Sachin Tendulkar was a distraught man after he failed to get the better of a slower one off Clint McKay and that told the story.

By Rajarshi Gupta

Less than two hours before Nathan Hauritz took a dolly at short fine leg, breaking a million Indian hearts, the Little Master had become the first man to cross 17,000 ODI runs. A sensational 175 had all but sealed a dramatic win for India but the Aussies had some other plans.

Such is his passion for the game that Tendulkar forgot his own landmarks and the way he toiled through the course, of what many think, was the one of the best knocks ever played in limited overs cricket.

Two decades after bursting on to the international scene, the fire still burns. Fathom this. At 36, Tendulkar has in one calendar year, gone past the 150 run mark twice. Yet, there have been questions on his commitment. Wonder why!

It is not just the huge pile of runs that he has stacked up under his belt but the way Tendulkar has gone about getting them. 45 hundreds over 435 matches at an average of 44.59 and a strike rate of 85.81 make for staggering reading.

What is more remarkable is that Sachin did not score his first ton until his 79th ODI.

Sachin in images

For many of us, who grew up watching Tendulkar bat and day dreaming about sharing the crease with the legend in some embarrassing secret moments, the last twenty years have been an enigma.

From the turn of the 1990’s, cricket fans in India learnt to identify themselves with the simplicity and aura Tendlya brought along on the field. The boyish charm floored the fairer sex while the grit propelled him to touch dizzying heights.

The beginning was not auspicious. Debuting against Pakistan in Gujranwala in the November of 1989, the 16 year old had managed to last two balls before Waqar Younis snapped him for a duck, caught by Wasim Akram.

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That was how it all began. Seven years after that chilly afternoon in Pakistan (India had lost by seven runs, chasing a paltry 87), Sir Donald Bradman, the greatest batsman to have ever played the game, drew comparisons between himself and Tendulkar.

That wasn’t all. Shane Warne, who weaved magic with the ball and his wrist, had “nightmares” of Tendulkar coming down the track to smack him over long on against the turn.

Brett Lee, one of the fiercest speedsters in the modern day game, picked up Tendulkar as the best batsman he bowled to.

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The national mood swung from cheer to despair everytime Tendulkar perished in the 90’s. Such has been the legacy of the man.

It was not surprising therefore when the crowd rose as one to applaud Tendulkar for his heroics against the Aussies at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad last night though he failed to win India the game.

He had tried and it was Tendulkar who got India tantalisingly close to a massive 351 run target. A heartbreaking loss it may have been but for the optimists, nothing has changed about Sachin Tendulkar, 11 years after he sent a more potent Aussie attack scurrying for cover in Sharjah.

Sachin Stats

- Sachin Tendulkar extended his world record for most hundreds to 45. Sachin, during the course of his aforesaid innings, has become the first batsman to aggregate 17,000 runs in ODIs.
 
- Sachin became the first player to receive 60 Man of the Match awards in ODIs.
 
- Sachin became the first batsman to have posted nine hundreds (vs.Australia) against one opponent. 
 
- Sachin's aggregate of 2995  vs Australia is now a record by a batsman against any opponent in ODIs.
 
- Sachin, with 265 runs at an average of 53.00, is the leading run-getter for India in the present series.
 
- With four innings of 150 or more, Sachin has equalled Sanath Jayasuriya's record in ODIs.