♪♫♬♯♭ 25 Musical Years of A R Rahman! ♪♫♬♯♭

During my growing up phase in the 90's, there were 2 fields which attracted me immensely. One being cricket and the other music. 2 gentleman in parallel world's, Sachin Tendulkar and A R Rahman (incidentally both No. 6's 😉) were going about their work in supreme fashion which incidentally criss crossed with my childhood and that had an immense impact on me. Looking back it's hard to believe that 25 years have elapsed since ARR's advent in the musical space.

Personally I have a sugary soft corner for the early and mid 90's compositions where the melodies were simple and sound was profound making him capture a whole generation to dance to his waves. The alternations in the tones creating an unexpected fulminant billowing out from nowhere causing ripples in the minds of the listeners was his true hallmark. His entry was revolutionary and he shook the nation by storm. On our 70th year of independence, we also celebrate 25 musical years of AR Rahman who started his journey with Roja.

I just tried a small sample of some of his vintage 90's compositions which hold a special place in my heart. I am an absolute abecedarian and play purely based on hear. Just did a random unplugged of some of his songs with few own gimmicks thrown here and there. It was a little difficult to play bits and pieces of around 15 songs at a stretch but just tried whatever possible based on my limited expertise. This is at best amateur but I hope it wasn't all that bad. Presenting a small tribute to the man and his music.

Revisiting Nostalgia - A Blast from the Past!

Rewinding the clock back 10 years to this day 13th March 2004.
Reviving Memoirs of an epic cricketing encounter between India and Pakistan.

The Indian Cricket team had been given the go ahead by the Government to tour Pakistan after almost 15 years. Sachin was going back to the place where he made his debut as a diminutive young precocious 16 year old. No Indian or Pakistani cricketer barring Tendulkar had been part of the earlier 1989 tour. The entire country was waiting with bated breath for the series to get underway.
It was a blockbuster in the making and we were all privy to the fact that we were going to witness an historic epoch-making series between the 2 arch rivals.

On the other side of the fence, we were facing our 12th CBSE Board exams which criss-crossed right in between the epicness of epochness which was unfolding at the other end.I wrote my Mathematics Board exam a couple of days ago and was extremely agitated and gutted at myself that I wasn't able to perform as well as I had hoped for. :( It was the subject I was banking on the most but alas it didn't go exactly as I thought , the reactions in the house were para va illa do try to make up by doing better in the other subjects.Surely doing well in the Board exams were in the back of the mind but definitely not at the expense of missing out Indo Pak cricket knowing especially well that the whole world would be glued to their television sets.Decided on a cheap confluencing deal with myself as to how I will watch the cricket and also study parallelly by taking even breaks between both and not getting distracted by either. Of course there was no doubt about the former. :)

And then the real action unfolded on a Saturday morning with the 1st of 5 One Day Internationals played at Karachi. Inzy won the toss and inserted India in. Viru and Sachin got India off to a great start with especially the former in a bull dozing mood flaying the hapless Paki bowlers to all corners of the ground. Especially remember the burly Rana Naved Ul Hasan getting royally murdered by the assassin from Delhi.It was one of the first instances where we go to witness the Nawab of Najafgarh in such a ruthless pile driving mode and in years to come he made Pakistan eat humble pie many a time through his unflinching onslaughts.By the time Sehwag went after belting a whirlwind 79 , Ind had reached close to 150 and were going at almost 10 runs an over. Thoughts of a monumental score crossed the mind.

However the initial momentum sunk and the pace of scoring deteriorated. Rahul Dravid was playing the rearguard anchor innings slowly but steadily taking India to a score of great proportion.It was agonising to see him get castled by a Shoaib Akhtar slow ball for a perilous 99 , (only a single bail had fallen down :() but he had done his job and took India to a commanding total of 349 from their 50 overs.A very high score in those days and perhaps even now. Also the fact that no team had chased 350 before in the history of the game. (Ironically exactly almost 2 yrs hence on 12th March 2006 , South Africa chased down an improbable score of 434 to gun down the Aussies).

Pakistan then began faultily losing 2 quick wickets but then it was the stiching together of a great partnership between the 2 veterans - Mohd. Yousuf (the erstwhile Yousuf Youhana) and Inzamam Ul Haq.Yousuf fell after a well made half century but Inzy continued on his merry way tormenting the Indian bowlers. He was belligerent yet so effortless in the way he made his century.It looked like curtains for India if they didn't get Inzy out soon. And then it happened - Dravid the keeper snapped up a catch off Karthik to end a remarkable innings.

Now the match was neck to neck and it was totally game on. The match was swinging fortunes from one end to another and it was unbearable to watch. Just when you thought India was on top , out came Abdur Razzaq who smashed a few lusty blows to again put Pakis on the ascendancy. And when Razzaq was dismissed, you still had the dangerous Moin Khan and Shoaib Malik who generally take pride in these kind of situations. However when the match was reaching a crescendo , Mohd Kaif leaped across almost air borne avoiding collision with another fielder to pull off a superlative catch to dismiss Shoaib Malik.It was the catch of the match and coming at such a crucial pressure situation , it did really sap up not only the cricketers spirits but also the fans in believing that India could still pull this off. And then the equation narrowed down to 9 runs off the final over , there were discussions on who was to bowl the final over and out came Ashish Nehra. He kept his cool and delivered a series of accurate yorker length deliveries not giving enough room to clear for the Pakistani batsman. It finally boiled down to 6 runs off the final ball.

The intensity was electrifying and the tension of an unyielding proposition. Celebrities like Shah Rukh Khan , Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi were at the ground. Javed Miandad the man who hit that infamous six off the last ball off Chetan Sharma all those years ago was voicing out his opinion as coach from the dressing room.I had read and heard about that ill fated acrimonious day in Indian cricket and the last thing I wanted was to see a similar experience getting re-captured all over again.

And then landed that final delivery , it was a low full toss not a great ball by any stretch of imagination but thankfully Moin played the shot too early not getting enough power thus scooping the ball to Zaheer to take a simple catch. There were celebrations all around and also a great sense of relief. India came out of a great escape.

It was a great game of cricket and justified all the initial hype and euphoria surrounding the series.
India went on to win the ODI series 3-2 and also the test series thereafter 2-1.

Its unthinkable and unbelievable to recall that a decade has passed since this game of cricket.
Certain imprints of the game remain truly etched and impregnated in the mind even now. Some days are truly unforgettable and the 13th of March 2004 bears a true testimony to this fact. 10 years is a long time but even now looking back at all the backdrop events surrounding the game, the high octane on and off field events and savouring all those goosebumpy moments makes this date 13th March 2004 and cricket match between India and Pakistan all the more special and nostalgic.

Scorecard : http://www.espncricinfo.com/.../current/match/64880.html
Report : http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/139999.html

Tendulkar Toughie Quiz

There was a quiz I Created in Facebook years ago on Sachin Tendulkar - Some unusually Difficult questions on the Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar!!
Some of the Questions and answers have been modified a bit and posting below the revised updated list of Q&A.

Question 1
Sachin made his 1st ever ODI Century against Aus in 1994.Which was the tournament? (Clue It was a 4 Nation event involving Ind,Aus,Pak and SL)
1. Sansui Trophy
2. Singer Cup
3. Bank Alfalah Cup
4. Janashakthi Life Insurance Cup

Question 2
Sachin's 1st ever Test as Captain resulted in a resounding victory over Aus at Delhi in 1996.Who was the Man of the Match in that Test(Clue:He scored 152)
1. Devang Gandhi
2. Sachin Tendulkar Himself
3. Nayan Mongia
4. Mohd. Azharuddin

Question 3
Opening the batting for the first time in ODI'S,Sachin made a swashbuckling 82 off 49 Balls vs NZ in 1994.Which was the venue ?
1. Auckland
2. Christchurch
3. Dunedin
4. Wellington

Question 4
In which of these venues in England has Sachin not scored a test century ?
1. Edgbaston
2. Old Trafford
3. Leeds
4. Lords

Question 5
Sachin's solitary century in the 99 WC came against this opposition ?
1. Sri Lanka
2. Kenya
3. Namibia
4. Zimbabwe

Question 6
Sachin Tendulkar has scored maximum number of centuries against Australia.How many has he scored ?
1. 8-ODI'S,9-TESTS
2. 9-ODI'S,9-TESTS
3. 9-ODI'S,11-TESTS
4. 9-ODI'S,10-TESTS

Question 7
Who was the player at the other end when Sachin miscued his shot to be out for a memorable 136 in the evergreen Chennai Test vs Pak in 1999 ?
1. Anil Kumble
2. Nayan Mongia
3. Sunil Joshi
4. Javagal Srinath

Question 8
When Sachin bowled that brilliant last over vs S.Africa in the 1993 Hero Honda Cup S/F,who were the players facing him ?
1. Dave Richardson and Richard Snell
2. Richard Snell and Allan Donald
3. Brian McMillan and Dave Richardson
4. Brian McMillan and Allan Donald

Question 9
India achieved their first ever score of 300 or more in an ODI vs Pak @ Sharjah in 1996.Sachin scored a century.Who else apart from Sachin also made a century?
1. Sourav Ganguly
2. Navjot Sidhu
3. Mohd. Azharuddin
4. Ajay Jadeja

Question 10
India has defeated Pakistan in 4 WC Matches so far (92,96,99 & 03 WC),out of which Sachin has been Man of the Match in 2 of the World Cup Matches.Which 2 World Cups are being referred here?
1. 92 WC , 03 WC and 11 WC
2. 99 WC , 03 WC and 11 WC
3. 96 WC , 03 WC and 07 WC
4. 92 WC , 96 WC and 99 WC

Answers

Question 1
2. Singer Cup

Question 2
3. Nayan Mongia

Question 3
1. Auckland

Question 4
4. Lords

Question 5
2. Kenya

Question 6
3. 9-ODI'S,11-TESTS

Question 7
1. Anil Kumble

Question 8
3. Brian McMillan and Dave Richardson

Question 9
2. Navjot Sidhu

Question 10
1. 92 WC , 03 WC and 11 WC

Note :
Link for the quiz created initially :
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/quiz/tendulkar-toughie/

A Trip Down Memory Lane with Sachin Tendulkar !!

As the curtain comes rolling down on an illustrious career spanning a generation, I was just reflecting on the sort of impact he made to the common man and how he touched upon many of our lives. Just chronicling some of the moments and memories which had a lasting impact on me.

My earliest memory of him was during the Hero cup semi in Nov 1993 when he came on to bowl the last over with 6 needed to win for South Africa. Family and friends had got together and I vaguely remember my mom asking me to Kann Moodify with the tension building and it was a euphoric moment when he pulled it off and on the background was an ecstatic Henry Blofeld commentating (I've never heard him comment barring the hero cup) and scenes of an Eden Gardens crowd going into absolute raptures. Those days Eden was a fortress and the number would have touched 100,000. Then came the final and though it was a match dominated by the wily old fox Kumble who got magical figures of 6/12, it was Sachin's cameo at the end which took India to a respectable target of 225.

From 1994 there was more seriousness in myself as a cricket lover and Oh my Gawd how i can forget that eventful day getting up early in the morning watching this curly haired assassin open the batting and smashing a spectacular 82 of 49 balls, of course was a tad disappointed that he still didn't get his 1st ODI hundred as he had quite a few scores in the 80s till that time. However the wait ended in the Singer Cup, a quadrennial event which was held in Sri Lanka comprising of the hosts along with India , Pakistan and Australia. I fondly remember that was the first time i had bought the Sportstar dated 3rd Sep 1994 with the front cover having the pictures of the 4 skippers Ranatunga , Azhar, Malik and Taylor and then the moment arrived when i got to witness that elusive 1st ODI hundred which he so badly wanted (and so was I) when he took apart the Aussie attack to score a fine 110.

Then there was his much talked about wedding in 95 to Doctor Anjali Mehta. It was a very heavily discussed topic primarily because Anjali happened to be 4 yrs senior to him. In those days this was definitely uncommon and a big thing. Also he was just 22 at that time. And there was this magazine Sports World which splashed some lovely big photographs of his wedding. I remember buying it in a magazine shop opposite Mylapore Sangeetha (next to Ambika Appalam). Both the magazine and the shop have since became extinct.

Next was the 96 World Cup. There was so much excitement personally as this was the first WC I was ever going to witness and it was in the subcontinent. I bought that red color book by Gulu Ezekiel "Story of the World Cup" which covered the history of the World cup along with snippets and scores of the past 5 events. I just couldn't wait for the first ball to get underway between NZ and Eng on Feb 14th 1996. India's hopes was fully pinned on one man Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar. Imagine he had not yet turned 23 and that time itself he had to shoulder the burden of a billion people. And boy what a fantastic World cup he had. His 90 vs the Aussies and his trailblazing 137 vs Lanka (though both in losing causes) are still etched in memory. Though he was not able to take India all the way through , you knew this kid had well and truly arrived and there was entertainment guaranteed for years to come. Personally, yes i am biased I feel his 96 WC show was his best ever even eclipsing the stellar 2003 WC show in South Africa.

His hundred making continued from the WC and in April 96 witnessed him make his first hundred against Pakistan at Sharjah. He had put on a stand of about 200 odd with Sidhu who also scored a ton. This match again I have fond memories because it was the first time India ever crossed 300 in a One Day International. Azhar smoked the hell out of Ata-Ur-Rehman in the last over to enable India cross that coveted figure. (Yeah nowadays 300 is a joke, but it definitely wasn't back then).

His one day from rubbed into test cricket and in 96 he had a great tour of the Old Blighty scoring 2 hundreds in 3 test matches. Many of us tend to forget this and it was spoken more of being a tour marking the arrival and exploits of 2 up and coming young future stars Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid.

The same yr 1996 also saw his first foray as Captain of India. He started off pretty well with a win over Australia in the first ever Border-Gavaskar one off test match. Also he captained India to victory in the triangular Titan Cup involving Australia and South Africa. SA showed their choking skills in the final after dominating with commanding wins in each of their games before. India also defeated South Africa in a home 3 test series 2-1, of which the first test in Bangalore saw the debut of another very special cricketer VVS Laxman.

India then went on to tour the Proteas and were pulverized black and blue. Despite the thunderous battering, if ever that tour is still remembered it is that breathtaking partnership between Azhar and Sachin with the latter going on to make a belligerent 169 and it needed a special effort from the high flying Adam Bacher to prevent him from continuing the onslaught further. It was vintage Sachin at his very best. India as a team continued to disappoint in the ODI's with losses even against minnows Zimbabwe and it again needed an extra special 100 by Sachin to take India to the final where they had to gun down about 240 in 40 overs to get India through.

Of course his captaincy encountered a rocky surface and it wasn't long before he stepped down. It reached an all time low when India set a target of 120 to win the Trinidad test vs Windies were bundled out for just 81 against Brian Lara's men.

Captaincy was gone and the batsman Sachin Tendulkar took centerstage. 1998 was a truly landmark year for Sachin, the batsman. He set the tone with a sparkling 95 vs Pakistan in the first final of the Silver Jubilee Cup. It was an innings that set the platform for very many great things to follow in the rest of the year. India eventually went on to win the cup with a last over heroic performance in the 3rd final by Hrishikesh Kanitkar in a final over hurrah.

And how can over forget the Sharjah blitzkrieg in April 98 where he decimated the Australian attack with 2 back to back hundreds in the desert storm. Sachin tormenting the Aussie bowlers with an over exuberant Tony Greig going absolute gaga will forever be etched in the minds of a gazillion cricket lovers. He was just invincible at this point of time and mind you he was just turning 25. The year continued with more glory and a truckload of centuries. Another of his special tons was the one at Chepauk where he bulldozed and trampled Shane Warne and the new spinner Gavin Robertson on his way to a majestic 155. If you have to define one year where a batsman left an impregnable impression with his strokeplay, consistency and domination it was 1998, truly a year imbibed in cricketing folklore for the exploits produced by the Bombay Bomber.

Year 99 and it was a historic occasion as the Pakistanis were touring India after a dozen years. The first test in Chennai witnessed an epic awe inspiring knock by Sachin when all others around him wilted under the pressure and were spun around a web by Saqlain. It was an innings withstanding immense pressure and the execution and character showed was impeccable. India however was not able to pull off a victory and the last 3-4 wickets fell like a pack of cards immediately after Sachin's dismissal. His most painful innings for sure. The Chennai crowd showed its sporting nature clapping and applauding the Pakistanis on their victory lap. For me personally it was a defeat hard to swallow and I felt after doing all the hard work he should have stayed on till the end and finished off the matter. Alas, it didnt happen. He did so much, still we take additional liberty and advantage of him. Selfish cricket fans (myself especially).

The 99 WC was a disappointment both for India and Sachin as a player who was quite below par barring a solitary hundred. However it was a time where he underwent a personal tragedy of losing his father.

Sachin again took the captaincy and after a fairly decent series vs the kiwis where he managed to rake in his then highest score of 186, it was time for down under in end 99. India fared miserably being whitewashed 3 zip by the Kangaroos. Of course, one will not easily forget that amazing 116 by him at Melbourne. It was more woes for the Indians in the tri-nation tournament not having gotten to the final. It was an ill fated second stint for Sachin as captain and you soon knew the writing was on the wall.

Things got worse with the match fixing saga and compounding further to the problems prevailing, India managed to lose a home test series vs the South Africans. Alas, it was surely time over for Sachin as captain.

Ganguly took over as captain and the first real test was against the mighty Australians who had come to India with an unbeaten 15 match win streak. It was dubbed as the final frontier for the Aussies to conquer and the win streak continued with a resounding win at Mumbai to stretch it to 16-0. Sachin waged a lone battle for India making 50's in both innings. The second test was known for the miraculous batting partnership between Laxman and Dravid and the hattrick by Bhajji to catapult India to an unlikely victory and snap the win streak of the Aussies. The see saw battle culminated in Chennai and what an amazing test match it was. Sachin's remarkable 126 along with fine performances by the others helped India pull off a brilliant win and made the Aussies wait a few more years before they could get a chance to conquer India again.

Year end 2001 and it was time to tour South Africa again. A young dashing and dynamic batsman from Delhi, Virender Sehwag who had modeled his game from Sachin was making his debut in the first test and it was a treat to watch both of them score centuries and it was attacking stroke play at its real best. That was however the only positive for India as they ended up being pounded yet again by the Saffers.

In 2002 , India finally managed to beat the Windies at home after 31 years and the one test match in which India was victorious, Sachin came to the fore with a pugnacious 100. It was next the tour of England and India performed admirably well by drawing the series. The test which India won at Leeds saw Sachin scoring a resounding 193. Dravid and Ganguly also managed to score tons in the same game to take India to a magnificent win. And it happens to be the only time the big 3 scored a hundred in the same test innings. India also managed to pull off an unthinkable chase in the Natwest one day series final with 2 young turks Yuvraj and Kaif producing an emphatic performance. Sachin however failed in the big final but managed to score an ODI ton in England in an earlier game. India's form was on the upsurge in the ODI format where they were joint winners with Sri Lanka in the Champions Trophy. All eyes were on the WC 2003 to be scheduled in South Africa.

The WC 2003 saw Sachin asserting his supremacy yet again with the bat. He was in tremendous form throughout the tournament and ended up being the leading run scorer by a country mile. He however managed only one century vs Namibia but his greatest knock was that utterly disdainful 98 he made at Cape Town against Pakistan. If ever an innings deserved a century it was this one. He was again unfortunate to miss out on a century by 3 runs vs SL. In the all important final however, Australia's target was too steep an order to climb and it was all over once Sachin was dismissed early.

Year end it was time to tour Aussies. It was Steve Waugh's farewell series and India as a team had put up an excellent show drawing the series 1-1. Sachin was in a bad patch of form having failed in 3 of the tests and he was under pressure to deliver in the final new year test at Sydney. And deliver he did in emphatic fashion scoring a career defining 241. An innings Lara rates as his best for the sheer will of trying to control not playing his favourite cover drive till he reached the magical figure of 200. Truly an innings of high competency and dedication.

It was then India's turn to tour Pakistan after 15 long years and also a homecoming for Sachin who made his debut there in 1989. India ended up winning both the ODI and Test series. Sachin scored a crucial 194 at Multab , however was largely overshadowed by Virender Sehwag's triple hundred and the puzzling move by Dravid to declare with Sachin just 6 short of a double ton.

From about 2005 onwards , I beleive he changed his game a bit. He was more sedate in his approach and looked to build an innings and you could perhaps sense a deliberate move on his part to curb his attacking strokeplay. The result was mixed as for me I always knew of him as an aggressive player and it was difficult to envisage him as being anything different. The way he used to steamroll attacks in the days of yore , this changed approach seemed somewhat unacceptable. Whatever said and done , some of his innings in the latter part of his career may not have been the most entertaining but made many realise that they were certainly crucial and helped the team's cause.

That all important 100 which he dedicated to the victims of 26/11 after the initial tone set up by Sehwag to overhaul Englands massive target of 387 in the 4th innings at Chennai stands true testimony to his courage and character.It was also a pleasure to see him score his 3rd consecutive hundred at the Sydney Cricket Ground (one of his favourites) in an ill fated and controversial tour. He followed it up with one more at Adelaide which was his last test century in Australia. In his final tour in 2011-12 , despite crossing 50 on quite a few occassions he didnt manage to get to the 3 figure mark even once which is a personal disappointment considering how well he always used to perform there.The crowning of India's achievements however was winning the VB series defeating a strong host side Australia in the finals. And again as Ravi Shastri often says cometh the hour cometh the man , Sachin was at the helm yet again steering the side by scoring a century and a 90 in the 2 finals.

And when India defeated the Kiwis in their own den , he was there again amongst the runs with a ton at Hamilton enabling India to take an early lead in the series. Also his 163 in one of the ODIs where he completely bullied the Kiwi bowlers was a treat to watch.Recently in 2010 , that commanding double century in Bangalore against the Aussies helping India retain the Border - Gavaskar trophy after falling 2 short of his 100 in the previous game was precious. Also those 2 centuries in his last trip of South Africa truly undermined his callousness and resilience.

And what a history beckoning moment it was when he became the first cricketer on the planet to reach the all encompassing mount number of 200 in a One Day International. I was on an audit and nobody was really interested to work , all that was happening was constant refreshment of the Cricinfo site . It was a signal that he was back in business as he showcased his ebullient strokeplay against a formidable South African attack. Just months before he scored a career defining 175 vs the Aussies in an ODI at Hyderabad almost taking India to the threshold of victory chasing 350. In some ways one could say this 175 was the prerunner to the bigger and larger 200.

It was World Cup time again in 2011 and there were few things to mend. First thing was avenging revenge for the disastrous showing in the previous edition in 2007 and secondly one got the feeling that Sachin was playing his 6th and last World cup. Even God was under pressure as it would have been a cardinal sin if Sachin for all his silver lining career didn't end up being a world cup winner. The script was perfectly written and Sachin's dream finally came true with India being crowned World champion. He left an everlasting impression in this edition too with 2 masterclass centuries against England and South Africa. More than even India winning, I wanted Sachin to be a world cup winner for all he had done and thank goodness it happened.

And then there were some disappointments. Many expected him to retire at least from the One day game considering he had achieved it all and capped off his career with a world cup win, but it didnt happen. His retirement decision only he knows best but what was disappointing was the struggle to get to his 100th hundred. I so sincerely hoped he would get there in that WC semi game itself where the Paki fielders too helped his cause by contributing with numerous missed catches.But he ultimately fell for a shaky 85. And then followed that 90 in the Oval test vs Eng (sadly you need to go as back as 2002 when he last hit a test hundred at Pommie land failing to score one in the following 2 tours). After that it was so painful to see him fall again in the nervous 90's after scoring a 93 vs WI in his home Mumbai test and then the stumble at Sydney when he again reached close to the monumental figure. (It also meant his final tour of Aus will not have a century by his side despite him scoring at least one in 4 tours previously). And then the moment finally arrived in Dhaka when he carved his way to a laborious and grinding 100 against the Bangladeshis. The 100th hundred should have been a more grandesque affair but it was muted and in a way more of a relief than a celebration. Yes, it was all sans style and grace but whatever, you have to give it to the man for again setting the benchmark by becoming the first player to score 100 INTERNATIONAL HUNDREDS.

I for one have always been a Sachin fan but can never classify myself as a "Fanboy". I have got irritated and disappointed with him on many occasions, a criticism I still hold is that he should have won more games chasing. Also being someone who was always numbers crazy and conscious, its a tad disappointing that he did not make a hundred in his last 23 tests and this includes 8 tests each against the English and the Australians - 2 oppositions he always thrives to do well. Was hoping silently that he would finally get that one biggie in his final test but it didn't happen. Also it was heartbreaking to see him fall repeatedly in the 90's especially in ODI's. If only he had converted a 3 quarter of them he should have had a minimum of 60 hundreds in both version - Tests and ODI'S. But the minor quibbles aside, the joy and happiness he provided far outweigh the disappointments.

Many who follow the sport of cricket would never have known you personally but through your willow you have influenced , entertained and impacted a generation of cricket lovers in the last 24 years. Its hard to digest that the razor sharp straight drive, the glorious Cover Drive, the upper cut six, shouts of Sachiiinnnnn Sachin will all soon be history of the past.

For me personally it has been a roller coaster ride in the last 20 years. So many highs, lows, ecstasies and also some disappointments. You have left such an indelible impression on me and am sure a billion other cricket fans. You've contributed so much in making my childhood all the more memorable. So many memories have been kindled and I'm sure if I rack up my brain further, more and more will flow. Its truly been a journey of a lifetime.

There will be a few trickling of tears when the moment sinks in to realize that this cricketing journey has reached its final ultimate destination and not going to proceed any further. With a heavy lump in my heart, I would just like to say Thank you for everything you have done. #ThankYouSachin.

Sachin the One Day International Batsman

Since 1994 when i started watching and enjoying cricket, one name has always been tied with the sport like a string attached to a guitar. There maybe cricketers who might match or even surpass your test records, but you are the one and only numero uno when it comes to the original form of limited overs cricket - One Day Internationals. How can I forget waking up early in the morning watching you score a trailblazing 82 off a mere 49 deliveries in your new avatar of One Day Opener, how thrilled was I seeing you score your 1st One Day Century against the Australians at the Singer Cup 94, then your 96 WC exploits with that blitzkrieg 90 against the Aussies at Mumbai and then I was so gutted when you got out stumped and India fell short of the target eventually by 16 runs. That 137 vs the Lankans on a misty day at Delhi with only a run out averting you from getting to 150 - what fun it was seeing you and Azhar rip the Lankan bowling attack in the last 5 overs. What about that glorious 104 at Benoni vs Zimbabwe when you had to get the target within just about 40 overs or so to reach the final vs South Africa, then that 1998 back to back hundreds under the Desert Storm in Sharjah - ah those vivid memories of you coming down the wicket and tonking Fleming and Kasprowicz for 6 with Tony Greig going bazooka is epic level of the highest order.

The year 1998 in entirety when you scored truckloads of centuries and officially assumed the status of God in the minds of millions of cricket fans, that unforgettable massacring of Henry Olonga at Sharjah when he thought he had the better of you hahahaha, that 186 not out vs the Kiwis on a field day when you were involved in the best ever partnership of 331 runs with Rahul Dravid, those pulverising sixes hit off Shoaib Akhtar over third man on way to a destructive 98 off a mere 70 odd deliveries in a crucial World Cup Indo Pak clash at Centurion, the brilliant 175 when you almost single handedly snatched a famous win chasing 350 against the Aussies at Hyderabad, the first ever double hundred in ODIs at Gwalior where you treated the South African bowlers with utter disdain. Coming to the memorable WC 2011 where you showed your class yet again on the big stage by cracking hundreds against both England and South Africa, your 85 against Pakistan probably one of your worst innings, but nevertheless helped Ind to defeat its arch rivals in a do or die Semifinal at Mohali thus taking India to the final and making your lifetime dream of winning a word cup come true and finally your laboured 100th international century which came against Bangladesh making you the first man on the planet to get to the coveted landmark. These are just a gist of evergreen glorious Sachin memories.

Sachin - you just didn't set benchmarks but you were a benchmark yourself. Thanks for all the moments, memories and entertainment. Your exploits on the cricketing field will be etched in the minds of millions of cricketing lovers forever. I still cant get over the fact that the next time i switch on my television to watch a ODI involving India, I won't be seeing the name Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar on the scoreboard.

 
One Day International Cricket will never be the same without your larger than life persona!