the match that was a do-or-die game for the visiting South African team here at the Roop Singh stadium on Wednesday. "In my heart, I always feel what I am doing should be good for the team. I am always motivated to do right things for the team. Today, I was striking the ball well and I felt happy about it," he said.

On being asked when he actually felt that he could topple all the records and even become the first man to reach such a huge milestone, Tendulkar said: "I was batting on 175 in the 42nd over and that time it crossed my mind that there was a chance. When I really reached close to it, I started rotating the strike because MS (Dhoni) was striking the ball really well. It feels good that I lasted 50 overs in the middle."

Like always, Tendulkar also praised the rest of his teammates, who partnered with him in the match. "Yusuf (Pathan), Dinesh (Karthik) and MS played crucial knocks and that helped us reach such a huge score. Earlier, a target of 340 to 350 was there in my mind, but the way Yusuf and MS started hitting the ball, it changed the momentum completely," Tendulkar said.

South African skipper Jacques Kallis also hailed Tendulkar for using the home conditions well, while Dhoni said: "He carried his innings through and later on in the innings, used the pace of the ball very well." The Gwalior cricket officials decided to dedicate a stand in the stadium in the name of Tendulkar and also gifted him a silver bat along with a cheque for Rs 10 lakh to honour his stupendous achievement.

Tendulkar greatest batsman I have seen: Clarke

WELLINGTON: Australia's Twenty20 captain Michael Clarke rates Sachin Tendulkar is the best batsman he has ever seen and said he is not really surprised to see the iconic Indian smashing the first double century in the history of One-day cricket.

"His record speaks for itself. I can't say I'm surprised," said Clarke, who is here for Australian team's tour of New Zealand.

"He's probably the greatest batsman I've ever seen play, live," Clarke was quoted as saying by the Australian Associated Press (AAP).

Tendulkar's unbeaten 200 at Gwalior was a batting master class that flattened South Africa and India won by 153 runs to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series.

"I didn't watch any of it but I'd like to get back this afternoon and see some highlights," said Clarke, ahead of Australia's first Twenty20 match against New Zealand.

Clarke was particularly impressed with Tendulkar's longevity and said cricket was blessed to have such a genius.

"He's a wonderful guy and someone I not only enjoy watching on TV, but I've loved having the opportunity to play against him as well," said Clarke.

"He has got so much class. His greatest strength is the longevity, to be able to be so successful at a young age and to still be doing the same thing 20 years on.

"He made his (Test) debut at 16 and he's still as good as ever, if not better. We're blessed to still have such a great player playing this game," he added.

Tendulkar better than even Bradman: Nasser Hussain

LONDON: Former England captain Nasser Hussain is convinced that Sachin Tendulkar is the greatest batsman the game has ever seen, better than even the iconic Don Bradman.

"I have never liked comparisons between great players, but after Wednesday's incredible game it must be said -- Sachin Tendulkar is the greatest batsman of all time," Hussain wrote in his column for 'The Daily Mail'.

Tendulkar became the first batsman to crack a double century in the four-decade-long history of One-day cricket against South Africa on Wednesday and Hussain felt that should settle the debate on who is the greatest batsman ever.

"Better than Brian Lara and Ricky Ponting, the other two great players of my era. Better than Sir Viv Richards, Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border. And I would even say better than Sir Don Bradman himself," wrote the Chennai-born English cricketer of Indian origin.

Hussain said Tendulkar has somehow managed to retain his early enthusiasm even after two decades of international cricket which he found incredible.

"I played against Tendulkar on my first England tour, the Nehru Cup in India in 1989, and I could still see that excited boy in big pads in Gwalior," said Hussain, who once resorted to negative tactics and asked spinner Ashley Giles to bowl way outside off-stumps to curb the Indian," he said.

"That extraordinary drive and enthusiasm are what make Tendulkar so special. He has been playing international cricket for 20 years under the intense scrutiny being an Indian superstar brings, so it is remarkable he still loves holding a bat as much as ever," Hussain said.

Looking at Tendulkar's illustrious career, Hussain said guiding the Indian team to 2011 World Cup victory with his broad bat would perhaps give a sense of fulfilment.

"What else is left for Tendulkar now? Well, it is sometimes said that he has not played enough match-winning innings on the really big occasion for India.

"What better, then, than to score a hundred in the World Cup final against Australia -- or maybe even England -- on home soil this time next year," he said.

"That would be the full stop that would enable Tendulkar to ride off into the sunset with everything achieved in his career," said the Englishman.

Doffing his hat to Tendulkar and referring to maverick soccer coach Jose Maurinho's famous moniker, Hussain said, "My admiration for him is total. To steal the nickname of a certain football coach who led Inter Milan against Chelsea on Wednesday, Sachin Tendulkar truly is The Special One."

Sachin Tendulkar should get Bharat Ratna: Kapil, Wadekar

NEW DELHI: Describing Sachin Tendukar as 'Kohinoor' of cricket, former captains Kapil Dev and Ajit Wadekar on Friday said the milestone man should be conferred Bharat Ratna - India's highest civilian award.

The record of highest International runs (31,041) and centuries (93) already by his name, Tendulkar on Wednesday became the first cricketer in the history of One-day cricket to score a double hundred in Gwalior.

"Sachin is the Kohinoor diamond of the game of cricket. This cricketer has unmatched talent and you can't find another Tendulkar ever. I think, he should have got the Bharat Ratna," Wadekar said.

India's only World Cup winning captain Kapil also supported Wadekar's view and said Tendulkar very much deserves the honour.

"Sachin has touched several milestones during his 20-year career in the international cricket. He certainly deserves the Bharat Ratna. We will be very happy if he gets the highest honour of the country," Kail said.

Kapil, though, said his views would be the same even if Tendulkar had not achieved the rare feat of scoring an ODI double hundred.

"Even if Sachin would have got a duck in this innings, still I would say that he deserves the honour. No decision should be taken on the basis of performance in one match, but I am keeping in mind his overall contribution," he added.

Another former captain and former selection committee chairman Dilip Vengsarkar echoed the same sentiment.

"If any player deserves the Bharat Ratna, it must be Tendulkar. He must get the award," he said.

Wadekar also hoped that Tendulkar would continue to play even after the 2011 World Cup, to be co-hosted by India Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

"Sachin has proved with his fielding how fit still he is. I think, he can play for at least two more years after the World Cup next year."

Wadekar, who has also worked with Tendulkar as coach of the national team, supported the view of former England captain Nasser Hussain that Tendulkar was better than even Don Bradman, the iconic Australian batsman.

"I don't think any batsman can be better than Tendulkar, not even Bradman. Sachin has succeeded in all the three forms of cricket - Test, one-dayer and Twenty20," Wadekar said.