Sachin’s Gwalior double-hundred celebrated

London, Mar 25 

Sachin Tedulkar’s historic double-hundred against South Africa in Gwalior has been celebrated by a front cover tribute from The Wisden Cricketer magazine.

The world’s best-selling specialist cricket title made a late decision to change its original cover image to commemorate Sachin’s landmark innings.

Magazine editor John Stern explains: “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. An astonishing performance by one of the game’s true greats. “

In the accompanying story, by Indian writer Dileep Premachandran, the magazine reveals Tendulkar had told Virender Sehwag that he felt the achievement was possible after his unbeaten 163 in New Zealand last year.

“It will eventually happen if I am destined to do it,” he told his opening partner.

After the peak had been scaled in Gwalior Sachin returned to the dressing room and told Sehwag: “I got what was destined.”

Sachin on Wisden Cricketer magazine's front cover

London, Mar 25

 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.London, Mar 25 (PTI) 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 tomorrow.

Left starstruck by Sachin 200*

19 Mar 2010

We've been back from home from India for a few days now - it's always nice after a tour to have a cup of tea and sit with your feet up on your sofa.We've been back from home from India for a few days now - it's always nice after a tour to have a cup of tea and sit with your feet up on your sofa.

I might have to do quite a bit of that because I picked up an ankle injury stepping on a ball in training before we left for India. It hasn't settled, so I'm going to be wearing a special walking boot for two to three weeks - I'm not sure it will look good with skinny jeans!

That's the nature of sport, and it will now be in the selectors' hands as to whether I'm picked for the ICC World Twenty20.

Looking back, it was great when we managed to hold on in the final game and win the T20 series 2-1. It was very important for us to come back after losing the one-day series and we showed great character and strength as a team.

I think both sides have players to look out for in the future.

For India, I think Harman Kaur bats with a lot of freedom. I watched her play against Australia at the World Cup last year and thought then that she was one to keep an eye on and the 84 she scored against us in the final ODI showed she is capable of pacing an aggressive innings.

I also think Gouher Sultana is a great left-arm orthodox spinner, she has lots of subtle variations and the ability to pick up wickets.

On our side, as I mentioned in a previous blog, youngsters Danielle Hazell, Danielle Wyatt and Heather Knight were all on their first tour and showed the ability to perform at this level. They have many years ahead of them playing for England and I believe they will continue to do well.

A personal highlight of the tour came when we stayed at the stunning Taj Lands End Hotel in Mumbai. It had a fantastic pool area where some of the girls tried to catch some rays, but I realised just how top-notch the hotel was when I found out Sachin Tendulkar and MS Dhoni were staying there.
As soon as we heard Tendulkar was in the restaurant, four of us ran straight there and sat and drank tea until he was able to come over and talk to us. He had just scored a record 200 in a one-dayer against South Africa and we were totally in awe - some of us couldn't say much and just beamed from ear to ear.

I'm often asked who my cricketing idols are and I would have to say Tendulkar, along with Alec Stewart, are top of my list, so it was very special to meet him in person.

His record is amazing and speaks for itself; to have played 442 ODIs with an average of 45 - and 166 Tests - and still have the energy to break records shows why he is one of the greatest legends of the game.

Apart from meeting Sachin, we did manage do get a bit of shopping in at a mall in central Mumbai, where I picked up a few Indian tops and some nice pashminas to take home. The traffic was crazy, even worse than London, but the buzz of the city made me want to go back and see even more of it.

We also got to celebrate International Women's Day at the ground after the final game, which I really enjoyed. We were greeted in the traditional Indian way with flowers around our necks. I also got a handmade bangle, some mehndi on my hands (like henna tattoos) and had my palm read - it was a really nice way to finish off the tour.

Now it's back to the day job - I'm missing the sunshine already!

Indian media hail Sachin Tendulkar's double century

10th mar 2010

Indian newspapers have hailed cricketer Sachin Tendulkar's feat of creating the first double century in the history of one-day internationals on Wednesday.

The 36-year-old hit 25 fours and three sixes in an unbeaten 200 off 147 balls as India thrashed South Africa by 153 runs in the city of Gwalior.

Tendulkar is already the leading run-scorer in Test and ODI cricket.

Several leading former players from around the world have also paid tribute to Tendulkar's achievement.

Writing for cricinfo, former Indian player Sanjay Manjrekar said nobody deserved the record better than Tendulkar.

"He has got so many very good hundreds, but he needed that one knock that would create history," he wrote.

"He doesn't have a triple hundred in Tests, he doesn't have the quickest fifty or hundred [in ODIs] or the fastest hundred in Tests. He has just got loads of very good Tests and ODI hundreds."

"So this is something he will specially cherish. He has that one individual innings that he can be really proud of."

'Eye of the tiger'

The Indian Express newspaper carried a photograph of Tendulkar raising his bat after the feat - it was captioned: "God!"

"The record has come late in Tendulkar's career, a career in which India remained in the game far too often and for far too many stretches just by his very presence," the newspaper wrote .

"For that reason, for the sense that Tendulkar now plays in a team that has to win without him, the record is timely."

"200 Not Out", headlined the Hindustan Times newspaper.

"Tendulkar remains the flag bearer of the increasingly dwindling phenomenon of quantity matching quality," the newspaper said .

Business newspaper, The Economic Times, led with the headline, "Two-Tonner Tendulkar".

"[Tendulkar's innings] is a testimony and commitment even as he heads for his 37th birthday. He is looking fit, focussed and formidable as ever, and his timing remains untouched by the passing years," wrote former Pakistani captain, Imran Khan, in the newspaper.

"An absolutely phenomenal record by a truly phenomenal player."

The Hindu newspaper called Tendulkar's innings an "epic effort of focus, flair and dare".

"He is still an explosive athlete; he still has the eye of the tiger."

"Immortal at 200", headlined The Times of India newspaper.

"There are no speed limits on Tendulkar's road to excellence. After two decades of basking in the glory of his sporting pre-eminence on the world stage, India is now privileged to witness the second coming of the most complete and prolific batsman of this age," said the newspaper.

Bollywood tweets for Sachin, the great

Friday, February 26, 2010

Bollywood stars have heaped praises on Sachin Tendulkar for smashing first-ever double century in history of ODIs, describing him as the "god of cricket" who has made Indians proud. 

The whole nation celebrated Tendulkar's double century at the ODI against South Africa in Gwalior, Bollywood took to Twitter and blogging to express their jubilation. 

Screen icon Amitabh Bachchan wrote on his blog, "Sachin playing the one dayer with South Africa in Gwalior creates history by being the first human in the universe to have scored 200 runs in an odi...I send Sachin a congratulatory sms and he responds back with his customary thanks and love, inquiring after the family."

Calling the cricketer as 'Sachin-The Great', superstar Shah Rukh Khan on his Twitter account wrote, "My daughter had written a poem for Sachin the great will put it up one day. He had loved it...And i love him too much." 

Big B's son actor Abhishek, despite a football enthusiast, revered Tendulkar as the pride of the nation.

 "Despite Chelsea's loss. Will sleep with a huge smile on my face, thinking about Sachin's double hundred. Sachin you give us Indians a great reason to be proud. And the reason is you!!! (sic)," Abhishek wrote on his Twitter account. 

"I finally know what god really looks like!! he is about 5"5, maharashtrian and plays cricket!! tendulkar bapamorya...Sachin. Master, idol, legend!!! congratulations!!! what an innings," he added. 

Priyanka Chopra, who in US to shoot for Anjaana Anjaani missed Tendulkar's innings, but the actress still wrote, "Oh my god! Just read about sachins double century! Mannn! I slept thru it!! feel so proud to be born at a time when I can witness greatness! (sic)"

 

Shahid Kapoor also wrote on his Twitter account, "Sachin u r truelly Great... Humbling to c him ... Wat a player (sic)." 

While filmmaker Karan Johar said, "His name is TENDULKAR and he is a LEGEND!!!", actress and IPL team owner Preity Zinta hailed the player as her hero and wrote, "Sachin! You are my hero! You make us so proud Team India rocks because Sachin shocks the opposition!" 

Actor Vivek Oberoi wrote, "I've always said....if cricket is a religion....sachin is god!" 

"So much 2learn from the master...he has faced every taunt, every critic, every insult with tremendous dignity &always answered with his bat! (sic)," he added. 

Actor Riteish Deshmukh, a regular on Twitter wrote,

"HISTORY has been created by d Master . In future people will always remember where they were when SACHIN scored 200* runs. Atyanth abhimaan (sic)."

Finish it, finish it (Virender Sehwag)

February 25, 2010

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. 

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."

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 (Melbourne in 2003, Multan 2004) he has instructed me to do this and do that. But those are things only he can do.

You might say, this is 200 - a figure no batsman in the history of the game has crossed - 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 had started the innings in a confident mood. As soon as he hit his first boundary, off the third ball of the second over, he walked up to me and said the pitch was full of runs and we only needed to time the ball. He told me not to think of boundaries or going after the bowler. He was right: throughout he picked the gaps and played the ball as he saw it. He was not thinking too much and that helped.

Ten years down the line if I am asked to pick a shot or two from his innings I would love to pick many. But the ones that were special to me were the cover drives off the back foot past extra cover, and the punch, once again on the back foot, past point, off Wayne Parnell. Another incredible shot was the straight six over Roelof van der Merwe's head. The left-arm spinner is a difficult one to get away, but Sachin was able to make the room and the energy to hit it clean over the sight screen.

It is not an easy summit for a batsman to conquer because he needs to possess a variety of attributes. In the past I mentioned on four or five occasions that Sachin had the capability to score a double-hundred in ODIs. I was confident only he could achieve such a feat only because of his experience and the kind of form he is in at the moment.
Importantly, he had the hunger and the patience to last for the entire 50 overs. You need to bat out the entire innings to score a double. And it is not so easy because it is not just about hitting boundaries; it is also rotating the strike. I knew if he had 150 balls, he could do it, and he did it in 147 deliveries.

I do not want to dwell here on my own batting, but 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.

We have had chats about him scoring 200. 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 "Agar meri kismat mein hoga toh woh mil jayega [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]".

Back in 1998 everyone felt Sachin was in prime form. I was not in the Indian team then. But I have seen him over the last decade and he is still improving with every match, he is practising more than anybody else in the nets, working hard on his fitness. I think he is in better form now than he was in 1998.

Sachin Tendulkar says record ODI score is 'breakable'

Page last updated at 18:29 GMT, Thursday, 25 February 2010

Sachin Tendulkar says record ODI score is 'breakable'

India batsman Sachin Tendulkar believes his record score of 200 not out in a one-day international is beatable.

Tendulkar, 36, became the first player to hit a double century in a 50-over international in India's victory over South Africa in Gwalior on Wednesday.

"No record is unbreakable. But I would be happy if an Indian breaks my record," he said.

"I do not play for records. I enjoy my cricket and I play with passion. I have done this for 20 years."

Pakistan's Saeed Anwar and Zimbabwe's Charles Coventry held the previous record of the highest individual score in an ODI with 194 before Tendulkar's innings.

The Indian legend reached 200 in the final over of his side's innings and he achieved it off 147 balls

"I knew I would get my chance in the over," said Tendulkar. "I will remember this innings. But I will not compare it with my other efforts."

He added: "I do not play for records. I enjoy my cricket and I play with passion. I have done this for 20 years.

"I thought about the 200 mark for the first time when I was probably 175-plus and only 42 overs had been bowled.

"I felt I had a chance, but I didn't think of it seriously until I got really close. Only then I thought there was an opportunity to be had."

Tendulkar holds the record for most runs in ODI's and Tests and is planning to continue revelling in the kind of form which helped him reach his 200 landmark.

"I'm enjoying my cricket and I'm playing the way I want to play," he said.

"I've done whatever I thought was best for the team.

"I have made a few bad decisions as a batsman, but I think as long as I know in my heart that what I think is right for the team, I'm going to do just that."

ICC Odi Ratings

ICC Odi Ratings  on 25/02/2010

Tendulkar becomes first to score 200 in ODIs

India's Sachin Tendulkar dedicated his record 200 not out to the cricket-crazy people of his country after he became the first batsman to score a double century in one-day internationals on Wednesday.

Tendulkar, who opens the batting in ODIs, achieved the landmark in the second one-dayer against South Africa, his magnificent knock guiding the home team to 401-3 in 50 overs.

India won the match by 153 runs to take a winning 2-0 lead in the series after they bowled out the tourists for 248.

"I'd like to dedicate this double hundred to the people of India who have stood by me no matter what for the last 20 years," man of the match Tendulkar said at the prize-giving ceremony.

"There have been ups and downs, but they have supported me."

Tendulkar has carried the expectations of a nation of 1.2 billion people since his debut as a curly-haired 16-year-old in 1989. Now 36, he holds the record for most runs in tests (13,447) and one-day internationals (17,598) and most centuries in tests (47) and ODIs (46).

Tendulkar hit 200 off 147 balls with 25 fours and three sixes in a masterly effort that combined poise with raw power.

The former India captain reached the landmark with a single off Charl Langeveldt in the final over after moving past the previous record score of 194 jointly held by Pakistan's Saeed Anwar and Zimbabwe's Charles Coventry with a two off pacer Wayne Parnell.

"I thought about the 200 mark for the first time when I was probably 175 plus and only 32 overs had been bowled," Tendulkar said.

"I felt I had a chance but I didn't make it my aim until I got really close. Only then I thought there was an opportunity to be had."

Tendulkar's previous highest one-day individual score was 186 not out against New Zealand in Hyderabad in 1999.

"I thought I could take the singles and give (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni the strike, because he was striking the ball very well," said Tendulkar who put on 101 for the unbroken fourth wicket with the captain.

"As for the way the body is coping, it feels good that I lasted 50 overs and it has been a good test of my fitness," said Tendulkar who scored a century in each of the two tests in the drawn series against South Africa earlier this month.

"I'd like to bat for another 50 overs at some stage and ensure the fitness levels don't drop."

Anwar made 194 against India in May 1997 while Coventry hit the same total not out against Bangladesh last year.

"It was a brilliant innings and if you speak to Saeed Anwar, he would be so glad Tendulkar was the one to break his record," Anwar's opening partner Aamir Sohail told Times Now TV.

"We all know how talented and how passionate he is about the game but it's incredible that at the age of 36 he is still going on, he plays the full 50 overs, runs hard and at no point during this knock did he look like he was going to throw his wicket away."

Coventry said he was happy to be tucked behind Tendulkar.

"I was very proud to have held the record for a little while but there could be no better man in the history of the game to break through the 200 barrier," Coventry told Reuters.

"Zimbabwe versus Bangladesh; Tendulkar, India versus South Africa. Not quite in the same bracket, are they?"

India v South Africa 24th February 2010 Sachin's 200 runs History in ODI Video

 Video India v South Africa 24th February 2010 Sachin's 200 runs History in ODI

sachin 200 vs SA short highlights

Tendulkar breaks the 200-run barrier

India v South Africa, 2nd ODI, Gwalior

India set themselves up for a series-clincher in the most brutal manner possible, with a little help from a certain Sachin Tendulkar, who brought up one-day cricket's first ever double-century, a good 39 years after the official entry of this format. The crescendo of the Captain Roop Singh Stadium in Gwalior, was the ideal setting for Tendulkar to shatter one record after another and by the end of 50 overs, his flawless knock and a smashing unbeaten 68 by MS Dhoni took India to 401.

In the 46th over, Tendulkar, on 193, broke the world record for the highest ODI score with a flick past short fine-leg. He ran two to surpass Zimbabwe's Charles Coventry and Pakistan's Saeed Anwar, and to say that he modestly acknowledged his feat would be an understatement. He didn't raise his bat, and just merely shook hands with Mark Boucher and simply carried on batting amidst the din. Coming from a man who is not known to showing too much emotion with the bat in hand, it wasn't surprising. He reserved his celebrations for the magic figure of 200, which he reached in the final over with a squirt off Charl Langeveldt past backward point. He raised his bat, took off his helmet and looked up at the skies and it was only fitting that one-day cricket's highest run-getter reached the landmark.

Tendulkar's innings featured strokes of the highest quality, but his true genius was exemplified with one particular shot which wouldn't be found in a coaching manual. In the first over of the batting Powerplay - taken in the 35th over - Dale Steyn fired a full, quick delivery outside off but Tendulkar walked right across his stumps and nonchalantly flicked him across the line, hopping in his crease on one leg to bisect the gap at midwicket. A helpless Steyn watched the ball speed away and merely shrugged his shoulders. There was no use searching for excuses or venting frustrations at the temerity of that shot. It was just that kind of afternoon for the bowlers.

There was just no letting up. The short boundaries and the flat pitch were too inviting for Tendulkar. Virender Sehwag's dismissal for 11, caught at third man, was just an aberration as Dinesh Karthik, Yusuf Pathan and Dhoni traded cricket bats for golf clubs. Driving and lofting through the line had never been this easy. Tendulkar could have driven them inside out in his sleep.

The two 100-plus stands, with Karthik and then with Dhoni, may well get lost in the scorecard but they were vital building blocks. Karthik rotated the strike well in their stand of 194, struck three clean sixes and helped himself to a brisk half-century. That partnership sent out ominous signs to the South Africans that they were in for something massive. Add Dhoni's bludgeoning hits and scoops and you had a score in excess of 350.

Tendulkar was in his element, flicking off his pads and driving neatly through the off side using the pace of the ball. He began by guiding a half-volley from Parnell through the covers before flicking the next one off his pads past midwicket. Steyn tried to bowl it a bit shorter but Tendulkar responded by pulling him over midwicket and slashing over point. Even the introduction of spin didn't help as Tendulkar gently tucked Roelof van der Merwe off his pads past short fine leg to bring up his fifty, off just 37 balls.

He brought up his first six in the 32nd over, off JP Duminy, launching him over long-on. Pathan bashed it around at the other end, clubbing full tosses and short deliveries in his 23-ball 36, as India amassed 63 runs in the batting Powerplay. The South African seamers made the mistake of bowling too fast and as a result, bowled too many full tosses and full deliveries. Theyorkers remained elusive and Tendulkar, who was seeing it like a beach ball, picked the gaps, made room and improvised.

The inside out shots over extra cover, really stood out. There was a brief interruption when Albie Morkel complained of crowd trouble but it did nothing to shake Tendulkar's concentration. He reached his 150 by making room to Parnell and chipping him over midwicket with a simple bat twirl at the point of contact. He went past Kapil Dev's 175 with a towering six over long-on. He equaled his highest score of 186 with a pull to fine leg, before Dhoni took over.

He smacked four sixes, making good use of the bottom hand. The crowd, though thrilled with the entertainment, were desperate for Tendulkar to take strike. Dhoni tore into Steyn for 17 off the 49th over and retained the strike for the 50th. After hammering the first ball of the 50th for six, he shoveled a full toss to deep midwicket where Amla affected a brilliant save. Tendulkar settled for a single and the crowd were on their feet. He reached his double ton before Dhoni sealed the innings in style with a four to long-off.

If India need to guard against complacency, they just need to turn the clock back a few months to Rajkot. If South Africa need to look for inspiration, beyond a standard pep talk, they need to go back four years to the Wanderers, where they chased 434 to clinch the series.

Sachin Tendulkar: factfile

India's Sachin Tendulkar scored the first ever double century in one-day international cricket, reaching the landmark against South Africa.

Published: 7:15 GMT 24 Feb 2010

1973: Born April 24, Mumbai. 

1988-89: Scores 100 not out in his first first-class match for Bombay against Gujarat in the Ranji Trophy becoming the youngest cricketer to score a century on his first-class debut.

1989: Makes Test debut for India against Pakistan in Karachi at the age of 16, scoring 15 runs in the process.
December: Makes ODI debut against Pakistan but is dismissed by Waqar Younis without scoring a run.

1990: Scores maiden Test century against England at Old Trafford.

1992: At the age of 19 he becomes the first overseas-born player to represent Yorkshire.

1994: Sept 9 - Claims his first ODI century against Sri Lanka in Colombo after 79 one-day matches.

1996: Leading run scorer at World Cup played in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka with a total of 523 runs.
August: Takes on the India captaincy although suffers two relatively unsuccessful stints during a four-year period, winning only four Tests and 23 ODIs.

1997: Named Wisden Cricketer of the Year.

1998: Scores his first double century for Mumbai against Australia in the Brabourne Stadium.

1999: November - Involved in India's highest run-scoring ODI partnership with Rahul Dravid as the pair put on 339 against New Zealand. In the same match, he records the highest individual ODI score in Indian history with an unbeaten 186.

2000: Gives up the captaincy of India after the two-Test series with South Africa.

2001: Given a suspended ban of one game in light of alleged ball tampering during a match against South Africa at St George's Park, Port Elizabeth. The ban was later lifted by the International Cricket Council after an investigation.

2003: Named the Player of the Tournament at the 2003 Cricket World Cup and also managed to score 673 runs, the highest by any player in the tournament.

2005: Overtakes Sunil Gavaskar's record of the highest number of Test centuries by claiming his 35th Test century against Sri Lanka in Delhi.

2006: Overtakes Kapil Dev claiming the record for the highest amount of Test appearances for India with 135.

2007: Jan 3 - Edges past Brian Lara's world record of runs scored in Tests away from home with 5,751 runs.
June: Becomes the first player to score over 15,000 ODI runs during a match against South Africa in Belfast.

2008: March - Played in his 417th ODI match against Australia and holds the record for the most ODI matches played by any player.
August: Becomes just the third player in Test match history, and the first from India, to play 150 matches when he is selected in the third Test against Sri Lanka at the P Saravanamuttu Stadium in Colombo.
October 17: Becomes the highest run scorer in Test cricket, passing Brian Lara's previous mark of 11,953, when he reaches 16 in the first innings of the second Test against Australia.

2010: Feb 24 - Breaks the record for the highest individual score in a one-day international innings, hitting an unbeaten 200 in the ODI against South Africa to pass the previous mark of 194 not out set by Zimbabwe's Charles Coventry and 194 by Pakistan's Saeed Anwar.

Highest individual ODI scores

Highest individual ODI scores

Tendulkar smashes record breaking ODI Double hundred

Tendulkar smashes record breaking ODI Double hundred  

Indian cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar smashed a world record double hundred against South Africa in the second ODI in the Captain Roop Singh Stadium in Gwalior.  The ‘Little Master’ surpassed the previous record held by Zimbabwe’s Charles Coventry which stood at 194, by posting an unbeaten 200 runs. 

The Indian became the first player in the game’s history to score a double hundred and the feat came off just 147 balls.

Tendulkar’s phenomenal innings helped India post an impressive 401 from their 50 overs, and he was ably supported by Dinesh Karthik (79) and captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni (68 not out).

Sachin sets world record; hits double-ton

February 24, 2010, 18:13 IST

Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar today created a new world record, he became the first batsman to score a double-century in the one day (50-over) international cricket match.  The previous record holder was Saeed Anwar of Pakistan having scored 194 runs against India.

Sachin scored 200 runs from 147 deliveries against South Africa in the second match of the ODI series, played at Gwalior.

In the process, he also scored his 46th ODI hundred. Team India scored 401 for the loss of three wickets, after winning the toss and electing to bat.

Tendulkar had reached to 100 off just 90 balls, and thereafter accelerated his scoring rate.

Dhoni hit a smashing 50 towards the end of the innings, he was 68 not out from 35 balls. Earlier after Sehwag's failure, Dinesh Karthik and Sachin were involved in a 194-run partnership, where Karthik contributed 79 runs of 85 balls. Yusuf Pathan thereafter played a cameo of 36 runs from 23 balls.

No better bat to score ODI double than Sachin

Posted on Feb 24, 2010 at 17:50 | Updated Feb 24, 2010 at 18:34

Saeed Anwar stopped six short 13 years ago. Charles Coventry didn't seem worthy enough. Tendulkar was robbed of it twice last year itself. Finally, the elusive double century is for the master batsman to have, as he lashed South Africa to all parts of the Roop Singh Stadium in Gwalior on Wednesday.

Tendulkar's 46th one-day hundred was converted into a double with 25 fours and three sixes, the boundaries alone making up more than a century in his mammoth yet destructive 140-ball effort.

For the Indian batting genius with over 20 years in international cricket, records have fallen by the wayside ever since he took on opening in one-day cricket as Test records continued to break.

For the batsman with most runs in Test and ODI cricket, nearly most caps in both forms of the game as well and countless other records, further individual records had thus fvar eluded him. Brian Lara still boasts of the Test equivalent, but in the ODI arena, there's no better bat than Sachin Tendulkar to score a rare double. He did so into his 21st year in international cricket.

Tendulkar's 175 at Hyderabad last year against Australia could well be his greatest innings ever, but sometimes the greatest knocks don't give the most satisfaction, as India lost a close game and then the series.

His double century might not have been the most attractive on what evidently was a batting paradise, but the runs were still there for the making and the champion batsman answered with one of the most clinical assaults in one-day cricket. One-day cricket has seen its last days just yet. But if it has or is nearing to it, Tendulkar's records are almost certain to be never eclipsed.

Statistical highlights of the second day's play in the second Test between India

Statistical highlights of the second day's play in the second Test between India  ] and South Africa [ Images ] at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata [ Images ], on Monday.

# VVS Laxman [ Images ] (7002) is the fifth Indian player to score 7,000 runs or more in Tests. Only Sachin Tendulkar [ Images ] (13447), Rahul Dravid [ Images ] (11395), Sunil Gavaskar [ Images ] (10,122) and Sourav Ganguly [ Images ] (7212) have aggregated more runs than Laxman.

# Virender Sehwag [ Images ] and Tendulkar established an Indian third wicket partnership record (249) against South Africa, beating the 84 between Ganguly and Dravid at Cape town in 1996-97.

# Tendulkar set a world record for being involved in most stands of 200 or more in Tests -- 16, beating 15 such stands of 200-plus by Australia's [ Images ] Ricky Ponting [ Images ].

# The 249-run partnership is a third wicket record at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, surpassing the 211 by Mohammad Yousuf [ Images ] and Younis Khan [ Images ] for Pakistan against India in 2004-05.

# With his world-record tally of 47 centuries, Tendulkar equalled a record for most hundreds (21) at home, equalling the feats of Matthew Hayden [ Images ] and Ricky Ponting.

# Under Mahendra Singh Dhoni's [ Images ] captaincy, Tendulkar has recorded seven hundreds in twelve Tests - 1159 at an average of 72..43, including three fifties.

# Tendulkar has recorded 20 hundreds in the first match innings, 15 in the second, 9 in the third and 3 in the fourth innings of the Test.

# Tendulkar's tally of 31 hundreds in Asia is the highest in Tests.

# Of his 47 centuries, 41 have been registered by Tendulkar at number four.

# Tendulkar is the second player after Sehwag to register five centuries in India-South Africa Tests.

# Tendulkar is the fourth player after Gautam Gambhir [ Images ] (5), Sunil Gavaskar (4) and Rahul Dravid (4) to score four or more centuries in consecutive Tests.

# Tendulkar, Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden now share a record for most Test hundreds (21) at home.

# Tendulkar (106) registered his first hundred against South Africa in Kolkata.

# Tendulkar (6018) is the first Indian and the third overall to aggregate 6,000 runs or more in Tests at home, joining Australia's Ricky Ponting (6790) and West Indian Brian Lara [ Images ] (6217).

# Zaheer Khan's [ Images ] figures of 4/90 are his best against South Africa in India, bettering the 3 for 64 at Kolkata in November 2004.

# Sehwag completed 1,000 runs against South Africa, aggregating 1162 at an average of 58.10, including five centuries and one fifty in 12 Tests. He became the third player to score 1,000 runs for India against South Africa, joining Tendulkar (1415) and Dravid (1132).

# Sehwag's runs' tally of 290 is bettered only by Hashim Amla [ Images ] (367) in the 2009-10 series.

# Sehwag posted his highest innings at Eden Gardens -- his first century, bettering the 88 against South Africa in 2004-05.

# Of his 19 Test hundreds, Sehwag has recorded four in 13 Tests under Dhoni's captaincy.

# Sehwag registered three centuries at number one position, 15 at second and the remaining one at number six (his hundred on debut against South Africa at Bloemfontein in 2001-02).

# Sehwag's outstanding innings of 165 off 174 balls is his 13th innings of 150-plus, bettering Gavaskar's tally of 12 such knocks and only Tendulkar has posted more innings of 150-plus in Tests (18) for India than Sehwag.

# The 73-run partnership for the first wicket between Sehwag and Gambhir is India's highest against South Africa at Kolkata, surpassing the 68 between Nayan Mongia and Rahul Dravid in 1996-97.

# Paul Harris has delivered 12 wides in India's first innings so far, recording a dubious distinction. He is the first bowler to register the double-digit score of wides bowled in an innings in Tests, surpassing Pakistan's Kabir Khan's [ Images ] tally of 9 wides in South Africa's second innings of 259 at Johannesburg in 1994-95.