By Anil
April 1 2011

Living legend Sachin Tendulkar will grace the 2011 World Cup Final in his own backyard, Mumbai.

Sachin Tendulkar has proven that he is no ordinary great.

Ricky Ponting has demonstrated the fallibility of ordinary greatness. Trumpeted by Australians as one of the all-time Aussie greats, he languishes in the shadow of Tendulkar. Almost two years younger than Sachin, his eyes can no longer withstand the scrutiny of a quickish bowler. As he fades away while Sachin continues to scale new heights, we are reminded of the extraordinary longevity of the Great One. Ponting's own compatriot Shane Warne rates Tendulkar the greatest player he has played with or against.

Sachin Tendulkar is the reigning ICC cricketer of the year. Last year he hit a double century in ODIs, something never accomplished before or since. And this effort came not against Bangladesh or Zimbabwe or West Indies, but against mighty South Africa.

Comparisons to Donald Bradman are rife and these days it is being said that with 99 international centuries, almost 50% more than his closest rival, he is as far ahead of his contemporaries as Don was ahead of his. But the chorus of Tendulkar as greatest ever is growing, as people note his prowess in 3 forms of the game against a far greater number of teams and in far more diverse conditions than Bradman ever did.

In the ongoing World Cup, Tendulkar is one of the top scorers, and has hit big runs in every major game played by India so far. In the semifinal against Pakistan, a game some say may be bigger than the final, as Man of the Match he led India to the fifth straight victory in World Cups over their combative neighbor.

What could be the best possible gift for Sachin in his final World Cup match on April 2, three weeks before his 38th birthday?

He will play the 2011 World Cup final in Mumbai, the city where he grew up and for which he first played a first-class match at age 15, hitting an unbeaten century in that match. One could not possibly come up with a better scenario than this finale; on Saturday April 2 the stadium will be overflowing with Sachin fans.

Those fans will probably dream about Sachin scoring his 100th international century to bring India its second World Cup Trophy, 28 years after India won its first.

They will dream about Sachin winning another Man of the Match award, perhaps another Man of the World Cup award.

All of these would be fine gifts for Sachin; we his fans can dream.

But at the end of it all, we know that the best possible gift in cricket is Sachin himself.

So let us cherish the memories he has given us all these years, for one thing is certain: there never has been a cricketer like Sachin before, and there never will be another.

The Best Gift For Sachin

Discussion started by Indian Cricket Fever (IP Logged), 01/04/2011 01:04

Indian Cricket Fever
01/04/2011 01:04

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Birbal
01/04/2011 03:32

Well said Anil... his run hunger and fitness after over 22 years of International cricket is AMAZING...

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Spirit of Cricket
01/04/2011 17:38

Despite so many injuries over that long career..

Check out this article by Simon Hughes in The Daily Telegraph, he is echoing most of the points made above re: Tendulkar v Bradman! No doubt to the displeasure of many Aussies.

Sachin Tendulkar is the best batsman ever to play cricket

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Birbal
03/04/2011 01:18

The Icing on the cake of his career... for Sachin...

Anything he does now is totally bonus...

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thirdman
03/04/2011 11:00

Bradman is #2 - Sachin Tendulkar is #1.

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round rock
03/04/2011 18:34

not only he is the best cricketer, he is the best role model too. at his age he is fielding in the outfield, diving and saving runs.

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Birbal
03/04/2011 19:06

Yeah....where does he get the energy to do that?

He could easily ask to field only in slip or gully... and nobody would begrudge him that privilege...

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MNightShyamalan
03/04/2011 19:16

He is superman.

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Spirit of Cricket
05/04/2011 13:35

Sachin says, "Never give up."

---
"That (winning the World Cup) was my dream after we lost in 2007. I took up that challenge," Tendulkar told the Mumbai-based Mid Day newspaper.

"When we got to know that the next (World Cup) is in India and the final would be held in Mumbai, that is when I felt that this is the place where we have to lift the trophy."
Tendulkar's dream came true on Saturday when India posted a six-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the final in Mumbai in his sixth and probably the last World Cup appearance.

"I firmly believe that one should never ever give up in life and that is something which happened in my case," said Tendulkar, who turns 38 later this month.

"It is never too late. Even after 21 years (of international cricket), you can still go out and win the World Cup."

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Spirit of Cricket
05/04/2011 14:18

To the crushing disappointment of every viewer in the stadium and on TV, Sachin was out early in the final - certainly the greatest disappointment must have been his own - so what was his reaction?

Did he shake his head and smash his bat on the turf all the way?

Just see his presence of mind - this is from Virat Kohli,

Kohli: “When I walked in to bat, there was dead silence in the stadium, I just looked at him (Tendulkar) walking back. Sachin stopped me, and told me to take my time, stay in there. ‘We can do it’ he said. That was all I needed to boost my confidence,” Kohli said a day after India’s six-wicket win.

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