30 reasons why India loves Sachin Tendulkar

On 15th November 2009, Sachin Tendulkar will complete 20 years in international cricket. In a build up to that momentous day, MSN India presents a series of features dedicated to the Mumbai maestro. Take a look at the first one in the line-up.

Sachin Tendulkar: Celebrating 20 years in international cricket

• Highest run scorer in ODIs: 17178 runs
• Most number of hundreds in the ODIs: 45
• Most number of nineties in ODIs: 16
• Most number of man of the matches in the ODIs: 60
• Most number of man of the series in ODIs: 15
• First Cricketer to pass 10000 run in ODIs
• First Cricketer to pass 15000 run in the ODI
• Highest run scorer in the World Cup: 1,796 at an average of 59.87 as on 20 Mar 2007
• Most number of Fifties in ODIs: 91
• Appeared in Most Number of ODIs: 436
• He is the only player to be in top 10 ICC ranking for 10 years.
• Most number of 100's in Tests: 42
• He is one of the three batsmen to surpass 11,000 runs in Test cricket, and the first Indian to do so
• In 2003, Wisden rated Tendulkar as No. 1 and Vivian Richards at No. 2 in all time Greatest ODI player
• In 2002, Wisden rated him as the second greatest Test batsman after Sir Donald Bradman.
• Tendulkar is the only player to score a century in all three of his Ranji Trophy, Duleep Trophy and Irani Trophy debuts
• In 1992, at the age of 19, Tendulkar became the first overseas born player to represent Yorkshire
• Tendulkar has been granted the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna, Arjuna Award and Padma Shri by Indian government.He is the only Indian cricketer to get all of them.
• Tendulkar has scored over 1000 runs in a calendar year in ODI's 7 times
• Out of his 56 man of the match awards only 5 times India has lost.
• In November 2006, Time magazine named Tendulkar as one of the Asian Heroes.
• Most Centuries in a calendar year: 9 ODI centuries in 1998
• Highest individual score among Indian batsmen: 186* against New Zealand at Hyderabad in 1999.
• Sachin was the fastest to reach 10,000 runs taking 259 innings and has the highest batting average among batsmen with over 10,000 ODI runs
• On his debut, Sachin Tendulkar was the second youngest debutant in the world
• When Tendulkar scored his maiden century in 1990, he was the second youngest to score a century
• Tendulkar's record of five test centuries before he turned 20 is a current world record
• On 3 January 2007 Sachin Tendulkar (5751) edged past Brian Lara's (5736) world record of runs scored in Tests away from home
• Second Indian after Sunil Gavaskar to make over 10,000 runs in Test matches
• Became the first Indian to surpass the 11,000 Test run mark and the third International player behind Allan Border and Brian Lara.

Comments:
Certainly the greatest batsmen to play the the game of all time and cricket will be indebted to the genius who is the greatest ambassador for the game and upcoming cricketers should make him their role model not only how to play,but how to carry themself on and off field.
A True Legend of the Game and Country.
Source:MSN