Tendulkar marks his true greatness
Child prodigies often raise exaggerated hopes which they fail to fulfil, but Sachin Tendulkar has proved the great exception.
Back in February 1988 at the Azad Maidan ground in Bombay (as the city was then called), the 14-year-old Tendulkar made 326 not out against my old school and in the process set a world record for an inter-schools match, participating in a third-wicket stand of 664 - a record which still stands.
Such records are often regarded as cricketing trivia. This one, for example, is listed in Wisden under minor cricket along with the statistic for who has thrown a cricket ball the furthest.
But as I wrote in my History of Indian Cricket: "However the record that the young man helped create at the Sassanian Ground that February day has proved more than a mere cricketing curiosity.
"Over the following decade the boy was to become a cricket wonder and acclaimed as such by no less an authority than Sir Donald Bradman who, shortly before his death, declared that the young man's style was the closest to that of Bradman himself."
Cricket lovers will endlessly debate as to whether Tendulkar is the greatest, as Shane Warne believes.
Many feel Brian Lara, whose Test runs record he has broken, still rates higher and Australia's captain, Ricky Ponting, could well pass him in the years to come - and can any of them really be classified as better than the Don?
What makes Tendulkar exceptional, however, is that his career has been central to the way cricket has changed in the last 20 years since he made his Test debut against Pakistan at the age of 16.
Tendulkar's rise has seen the emergence of India as the economic powerhouse of cricket, providing more than 80% of all world cricket's income. In the process Tendulkar has become one of the highest-paid sportsmen, with an income that bears comparison with the stars of football and motor racing.
In India, a Tendulkar endorsement of a product is almost certain to make it a success and nobody who visits the country can miss the huge billboards displaying his image.
But more than that, in a country where public figures are held in little regard and almost always considered venal and corrupt, Tendulkar has god-like status. I cannot think of any other world sporting figure who has a status that Tendulkar has in India.
His integrity and probity is seldom questioned. Indeed, I remember talking at the height of the cricket corruption crisis with Raj Singh, the then head of Indian cricket.
He turned to me and said: "You know why I believe nobody can fix a cricket match. Because the only man good enough to influence a match on his own is Sachin and he would never even consider doing it. No other cricketer is quite so good, and no other cricketer quite so honest."
Tendulkar's probity has been questioned on occasion, most notably during a tour of South Africa in the winter of 2001 when he was punished for cleaning the ball without an umpire's supervision. India exploded with such wrath that for a time it seemed it would just cut its ties with world cricket.
Earlier this year, when Australia accused Harbhajan Singh of calling Andrew Symonds a "monkey", Indians were indignant that Australians would not take Tendulkar's word that he had not done so and such was the outcry, they threatened to pull the plug on the tour.
Tendulkar has also been central to other changes in cricket. In 1991, he became the first non-white to ever play for Yorkshire and while his achievements there were not earth shattering he is still seen as an iconic figure in the county.
Tedulkar's style was always more entertaining than that of India's previous great batsman, Sunil Gavaskar, and he was more influenced by West Indians, in particular Vivian Richards, who he so admired.
Yet in recent years some Indians have begun to ask if Tendulkar is so good, why has the team not been more successful?
He was not part of the victorious Indian World Twenty20 team last year and his chances of a World Cup winner's medal are now unlikely. In Tests, meanwhile, a Tendulkar century does not always lead to an Indian victory in contrast with Lara, Ponting and, of course, Bradman.
Those doubts began to emerge back in 1997 on a tour of the West Indies when India required 120 to win in Barbados but were bowled out for 81 and lost by 38 runs. Tendulkar was captain, failed with the bat and it took him days to recover.
It is also worth noting that Tendulkar has never made more than 250 in a Test innings and it was Virender Sehwag, who became the first Indian to break the 300 barrier.
But in judging Tendulkar, we must also take into account that he plays India, who are notorious underperformers in sport. This means when they discover a true genius they put such pressure on him that it can make life impossible.
It is not without significance that his favourite sport outside cricket is Formula One, a sport little known in India, and an indication of his desire to break free from Indian stereotypes.
Tendulkar's ability to cope with the pressures his countrymen impose and still set records shows the mark of his true greatness.
Mihir Bose's blog is no longer being updated. You can read recent entries about BBC Sport's coverage and insights into the latest issues on the 
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Well done Sashin! Don't know a lot about cricket but I know that 12,000 runs is a great acheivement. See how many more you can rack up.
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Interesting article, but i still do not understand what you mean by "Formula one, a sport little known in India"? Surely it does not compare to cricket in terms of its appeal and popularity in India, however it is still a very well known sport, particularly in cities. Why else would India bid to host a formula one race in 2011??
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Great achievement by a fantastic cricketer.
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Nice one Sachin. The guy has been a living legend and the cricket he plays has never been boring its entertaining and he rightful deserves "The Little Master". I don't think there is anyone in the current cricketing set up who can acheive the goals he and lara have done. People say Pointing but i'm not too sure.
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Does Tendulkar really play for a weaker team than Lara and the West Indies?
Whilst Tendulkar has been mostly surrounded by other gifted batsman, Lara has spent most of his career on his own and in a much inferior team.
Tendulkar is good. He is very good. But is he really great?
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How Sachin will hold on this record?
Never misunderstand- i'm not a pessimist- & that's why i hope so--forever till master blaster's last date on cricket. But the performance graph of indian cricket team is very fluctuating
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what is welshboycott on about? lara spent most of his career amongst the best team in the world. when he was playing in the final years of his career in an awful WI team that was when he was past his best. and as for the question 'is tendulkar really great?, do you watch cricket?
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Congrats Sachin! To play for nearly two decades now with the same humility and desire to succeed is phenomenal.
I really hope he carries on playing and stays away from injuries for a while so that I can see a lot more of this little genius!
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Well done
Yes sachin is good , no issues
but i am still trying myself awake of two things in this blog which i somehow find very difficult to come to terms to
1) India, who are notorious underperformers in sport - dont get this one, r we taliking about cricket or something else.
2) Formula One, a sport little known in India, - This one is even more eye catchy
I believe someone is living in India pre - 1950 . Narain Karthikeyan is an Indian who has represented F1 and Mr Mallya owns one of the companies in F1
I truly believe facts must be kept in mind
Thnx a lot
and congrats sachin
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Just to correct you, the record for the third-wicket stand of 664 was broken by M. Manoj Kumar and Mohammed Shaibaz Tumbi of St Peter's High School.
They smashed 721 runs off 40 overs in an under-13 match to break the world record held by Sachin Tendulkar and Vinod Kambli.
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Dear me. What a dreary effort to mark an exceptional performance. This stuff could have been cut and pasted fromWikipedia...just add the Bose pomposity.
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Article was poor, but doesn't hide the fact that Sachin, alongised Lara are the best to grace the game after Don & Viv Richards. I am sure Ponting will join this league.
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:-) The very fact that Sachin said "It's definitely the biggest milestone" speaks volumes about him.... Individual - Never a Team Player!!!
I wish Sachin had said something more meaningful to encourage the youngsters instead of self-indulgence
His centuries were of lesser meaning compared to that of Lara / Ponting (as they result in their TEAM victories).
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Well dine, Mihir. You managed to turn a remarkable achievement by an all-time great, into a rehash of Wikipedia.
Perhaps something more about Sachin's psychological approach, or the type of wickets he most excelled on, or the kind of bowler who caused him the most difficulties, would have been more useful.
Perhaps, indeed, just plain leaving this story to the cricket correspondents, who have a lifetime of knowledge to impart. Why exactly, did you feel the need to muscle in on this story? It's hardly your alleged "story behind the headlines" is it? And why did the BBC let you?
Sachin has been a remarkable and graceful batsman, and a marvellous example to everyone who aspires to play the game. I suspect the more bludgeoning approach of Ponting might surpass him in time, but 12,000+ runs is an astonishing career, by any standards.
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!2000 test runs, 39 centuries, 50 fifties, not to mention Sachins stupendous performance in one dayers are achievements of the highest order indeed. I am not much of cricket fan but three standout moments connected with Tendulkar will never fade away from my very suspect memory.
1)Very early in his career, may be 1999, him smashing Abdul Quadir for a six after a six after a six.. took the sneer off the face of the proud Pakistani spinner, who these days tries to turn it around saying he was only egging Tendulkar on to his impending, putative greatness.
2)Him snatching the ball from a totally clueless captain Azharuddin's hand to bowl the last over by default and win a certainly lost Hero cup away frm South Africa.
3) Him opening a World Cup match against Pakistan and hitting Shoab Akhtar, who was world's most feared pacer at the time, like a runaway train.
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Sachin evokes a Demigod status in the India, not merely because of his tremendous talent he posses on the 22 yard of cricket pitch. But more importantly the way he has led his humble life amidst such praises and tribulation for close to 2 decades.
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i noticed that rahul dravid is not that far behind tendulkar in terms of test runs.
its always seemed to me that his performances have more of an effect on the outcome of indias test results,
what do indians think of this?
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Mihir,
A few comments on your article. When India was chasing 120, Tendulkar was batting well until the umpire wrongfully gave him out when the ball brushed his shirt sleeve. Do you remember that?
You state that "What makes Tendulkar exceptional, however, is that his career has been central to the way cricket has changed in the last 20 years". And then you go on and talk about income and revenue. What are you trying to convey? How is Tendulkar exceptional in this regard? Wasn't he just in the right place at the right time? I am not denying that he is exceptional. Your reason seems hollow.
You state that "But in judging Tendulkar, we must also take into account that he plays India, who are notorious underperformers in sport". Are you saying that Sachin is an underperformer because he has never gone beyond 250? Are you serious?
You state that "This means when they discover a true genius they put such pressure on him that it can make life impossible." Can you name one other genius in Indian sport? Can you name one other genius in Indian sport who has had the same pressure? Can you name one other genius in Indian sport who has had the same pressure and is unaffected by it?
You state that "It is not without significance that his favourite sport outside cricket is Formula One, a sport little known in India, and an indication of his desire to break free from Indian stereotypes." You must be kidding me. He loves cars. Hence he loves Formula One. Don't make life more complicated than it already is.
J.
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he is overrated, all this hype just because of the way he is treated by the fanatical Indians. He is not even the best in the Indian team and nowhere near as good as Ponting, maybe when he breaks the new record, people will see beyond the hype. And Lara carried his team, not sponged off all the glory of it.
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Not sure what all the fuss is about. He's been playing for 19 years (which is a great achievement) but therefore means he's bound to knock up some runs. He can't be compared to the great Brian Lara as he's only just overtaken him but as played many more games. He didn't set yorkshire alight and ponting has a much better record who willl surely overtake hime one day.
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An adidas ad I'd seen nearly a decade ago comes to mind "When Sachin bats..all else...is irrelevant" My own rudimentary tribute to the man at my blog http://outsideedge.wordpress.com
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What a great batsmen, there is huge debate about whether sachin is the greatest in modern cricket?. yes he is, unlike ricky ponting sachin is not around bowlers like mcgrath or warne. sachin carries the entire nation's hopes. I used to watch sachin play when i was young and when sachin failed i used to be very upset so as 1.2 billion indians. not only that but sachin is a very humble and soft spoken unlike all those famous sportsmen. thanks mihir it was very good article and i'm very proud to be an indian.
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...and another thing. Aren't blogs supposed to illicit responses from their authors? You, Mr Bose, just seem to sit in haughty internet silence after posting. Come on, having being one of the (presumably) few people to have read your autobiography (The Sporting Alien) you can actually write. If you put your mind to it.
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mido and k man, not been disrespectful but you have to be an indian to know what sachin tendulkar really is in india. 10 years or so ago india was a just a 3rd world country where you get dodgy bellies(thats according to my collegues). its because of sachin the BCCI is a dominant force in world cricket in terms of ICC revenue. and the only reason i pay £16 a month just to watch cricket(or shall i say sachin) and i'm sure millions of people do the same. a classic example: sachin was in chelmsford playing a charity match, it took me 4hrs from brentwood to chelmsford on A12 since there were sachin's fans flocking to see him from all over the country. i dont see that happening when lara or ponting , even beckham playing there.
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...and why on earth does it take an age to 'moderate' a submission. The whole point of this is to have an instant discussion. I know the BBC is merely interested in the internet because every other media organisation is. But what a clod-hopping way to regulate it....don't bother...
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Come on Mr Moderator... a post at 9.30-ish still shouldn't be left hanging at 10.10pm...what's the problem? Can't get hold of Mr Bose to check the title of his autobiography? Worried it might offend? Proof positive that this is not a blog and the BBC shouldn't be advertising it as such. Why not stick to broadcasting a bit of news at teatime, and then again at ten o'clock. Leave the cutting edge to those that are allowed to be cutting edge.
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I am privileged to be in the era when sachin played cricket. To say " he is great" is an understatement. I dont think we will get to see such a genius in the next 50 years.
If you remember it is roughly after 50 years of "The Don's era" we had another Legend in cricket.
Thanks Sachin for entertaining us with your sheer talent and may you play more for years to come!!
Heartiest congratulations on all your records and the ones coming in near future as well!!
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I am proud to be an indian and enjoy when indians do well, but unfortunately i am not proud of your blog.Your thoughts are rubbish you are claiming that sachin hasnt scored more than 250 is against him?? He has 39 centuries more than anyone in this world. Who cares whether he played well or not for an english county. He is a passionate man and gives 100% for his country. And mr bose how long has it been since u have been on indian soil(50yrs?) cause fyi F1 is a very popular sport here played on may pubs.So is football(which i think is sachin's fav sport).And last let me tell you something "There was,is and will be only one god,master and best batsmen in the world and that's SACHIN RAMESH TENDULKAR"
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[i]Tendulkar is good. He is very good. But is he really great?[/i]
I think that's an absurd comment in the light of what he's achieved. I personally think Lara is better, but that really doesn't diminish Tendulkar status in any way as one of the games true icons. This is not the Olympics and the podium can be as cluttered as we desire it to be. What makes Tendulkar stand out was his remarkable consistency, even during a period when most Indian batsmen were seen as sitting bunnies (the pre "fab four" era if you will) when they played outside the sunny climes of India. I remember a phase when it was said that if you got Sachin's wicket that was game set and match. Of course such generalisations are unfair to batsmen like Azharuddin, who've had they own fair share of mercurial flair, but they never managed to actually match Tendulkar's focused determination to contribute consistently and in quantity to India's cause.
I remember the manner in which he completely changed the complexion of the 98 series with his remarkable assault on Shane Warne in Chennai. That Warne was bowling from the rough was perhaps the icing the cake. It was a knock of breathtaking skill and affirmed his status as a modern great. Warne retired with one notable blemish in his glittering career , which perhaps why Tendulkar heads that list concocted Warne.
And don't even get me started with the"but he can't win games" thing. That's plain tosh.
To conclude, is Sachin a cricketing great ? Hell yeah!!!
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"I am proud to be an indian and enjoy when indians do well, but unfortunately i am not proud of your blog.Your thoughts are rubbish you are claiming that sachin hasnt scored more than 250 is against him?? He has 39 centuries more than anyone in this world. Who cares whether he played well or not for an english county. He is a passionate man and gives 100% for his country. And mr bose how long has it been since u have been on indian soil(50yrs?) cause fyi F1 is a very popular sport here played on may pubs.So is football(which i think is sachin's fav sport).And last let me tell you something "There was,is and will be only one god,master and best batsmen in the world and that's SACHIN RAMESH TENDULKAR""
Whoa, go easy there with jingoistic fevour buddy. Journalism requires an unbaised and neutral perspective, so you can get to read a balanced opinion without wearing blinkers. You might not like it, but welcome anyway to democracy and freedom of speech.
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Oh God....let's give it a rest. Go read the Sunday Times, Sunday Telegraph, even (God help us) the Mail on Sunday for insightful, reflective, INTERESTING pieces about an exceptional talent...BBC please put Mihir out of his blogging misery, and restrict him to dull 2-ways at half six in the morning on the Today programme about a patch of land in Stratford that can't be comupulsorily purchased, thus throwing the whole 2012 Olympics into jeopardy....please
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To me Sachin Tendulkar is arguably the 2nd best to Sir Don Bradman.Viv Richards,although a better player of fast bowling never withstood as much pressure as Sachin,nor did other greats like Sir Jack Hobbs or Walter Hammond.In modern times he bore more pressure than any other cricketer.No batsman resembled the Don as much whether it be Everton Weekes or Viv Richards.Noone in the near future is likely to eqal Tendulkar's record of 80 International Hundreds.No batsman has perhaps evr played better in he Arc or V region.True he may not have won so many matches but he also had thehandicap of playing for a weaker team.His comeback in the tset series in Australia and the limited version of the game like a Muhammad Ali showed why the Don himself placed him on such a high pedestal.
Considering he averaged 99.94 scoring 29 centuries in 52 tests in any era the Don has to be regarded the greatest.
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To me Sachin Tendulkar is arguably the 2nd best to Sir Don Bradman.Viv Richards,although a better player of fast bowling never withstood as much pressure as Sachin,nor did other greats like Sir Jack Hobbs or Walter Hammond.In modern times he bore more pressure than any other cricketer.No batsman resembled the Don as much whether it be Everton Weekes or Viv Richards.Noone in the near future is likely to eqal Tendulkar's record of 80 International Hundreds.No batsman has perhaps evr played better in he Arc or V region.True he may not have won so many matches but he also had thehandicap of playing for a weaker team.His comeback in the tset series in Australia and the limited version of the game like a Muhammad Ali showed why the Don himself placed him on such a high pedestal.
Considering he averaged 99.94 scoring 29 centuries in 52 tests in any era the Don has to be regarded the greatest.
By Harsh Thakor
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Sachin belongs in the upper echelons with the likes of Bradman, Richards and maybe Lara. Ponting probably also comes close.
I agree that Sir Don has to rank as the best of all time. I just wanted to answer some of the critical comments against Sachin. Sachin's long career of 19 years has him making runs against some of the best bowling attacks - Akram, Waqar, Imran, Warne & Ambrose to name a few. There were a lot of occasions in the early-mid nineties when he was the lone Indian challenge to the bowling attacks. He has scored heavily in both formats of the game - doubt if his ODI record will be surpassed. Its very tough being the focal point of a billion cricket crazy fans knowing that you could be either crucified or glorified with each performance.
Lara has had bigger test scores while Sachin has more centuries and a better ODI record. That said you could take your pick with either one. Ponting is a good bat but has not faced a lot of quality opposition in my opinion. He still has to be very good to make those runs.
Lets celebrate Sachin's greatness along with these two instead of trying to demean them.
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Tendulkar is without question a fantastic batsman and i have no idea how hes manages to keep his head above water with regards to the pressue he must be under by such a cricket hungry country.
But is he as good as Bradman, Lara or even Ponting? I really don't know myself.
I'm too young to have known Bradman's ability but i've watched Ponting and Lara perform to such a staggeringly high standard that it leaves me wondering.
I have to admit i havn't seen as much of Tendulkar as i would have liked but when i did, he didn't, for me, have the single bloody mindedness of Ponting or the out and out class of Lara.
Personally i think Ponting has more substance that tallent when held in the same regard as both Lara and Tendulkar. This isn't to say he won't be held in the same regard, just i think hes posesses the most metal out of the three.
So, with Ponting placed in third - regarding to the tallent i percieve, its now between Lara and Tendulkar.
Right, i'll cut to the chase.
I read the article hoping to be enlightened and given some crumb of evidence to prove that Tendulkar IS the best batsman of his generation. But there was no such argument on show. All it did was confirm to me that Lara is, with all taken into account, the better, if only just, the better batsman.
I find it hard to argue against it. How can i when Lara carried a weaker West Indian team than they enjoyed in years gone. I can't count the amount of times he played almost without fault and when he twice batted against a good English bowling attack to secure himself the world record top score.
For these reasons i have to side with Lara.
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well done to Sachin but surely ricky ponting will have scored more runs by 2010!
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For us Indians cricketer Sachin is a blessing. Through his batting, bowling, fielding and impeccable behaviour on and off the field, Sachin continues to make a lasting impression on the minds of the young and even the not so young in our country.
Let us wish Sachin all the very best.
Dr. Cajetan Coelho
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What does it matter if he is the greatest, second greatest or merely one of top 10?
I saw him in his first Test series here at Trent Bridge when he, Ganguly and Dravid batted the whole day for the loss of one wicket. It is true that he did not shine for Yorkshire but even the greats cannot perform at the top all the time (with the possible exception of Bradman). He is certainly one of the best two or three batsmen I have seen.
invisiblenewsman:
Put a sock in it, mate.
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Oh Sachin, The great Sachin!!
He is simply superb, awesome, wonderful....and so on...words will be short to describe this little genius.
I think he is Eight wonder of this world.
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