Sachin dedicates the double hundred to the people of India

Mathew Hayden once said: I have seen God. He bats at number four for India. It is hoped that Hayden watched this classical and epical innings by Sachin Tendulkar who created history by slamming the first double hundred in a one day international
Sandeep Kumar Delhi

"I don't know how to react to this. I would like to dedicate this to the people of India who have always stood behind me for these 20 years amid the ups and downs." What else can one expect more from perhaps the most humble legend in contemporary times, and perhaps for many years to come. A single towards the backward point region in the last over of the innings at the Captain Roop Singh Stadium became history. The entire stadium roared and saluted the master for the unbelievable knock. And with the stadium, millions in India and abroad, including Sachin's friend, another great, Shane Warne, who tweeted when the genius was on 190: Do it Sachin. Only you can do it.

Batting first, the little maestro played a classically nuanced innings when he was king of all that he surveyed, like a majestic tiger in the jungle. He was wristy, with a soft handle, delicate, gliding, driving and flicking and glancing the ball, not really going for too many power shots, except for three huge sixes; and yet, this subtle and protracted innings had 25 fours. One four stood out: he literally danced on his toes on this half-volley on the off stump, and scooped/flicked/glanced/glided it - where - to the leg side. Amazing and perhaps a first-time innovation  in two decades.

He made the harried South African bowlers chase leather all around the ground, as he stood there like a rock and a ballet dancer at once, in synthesis, literally moving his feet and stroking the ball with amazing love and finesse. Indeed, from the very first ball it was clear that Sachin was playing a different tune in his head, almost similar to that historic innings at Sharjah that the passion for this game is still simmering like fire inside him. After more than two amazing and extraordinary decades in the game, he reached this milestone in the last over after some tense moments as Dhoni was in full flow and holding strike. He hit his double century in just 147 balls hammering 25 fours and three towering sixes. In the process, he also surpassed the highest one day score of 194 made by Saeed Anwar and his own of 186 not out. 

Tendulkar started his chanceless innings with an assured quietness and solidity, not unusually aggressive, but stunningly solitary and confident in his quest. His solitaire 37-ball 50 followed his century in 90 balls. After losing Virender Sehwag (9) early in the innings, Tendulkar put on a 150-run partnership with Dinesh Karthik (79 off 85) who slammed his fourth ODI 50 and first against South Africa. India slammed 401 runs for 3 in 50 overs.  Chasing 402, South African chase ended on 248 in the 43rd over to hand over the series to India by 153 runs.

Hardnews congratulates the greatness of Sachin Tendulkar and shares the joy of watching an epical innings with millions of his fans all over India and the world. That an unpretentious and modest Sachin is the god of cricket is no doubt. That other greats also consider him one is also an inevitable truth. Witness below the amazing and frank testimonies on the legend called Sachin Tendulkar by his contemporaries and admirers, floating on the net for some years now:

"I have seen God, he bats at number 4 for India."
Mathew Hayden

"Nothing bad can happen to us if we're on a plane in India with Sachin Tendulkar on it."
- Hashim Amla, the South African batsman, reassures himself as he boards a flight.
 
"Sometimes you get so engrossed in watching batsmen like Rahul Dravid and Sachin Tendulkar that you lose focus on your job."
- Yaseer Hameed in pakistani newspaper.
 
 "To Sachin, the man we all want to be"
- Andrew Symonds wrote on an aussie t-shirt he autographed specially for Sachin.
 
"Beneath the helmet, under that unruly curly hair, inside the cranium, there is something we don't know, something beyond scientific measure. Something that allows him to soar, to roam a territory of sport that, forget us, even those who are gifted enough to play alongside him cannot even fathom. When he goes out to bat, people switch on their TV sets and switch off their lives."
- BBC on Sachin
 
"Tuzhe pata hai tune kiska catch chhoda hai?"
- Wasim Akram to Abdul Razzaq when the latter dropped Sachin's catch in 2003 WC.
 
 Sachin is a genius. I'm a mere mortal.
- Brian Charles Lara

"We did not lose to a team called India...we lost to a man called Sachin."
- Mark Taylor, during the test match in Chennai (1997)
 
"The more I see of him the more confused I'm getting to which is his best knock."
- M. L. Jaisimha
 
"The joy he brings to the millions of his countrymen, the grace with which he handles all the adulation and the expectations and his innate humility - all make for a one-in-a-billion individual,"
-  Glen McGrath
 
"I can be hundred per cent sure that Sachin will not play for a minute longer when he is not enjoying himself. He is still so eager to go out there and play. He will play as long as he feels he can play,"
- Anjali Tendulkar
 
"Even my father's name is Sachin Tendulkar."
- Tendulkar's daughter, Sara, tells her class her father's name after the teacher informs them of a restaurant of the same name in Mumbai.
 
Question: Who do you think as most important celebrity ?
Shah Rukh Khan: There was a big party where stars from bollywood and cricket were invited. Suddenly, there was a big noise, all wanted to see approaching Amitabh Bachhan. Then Sachin entered the hall and Amitabh was leading the queue to get a grab of the GENIUS!!
-  Shah Rukh Khan in an interview.

"India me aap PrimeMinister ko ek Baar Katghare me khada kar sakte hain..Par Sachin Tendulkar par Ungli nahi utha Sakte.. "
 - Navjot Singh Sidhu on TV

He can play that leg glance with a walking stick also.
- Waqar Younis

'I Will See God When I Die But Till Then I Will See Sachin'
- A banner in Sharjah

  Sachin Tendulkar has often reminded me of a veteran army colonel who has many medals on his chest to show how he has conquered bowlers all over the world. I was bowling to Sachin and he hit me for two fours in a row. One from point and the other in between point and gully. That was the last two balls of the over and the over after that we (SA) took a wicket and during the group meeting i told Jonty (Rhodes) to be alert and i know a way to pin Sachin. And i delivered the first ball of my next over and it was a fuller length delevery outside offstump. And i shouted catch. To my astonishment the ball was hit to the cover boundary. Such was the brilliance of Sachin. His reflex time is the best i have ever seen. Its like 1/20th of a sec. To get his wicket better not prepare. Atleast u wont regret if he hits you for boundaries.
- Allan Donald 
 
On a train from Shimla to Delhi, there was a halt in one of the stations. The train stopped by for few minutes as usual. Sachin was nearing century, batting on 98. The passengers, railway officials, everyone on the train waited for Sachin to complete the century. This Genius can stop time in India!!
- Peter Rebouck - Aussie journalist

"Sachin cannot cheat. He is to cricket what (Mahatma) Gandhiji was to politics. It's clear discrimination. "
- NKP Salve, former Union Minister when Sachin was accused of ball tempering
 
There are 2 kind of batsmen in the world. One Sachin Tendulkar. Two all the others.
- Andy Flower

"Commit all your sins when Sachin is batting. They will go unnoticed coz even the GOD is watching"
- A hoarding in England